Icefish (salangidae) as an indicator of anthropogenic pollution in freshwater systems using nitrogen isotope analysis.
We investigated differences in delta(15)N of seston and icefishes from seven freshwater ecosystems with different trophic states in China. An increase of seston delta(15)N values was accompanied by an increase of total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Significantly positive correlations were observed between delta(15)N of icefishes and delta(15)N of seston, total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. This study demonstrated that icefishes could be preferred indicators of anthropogenic contamination in test systems because they integrated waste inputs over long time periods and reflected the movement of waste through the pelagic food chain.
Xu
Jun
J
Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan, 430072, People's Republic of China.
Xie
Ping
P
Zhang
Min
M
Zhou
Qiong
Q
Zhang
Liang
L
Wen
Zhourui
Z
Cao
T
T
D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis*; D017858:Salmoniformes / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis
D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen