Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions
Quillfeldt P, Masello J (2020)
BMC Ecology 20(1): 21.
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
| Veröffentlicht | Englisch
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Autor*in
Quillfeldt, Petra;
Masello, JuanUniBi ![](https://pub.uni-bielefeld.de/images/icon_orcid.png)
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Abstract / Bemerkung
**Background**
While nitrogen and carbon stable isotope values can reflect ecological segregation, prey choice and spatial distribution in seabirds, the interpretation of bulk stable isotope values is frequently hampered by a lack of isotopic baseline data. In this study, we used compound-specific isotope analyses of amino acids (CSIA-AA) to overcome this constraint and to study interspecific differences, seasonal and historical changes in trophic positions of five seabird species, three penguins and two petrels, from a sub-Antarctic seabird community. **Results**
CSIA-AA allowed comparing trophic positions of seabirds with temperate and polar distributions. Gentoo and Magellanic penguins had the highest trophic positions during the breeding season (3.7 and 3.9), but decreased these (2.9 and 3.3) during the feed-up for moult. Intra-specific differences were also detected in Thin-billed prions, where carbon isotope values clearly separated individuals with polar and temperate distributions, both in the breeding and interbreeding periods. Thin-billed prions that foraged in polar waters had lower trophic positions (3.2) than conspecifics foraging in temperate waters (3.8). We further investigated historical changes by comparing museum samples with samples collected recently. Our pilot study suggests that Rockhopper penguins, Magellanic penguins and Thin-billed prions with temperate non-breeding distributions had retained their trophic levels over a 90–100 year period, while Gentoo penguins and Thin-billed prions with polar non-breeding distributions had decreased trophic levels compared to historical samples. In contrast, Wilson’s storm-petrels had slightly increased trophic levels compared to samples taken in 1924–1930. **Conclusions**
We applied compound-specific stable isotope analyses across a range of contexts, from intra-specific comparisons between stages of the breeding cycle to inter-specific seabird community analysis that would not have been possible using bulk stable isotope analyses alone due to differences in isotopic baselines.
While nitrogen and carbon stable isotope values can reflect ecological segregation, prey choice and spatial distribution in seabirds, the interpretation of bulk stable isotope values is frequently hampered by a lack of isotopic baseline data. In this study, we used compound-specific isotope analyses of amino acids (CSIA-AA) to overcome this constraint and to study interspecific differences, seasonal and historical changes in trophic positions of five seabird species, three penguins and two petrels, from a sub-Antarctic seabird community. **Results**
CSIA-AA allowed comparing trophic positions of seabirds with temperate and polar distributions. Gentoo and Magellanic penguins had the highest trophic positions during the breeding season (3.7 and 3.9), but decreased these (2.9 and 3.3) during the feed-up for moult. Intra-specific differences were also detected in Thin-billed prions, where carbon isotope values clearly separated individuals with polar and temperate distributions, both in the breeding and interbreeding periods. Thin-billed prions that foraged in polar waters had lower trophic positions (3.2) than conspecifics foraging in temperate waters (3.8). We further investigated historical changes by comparing museum samples with samples collected recently. Our pilot study suggests that Rockhopper penguins, Magellanic penguins and Thin-billed prions with temperate non-breeding distributions had retained their trophic levels over a 90–100 year period, while Gentoo penguins and Thin-billed prions with polar non-breeding distributions had decreased trophic levels compared to historical samples. In contrast, Wilson’s storm-petrels had slightly increased trophic levels compared to samples taken in 1924–1930. **Conclusions**
We applied compound-specific stable isotope analyses across a range of contexts, from intra-specific comparisons between stages of the breeding cycle to inter-specific seabird community analysis that would not have been possible using bulk stable isotope analyses alone due to differences in isotopic baselines.
Erscheinungsjahr
2020
Zeitschriftentitel
BMC Ecology
Band
20
Ausgabe
1
Art.-Nr.
21
Urheberrecht / Lizenzen
eISSN
1472-6785
Page URI
https://pub.uni-bielefeld.de/record/2984162
Zitieren
Quillfeldt P, Masello J. Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions. BMC Ecology. 2020;20(1): 21.
Quillfeldt, P., & Masello, J. (2020). Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions. BMC Ecology, 20(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-020-00288-5
Quillfeldt, Petra, and Masello, Juan. 2020. “Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions”. BMC Ecology 20 (1): 21.
Quillfeldt, P., and Masello, J. (2020). Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions. BMC Ecology 20:21.
Quillfeldt, P., & Masello, J., 2020. Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions. BMC Ecology, 20(1): 21.
P. Quillfeldt and J. Masello, “Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions”, BMC Ecology, vol. 20, 2020, : 21.
Quillfeldt, P., Masello, J.: Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions. BMC Ecology. 20, : 21 (2020).
Quillfeldt, Petra, and Masello, Juan. “Compound-specific stable isotope analyses in Falkland Islands seabirds reveal seasonal changes in trophic positions”. BMC Ecology 20.1 (2020): 21.
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