From the pool to the sea: Applicable isotope turnover rates and diet to skin discrimination factors for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
| Autor: | Renaud de Stephanis, Francisco Ramírez, Manuela G. Forero, Joan Giménez, Javier Almunia |
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| Přispěvatelé: | Loro Parque Fundación, CEPSA, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España) |
| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Isotope Free ranging δ13C Stable isotope ratio Ecology Bottlenose dolphins 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology Zoology δ15N Aquatic Science Biology 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Isotopic composition Diet-tissue discrimination factor Tursiops truncatus Isotope turnover rates Tissue type Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Stable isotopes |
| Zdroj: | Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC instname |
| Popis: | One of the most common applications in isotopic ecology is the assessment of animal's assimilated diet through mass-balance mixing models. Its applicability relies on the use of accurate diet to tissue discrimination factors and turnover rates, which are known to vary as a function of several factors including taxon or tissue type. To date, few studies have assessed isotopic discrimination factors and turnover rates in cetacean species under controlled conditions. Previous experimental studies focused on blood, a difficult sample to obtain in the wild, or on a more appropriate tissue, the skin, but assessed in short experimental trials without arriving to the isotopic equilibrium. We carried out the longest controlled feeding experiment available (350 days) in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in order to assess discrimination factors and turnover rates in skin. Animals' isotopic composition was first stabilized by maintaining individuals under an isotopically constant diet during 172 days. Afterwards, diet was shifted and maintained during 178days to calculate isotopic discrimination and turnover rates. Estimates for isotopic discrimination factors were 1.01±0.37‰ (mean±sd) for δC and 1.57±0.52‰ for δN. Half-life turnover rates were estimated to be 24.16±8.19days for carbon and 47.63±19days for nitrogen. This is the first time that applicable values are available to assess the diet of free ranging small cetaceans through stable isotope mixing model analysis. This work was supported by the Fundación Loro Parque, CEPSA (Compañía Española de Petroleos S.A.), and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [CGL2011-25543, EcoCet Project; SEV-2012-0262, Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence in R + D + I to J.G and R. dS and Juan de la Cierva Postdoctoral program to R. dS]. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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