δ13C and δ15N values in scales of Micropterus salmoides largemouth bass as a freshwater environmental indicator.
We have investigated the effectiveness of using the Micropterus salmoides largemouth bass, which is a top predator found throughout the world, as the index of a hydrosphere environment and its food chain. To this end, we used stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis (SIA). Largemouth bass were collected from eight dam reservoirs and two ponds in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. Toyama is located in central Japan and features a variety of distinct geographical environments, a result of the 3000-m elevation that changes over short distances, and abundant water systems. The mean δ(13)C and δ(15)N values for the lipid-extracted muscle of largemouth bass from all sampling locations showed large variability, but there were only small standard deviations at each sampling location. The isotope ratios for largemouth bass express the characteristics of each investigated hydrosphere environment and food chain. A very high correlation (δ(13)C: Y(scale) = 0.96 X(muscle) + 1.58, R(2) = 0.98, δ(15)N: Y(scale) = 0.92 X(muscle) - 1.15, R(2) = 0.95) of SIA values was found between largemouth bass scales and lipid-extracted muscles, which suggests that the more easily analyzed scales are useful as SIA samples for the monitoring and comparison of hydrosphere environments throughout the world.
Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, N10W5, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Hokkaido, Japan. oinamura701@gmail.com
O
O
Inamura
J
J
Zhang
M
M
Minagawa
D000825:Animal Structures / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass; D049628:Body Size; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005618:Fresh Water; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D007564:Japan; D016014:Linear Models; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes