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Schaafsma FL, Flores H, David CL, Castellani G, Sakinan S, Meijboom A, Niehoff B, Cornils A, Hildebrandt N, Schmidt K, Snoeijs-Leijonmalm P, Ehrlich J, Ashjian CJ. Insights into the diet and feeding behavior of immature polar cod (Boreogadus saida) from the under-ice habitat of the central Arctic Ocean. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 105:907-930. [PMID: 38922867 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Polar cod (Boreogadus saida) is an endemic key species of the Arctic Ocean ecosystem. The ecology of this forage fish is well studied in Arctic shelf habitats where a large part of its population lives. However, knowledge about its ecology in the central Arctic Ocean (CAO), including its use of the sea-ice habitat, is hitherto very limited. To increase this knowledge, samples were collected at the under-ice surface during several expeditions to the CAO between 2012 and 2020, including the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition. The diet of immature B. saida and the taxonomic composition of their potential prey were analysed, showing that both sympagic and pelagic species were important prey items. Stomach contents included expected prey such as copepods and amphipods. Surprisingly, more rarely observed prey such as appendicularians, chaetognaths, and euphausiids were also found to be important. Comparisons of the fish stomach contents with prey distribution data suggests opportunistic feeding. However, relative prey density and catchability are important factors that determine which type of prey is ingested. Prey that ensures limited energy expenditure on hunting and feeding is often found in the stomach contents even though it is not the dominant species present in the environment. To investigate the importance of prey quality and quantity for the growth of B. saida in this area, we measured energy content of dominant prey species and used a bioenergetic model to quantify the effect of variations in diet on growth rate potential. The modeling results suggest that diet variability was largely explained by stomach fullness and, to a lesser degree, the energetic content of the prey. Our results suggest that under climate change, immature B. saida may be at least equally sensitive to a loss in the number of efficiently hunted prey than to a reduction in the prey's energy content. Consequences for the growth and survival of B. saida will not depend on prey presence alone, but also on prey catchability, digestibility, and energy content.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hauke Flores
- Department of Polar Biological Oceanography, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Carmen L David
- Marine Animal Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Giulia Castellani
- Department of Polar Biological Oceanography, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | | | | | - Barbara Niehoff
- Department of Polar Biological Oceanography, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Astrid Cornils
- Department of Polar Biological Oceanography, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Nicole Hildebrandt
- Department of Polar Biological Oceanography, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Katrin Schmidt
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | | | - Julia Ehrlich
- Department of Polar Biological Oceanography, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Centre for Natural History (CeNak), University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carin J Ashjian
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
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Ziegler AF, Bluhm BA, Renaud PE, Jørgensen LL. Isotopic turnover in polar cod (Boreogadus saida) muscle determined through a controlled feeding experiment. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2023; 102:1442-1454. [PMID: 36999199 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Polar cod (Boreogadus saida) is an important trophic link within Arctic marine food webs and is likely to experience diet shifts in response to climate change. One important tool for assessing organism diet is bulk stable isotope analysis. However, key parameters necessary for interpreting the temporal context of stable isotope values are lacking, especially for Arctic species. This study provides the first experimental determination of isotopic turnover (as half-life) and trophic discrimination factors (TDFs) of both δ13 C and δ15 N in adult polar cod muscle. Using a diet enriched in both 13 C and 15 N, we measured isotopic turnover times of 61 and 49 days for δ13 C and δ15 N, respectively, with metabolism accounting for >94% of the total turnover. These half-life estimates are valid for adult polar cod (>3 years) experiencing little somatic growth. We measured TDFs in our control of 2.6‰ and 3.9‰ for δ13 C and δ15 N, respectively, and