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Lipid composition of zooplankton in relation to the sub-arctic food web

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Summary

Seasonal changes in the lipid class composition and fatty acid and fatty alcohol composition of neutral lipids were determined for Calanus finmarchicus, Metridia longa and Sagitta sp. in Balsfjord, northern Norway. Similar analyses were obtained for C. hyperboreus and Parathemisto abyssorum in an adjacent fjord, Ullsfjord, in spring. C. finmarchicus, C. hyperboreus, M. longa, and Parathemisto abyssorum all contained large amounts of wax esters whereas Sagitta sp. contained small amounts of triacylglycerols and traces of wax esters. the levels of wax ester in C. finmarchicus and M. longa were highest in late autumn (respectively 88% and 84% of total lipid) and lowest in early spring (respectively 85% and 27% of total lipid). The accumulation of these neutral lipids in spring and summer is related to the feeding activity during the primary production period, while their decline in late winter is associated with the mobilisation of metabolic energy for production of gonads. The major fatty alcohols in the wax esters of C. finmarchicus and C. hyperboreus and Parathemisto abyssorum were 20:1 and 22:1 while those in the wax esters of M. longa were 14:0 and 16:0. The traces of wax esters in Saqitta were rich in 20:1 and 22:1 fatty alcohols. These analyses are consistent with C. finmarchicus and C. hyperboreus being strictly herbivorous, M. longa being more carnivorous and both Sagitta sp. and Parathemisto being highly carnivorous, probably ingesting substantial amounts of calanoid copepods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Akvaplan a/s, Bankgt. 1, N-9001, Tromsø, Norway

    Stig Falk-Petersen

  2. Department of Biological Science, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, Stirling, Scotland

    John R. Sargent

  3. Institute of Biology and Geology, University of Tromsø, P.O. Box 3085, N-9000, Tromsø, Norway

    Kurt S. Tande

Authors
  1. Stig Falk-Petersen
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  2. John R. Sargent
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  3. Kurt S. Tande
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Falk-Petersen, S., Sargent, J.R. & Tande, K.S. Lipid composition of zooplankton in relation to the sub-arctic food web. Polar Biol 8, 115–120 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00297065

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00297065

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