Fatty acid composition, element concentration and isotope ratios of sea ice algae sampled in Rijpfjorden, Svalbard

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Hauptverfasser: Leu, Eva, Wiktor, Jozef M, Søreide, Janne E, Berge, J, Falk-Petersen, Stig
Format: Dataset Open Access
Sprache:en
Veröffentlicht: PANGAEA 2010
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author Leu, Eva
Wiktor, Jozef M
Søreide, Janne E
Berge, J
Falk-Petersen, Stig
author_facet Leu, Eva
Wiktor, Jozef M
Søreide, Janne E
Berge, J
Falk-Petersen, Stig
collection Datos científicos de ciencias marinas y ambientales
contents The accelerating decrease of Arctic sea ice substantially changes the growth conditions for primary producers, particularly with respect to light. This affects the biochemical composition of sea ice algae, which are an essential high-quality food source for herbivores early in the season. Their high nutritional value is related to their content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which play an important role for successful maturation, egg production, hatching and nauplii development in grazers. We followed the fatty acid composition of an assemblage of sea ice algae in a high Arctic fjord during spring from the early bloom stage to post bloom. Light conditions proved to be decisive in determining the nutritional quality of sea ice algae, and irradiance was negatively correlated with the relative amount of PUFAs. Algal PUFA content decreased on average by 40 % from April to June, while algal biomass (measured as particulate carbon, C) did not differ. This decrease was even more pronounced when algae were exposed to higher irradiances due to reduced snow cover. The ratio of chlorophyll a (chl a) to C, as well as the level of photoprotective pigments, confirmed a physiological adaptation to higher light levels in algae of poorer nutritional quality. We conclude that high irradiances are detrimental to sea ice algal food quality, and that the biochemical composition of sea ice algae is strongly dependent on growth conditions.
format Dataset Open Access
id pangaea_https___doi_org_10_1594_PANGAEA_815810
institution PANGAEA
language en
publishDate 2010
publisher PANGAEA
record_format pangaea
spellingShingle Fatty acid composition, element concentration and isotope ratios of sea ice algae sampled in Rijpfjorden, Svalbard
Leu, Eva
Wiktor, Jozef M
Søreide, Janne E
Berge, J
Falk-Petersen, Stig
International Polar Year (2007-2008); IPY
The accelerating decrease of Arctic sea ice substantially changes the growth conditions for primary producers, particularly with respect to light. This affects the biochemical composition of sea ice algae, which are an essential high-quality food source for herbivores early in the season. Their high nutritional value is related to their content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which play an important role for successful maturation, egg production, hatching and nauplii development in grazers. We followed the fatty acid composition of an assemblage of sea ice algae in a high Arctic fjord during spring from the early bloom stage to post bloom. Light conditions proved to be decisive in determining the nutritional quality of sea ice algae, and irradiance was negatively correlated with the relative amount of PUFAs. Algal PUFA content decreased on average by 40 % from April to June, while algal biomass (measured as particulate carbon, C) did not differ. This decrease was even more pronounced when algae were exposed to higher irradiances due to reduced snow cover. The ratio of chlorophyll a (chl a) to C, as well as the level of photoprotective pigments, confirmed a physiological adaptation to higher light levels in algae of poorer nutritional quality. We conclude that high irradiances are detrimental to sea ice algal food quality, and that the biochemical composition of sea ice algae is strongly dependent on growth conditions.
title Fatty acid composition, element concentration and isotope ratios of sea ice algae sampled in Rijpfjorden, Svalbard
topic International Polar Year (2007-2008); IPY
url https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.815810