Lipids and stable isotopes in common eider, black-legged kittiwake and northern fulmar: a trophic study from an Arctic fjord

• Published in: Marine ecology. Progress series (Halstenbek) 2003-07, Vol.256, p.257-269
• Main Authors: Dahl, T. M., Falk-Petersen, S., Gabrielsen, G. W., Sargent, J. R., Hop, H., Millar, R. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose tissues; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Aves; Biological and medical sciences; Birds; Body fat; Fatty acids; Fulmarus glacialis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Isotopes; Lipids; Liver; Marine; Muscles; Principal components analysis; Rissa tridactyla; Sea birds; Sea water ecosystems; Somateria mollissima; Synecology; Vertebrata
• ISSN: 0171-8630; 1616-1599
• DOI: 10.3354/meps256257

Lipid class and fatty acid compositions were determined in common eider (Somateria mollissima), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) from Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen. Muscle and liver were sampled in all species, while fat tissue was sampled in eiders and fulmars. Triacylglycerols (TAG) dominated the lipid class compositions of all tissues, and the major fatty acids found in TAG were: 18:1n9, 16:0, 18:0, 20:5n3 and 16:1n7 for eider; 16:0, 18:1n9, 18:0, 20:1n9 and 16:1n7 for kittiwake; 18:1n9, 16:0, 20:1n9, 22:1n11, and 18:0 for fulmar. To attain information on prey composition, fatty acid signature analysis was performed on muscle fatty acid profiles of the bird species, together with fatty acid data from potential prey species. This study of lipids combined with stable isotopes supports the following findings: (1) Common eiders are strongly linked to the benthic food chain, through both fatty acid compositions (high levels of 20:4n6) and stable isotope values (high levels of δ13C). (2) Black-legged kittiwakes and northern fulmars are linked to the pelagic food chain, through both fatty acid compositions (high levels of 20:1n9 and 22:1n11) and stable isotope values (low levels of δ13C). The high level of 20:1 and 22:1 moieties also indicates the importance ofCalanusin the Arctic pelagic food chain supporting fulmar and kittiwake. (3) The levels δ15N show that of the 3 species, the fulmar occupies the highest trophic level, followed by kittiwake and common eider.