we conclude that applying the commonly used TDF of ~1‰ for δ13 C for adult polar cod may lead to misrepresentation of dietary carbon source, while the use of 3.8‰ for δ15 N is appropriate. Based on these results, we recommend that studies investigating seasonal shifts in the diet of adult polar cod sample at temporal intervals of at least 60 days to account for isotopic turnover in polar cod muscle. Although isotopic equilibrium was reached by the fish in this study, it was at substantially lower isotope values than the diet. Additionally, the use of highly enriched algae in the experimental feed caused very high variability in diet isotope values which precluded accurate calculation of TDFs from the enriched fish. As a result of the challenges faced in this study, we discourage the use of highly enriched diets for similar experiments and provide recommendations to guide the design of future isotopic turnover experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Fern Ziegler
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Institute of Marine Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bodil A Bluhm
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Paul E Renaud
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre for Climate and the Environment, Tromsø, Norway
- University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
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Botterell ZLR, Bergmann M, Hildebrandt N, Krumpen T, Steinke M, Thompson RC, Lindeque PK. Microplastic ingestion in zooplankton from the Fram Strait in the Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 831:154886. [PMID: 35364160 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Some of the highest microplastic concentrations in marine environments have been reported from the Fram Strait in the Arctic. This region supports a diverse ecosystem dependent on high concentrations of zooplankton at the base of the food web. Zooplankton samples were collected during research cruises using Bongo and MOCNESS nets in the boreal summers of 2018 and 2019. Using FTIR scanning spectroscopy in combination with an automated polymer identification approach, we show that all five species of Arctic zooplankton investigated had ingested microplastics. Amphipod species, found in surface waters or closely associated with sea ice, had ingested significantly more microplastic per individual (Themisto libellula: 1.8, Themisto abyssorrum: 1, Apherusa glacialis: 1) than copepod species (Calanus hyperboreus: 0.21, Calanus glacialis/finmarchicus: 0.01). The majority of microplastics ingested were below 50 μm in size, all were fragments and several different polymer types were present. We quantified microplastics in water samples collected at six of the same stations as the Calanus using an underway sampling system (inlet at 6.5 m water depth). Fragments of several polymer types and anthropogenic cellulosic fibres were present, with an average concentration of 7 microplastic particles (MP) L-1 (0-18.5 MP L-1). In comparison to the water samples, those microplastics found ingested by zooplankton were significantly smaller, highlighting that the smaller-sized microplastics were being selected for by the zooplankton. High levels of microplastic ingestion in zooplankton have been associated with negative effects on growth, development, and fecundity. As Arctic zooplankton only have a short window of biological productivity, any negative effect could have broad consequences. As global plastic consumption continues to increase and climate change continues to reduce sea ice cover, releasing ice-bound microplastics and leaving ice free areas open to exploitation, the Arctic could be exposed to further plastic pollution which could place additional strain on this fragile ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zara L R Botterell
- Marine Ecology and Biodiversity, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK; School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Melanie Bergmann
- HGF-MPG Joint Research Group for Deep-Sea Ecology and Technology, Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar - und Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Nicole Hildebrandt
- HGF-MPG Joint Research Group for Deep-Sea Ecology and Technology, Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar - und Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Thomas Krumpen
- Climate Sciences, Sea Ice Physics, Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar - und Meeresforschung, Bussestraße 24, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Michael Steinke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Richard C Thompson
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre (MBERC), School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Penelope K Lindeque
- Marine Ecology and Biodiversity, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK.
