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Analysis of δ 13 C in lake sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens [Rafinesque 1817]) fin and muscle tissue: an application of three arithmetic lipid correction models
Author(s) -
Braun D.,
Phillips I. D.,
Wissel B.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of applied ichthyology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1439-0426
pISSN - 0175-8659
DOI - 10.1111/jai.12627
Subject(s) - acipenser , lake sturgeon , fractionation , biology , estuary , fish measurement , sturgeon , muscle tissue , range (aeronautics) , zoology , fishery , endocrinology , fish <actinopterygii> , chemistry , chromatography , materials science , composite material
Summary For stable isotope diet studies, fin tissue is preferred over muscle tissue because it is less intrusive and avoids unnecessary stress or mortality, particularly in endangered species, such as lake sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens ). Yet to ensure accurate analysis of lake sturgeon feeding habits the development of a muscle‐fin tissue fractionation factor is essential to remove lipid bias within different tissue types. We corrected for lipids in muscle and fin tissue by using three mathematical correction methods on 87 lake sturgeon from the Saskatchewan River in Saskatchewan, Canada from May to October 2011 (weight range: 0.60–43.30 kg; fork length range: 0.42–1.62 m). The mean respective fractionation factor for McConnaughey and McRoy (Mar. Biol., 53, 1979, 257) and Fry et al. (Estuaries, 26, 2003, 82) models were not significantly different from each other (P > 0.05, 0.86 and 0.80‰), and neither significantly differed from a 1 : 1 line (slope = 0.97, r 2 = 0.80 and 0.81, respectively). Conversely, the Post et al. (Oceologia, 152, 2007, 179) model results were significantly different from the 1 : 1 line with a low r 2 of 0.19 and a fractionation factor significantly different from the other two models (P < 0.05, 2.81‰), which was a result of a non‐linear increase in fractionation factor with C : N values. Therefore, of the three correction factors tested, McConnaughey and McRoy (Mar. Biol., 53, 1979, 257) and Fry et al. (Estuaries, 26, 2003, 82) are both acceptable models when correcting for lipid bias in lake sturgeon tissues. However, we preferred the Fry et al. (Estuaries, 26, 2003, 82) formula because of its mass balance approach and minimal alterations when applied to a new species.