Stable isotope enrichment in muscle, liver, and whole fish tissues of brown-marbled groupers (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus)

作者：Gang Chen, Hui Zhou, Duoliang Ji, Binhe Gu · 发表于：Ecological Processes · 年份：2012 · DOI：10.1186/2192-1709-1-7 · 被引用次数：30 · 研究领域：Isotope Analysis in Ecology、Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth、Marine animal studies overview

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to assess enrichments in stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) in brown-marbled groupers ( Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ), a marine fish that has been widely used in aquaculture. Stable isotope analysis has been used to evaluate dietary sources and the trophic position of fish. There is the need to better understand the pattern of isotope enrichment between consumers and diets under laboratory conditions. Methods We studied the changes in stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes of juvenile brown-marbled groupers during a feeding experiment in 2009. Fish were grown in aquaria and fed a sole source of protein for 56 days and analyzed for δ 13 C and δ 15 N ratios in whole fish, muscle, and liver tissues. Results At the end of the 56-day feeding experiment, fish grew to an average of 55.6 g from an average of 22.5 g. Compared to the dietary isotope compositions, whole fish and muscle tissues of the juvenile groupers were enriched in δ 13 C by 1.6 and 0.5‰, while the liver was depleted by 1.3‰. The δ 15 N enrichments were 1.6‰ for whole fish, 1.3‰ for muscle, and 1.0‰ for liver. Except for liver, δ 15 N isotope values increased significantly with time. Conclusions The small change in δ 13 C between the diet and fish suggests that little isotope alteration is occurring during the assimilation of dietary carbon. This provides a basis for estimates of the importance of different sources of dietary components when contrast...