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Facciola N, Pedro S, Houde M, Fisk AT, Ferguson SH, Steer H, Muir DCG, McKinney MA. Measurable Levels of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in Western Hudson Bay Fishes but Limited Biomagnification from Fish to Ringed Seals. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:2990-2999. [PMID: 34352119 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigated short-chain (C10-13 ) chlorinated paraffins (SCCP) in an Arctic marine food web. In zooplankton, fishes, and ringed seals from western Hudson Bay, Canada, SCCP concentrations ranged from 38.3 to 687 ng g-1 lipid weight. Monte Carlo-simulated trophic-adjusted biomagnification factors of individual SCCP congeners ranged from 0.07 to 0.55 for small pelagic fishes to seals. Despite relatively high concentrations in fishes, biomagnification of SCCPs within this food web appears limited. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2990-2999. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Facciola
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sara Pedro
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montreal, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aaron T Fisk
- School of the Environment, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Helena Steer
- National Laboratory for Environmental Testing, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlingto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
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Florko KRN, Tai TC, Cheung WWL, Ferguson SH, Sumaila UR, Yurkowski DJ, Auger-Méthé M. Predicting how climate change threatens the prey base of Arctic marine predators. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:2563-2575. [PMID: 34469020 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Arctic sea ice loss has direct consequences for predators. Climate-driven distribution shifts of native and invasive prey species may exacerbate these consequences. We assessed potential changes by modelling the prey base of a widely distributed Arctic predator (ringed seal; Pusa hispida) in a sentinel area for change (Hudson Bay) under high- and low-greenhouse gas emission scenarios from 1950 to 2100. All changes were relatively negligible under the low-emission scenario, but under the high-emission scenario, we projected a 50% decline in the abundance of the well-distributed, ice-adapted and energy-rich Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and an increase in the abundance of smaller temperate-associated fish in southern and coastal areas. Furthermore, our model predicted that all fish species declined in mean body size, but a 29% increase in total prey biomass. Declines in energy-rich prey and restrictions in their spatial range are likely to have cascading effects on Arctic predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie R N Florko
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Travis C Tai
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - William W L Cheung
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - U Rashid Sumaila
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David J Yurkowski
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Marie Auger-Méthé
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Gopakumar A, Giebichenstein J, Raskhozheva E, Borgå K. Mercury in Barents Sea fish in the Arctic polar night: Species and spatial comparison. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 169:112501. [PMID: 34044291 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although mercury (Hg) in polar ecosystems has been well-studied, there is little information on Hg in the Arctic during low-productivity seasons like the polar night. We quantified Hg concentrations, carbon, and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in the muscle of polar cod (Boreogadus saida), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), and capelin (Mallotus villosus) sampled from the North-West and North-East Barents Sea during November-December 2019. Hg concentrations varied between species (14-175 ng/g dw), dependent on region, but were well below the toxicity threshold for fish health and the EU-accepted threshold for human consumption. Interspecific differences were observed only in the North-East region, with Atlantic cod having highest Hg concentrations, explained by its larger size, higher trophic position and benthopelagic feeding. Spatial differences in polar cod with higher Hg concentrations in the North-East than the North-West were likely due to a combination of differences in food web structure and Hg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Gopakumar
- Section for Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Postboks 1066, Blindern 0316, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Julia Giebichenstein
- Section for Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Postboks 1066, Blindern 0316, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Evgeniia Raskhozheva
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 17 Vladimirskaya st., Murmansk 183010, Russia.
| | - Katrine Borgå
- Section for Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Postboks 1066, Blindern 0316, Oslo, Norway.
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Broad feeding niches of capelin and sand lance may overlap those of polar cod and other native fish in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02738-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Ogloff WR, Ferguson SH, Tallman RF, Davoren GK. Diet of capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the Eastern Canadian Arctic inferred from stomach contents and stable isotopes. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02707-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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10
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Influences of temperature, predators, and competitors on polar cod (Boreogadus saida) at the southern margin of their distribution. Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02575-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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Marsh JM, Mueter FJ, Quinn TJ. Environmental and biological influences on the distribution and population dynamics of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) in the US Chukchi Sea. Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02561-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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12
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Feeding ecology of capelin (Mallotus villosus) in a fjord impacted by glacial meltwater (Godthåbsfjord, Greenland). Polar Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-018-2400-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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13
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McNicholl DG, Davoren GK, Majewski AR, Reist JD. Isotopic niche overlap between co-occurring capelin (Mallotus villosus) and polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and the effect of lipid extraction on stable isotope ratios. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2199-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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14
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The ecology of gadid fishes in the circumpolar Arctic with a special emphasis on the polar cod (Boreogadus saida). Polar Biol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-016-1965-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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