From aquatic to terrestrial food webs: decrease of the docosahexaenoic acid/linoleic acid ratio.
Fatty acid composition of the adipose tissue of six carnivorous mammalian species (European otter Lutra lutra, American mink Mustela vison, European Mink Mustela lutreola, European polecat Mustela putorius, stone marten Martes foina and European wild cat Felis silvestris) was studied. These species forage to differing degrees in aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Fatty acid analysis revealed significant differences in polyunsaturated fatty acid composition between species. More specifically, our results underline a gradual significant decrease in the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/linoleic acid (LNA) ratio of carnivore species as their dependence on aquatic food webs decreases. In conclusion, the use of the DHA/LNA ratio in long-term studies is proposed as a potential proxy of changes in foraging behaviour of semi-aquatic mammals.
Koussoroplis
Apostolos-Manuel
AM
Laboratoire LMGE, UMR CNRS 6023, Equipe Réseaux Trophiques Aquatiques, Université Blaise Pascal, 24, Avenue des Landais, 63177 Aubière, France. a-manuel.KOUSSOROPLIS@univ-bpclermont.fr
Lemarchand
Charles
C
Bec
Alexandre
A
Desvilettes
Christian
C
Amblard
Christian
C
Fournier
Christine
C
Berny
Philippe
P
Bourdier
Gilles
G
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002335:Carnivora; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D020387:Food Chain; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D008386:Marine Biology
D015415:Biomarkers; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D019787:Linoleic Acid