Naslov
Unusual changes of zooplankton fatty acid composition in the northern Adriatic sea during the 1991 mucilage event

Autori
Najdek, Mirjana

Izvornik
Marine ecology : progress series (0171-8630) 159 (1997); 143-150

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
fatty acids; zooplankton; northern Adriatic Sea; mucilage event

Sažetak
Fatty acids and pristane/heptadecane (Pr/C17) ratio were analysed in zooplankton samples collected with a sediment trap in the northeastern Adriatic Sea from April 1991 to June 1992 in 2-6 wk intervals. Saturated (SAT ; 22 to 68% of total fatty acid mass fraction), monounsaturated (MONO ; 20 to 39%), polyunsaturated (PUFA ; 6 to 49%) fatty acid proportions, total fatty acid mass fraction (2.3 to 46.5 mg g-1 dry wt), and Pr/C17 ratio (0.5-27) varied significantly during the investigated period. Unusually low fatty acid mass fractions (2.3-5.1 mg g-1 dry wt), PUFA proportions (6%), and Pr/C17 ratio (<1) measured in summer 1991, were ascribed to a drastic zooplankton starvation due to a mucilage event, a phenomenon that occur periodically (every 10 to 50 yr) in the region. Low PUFA proportions (12%) were also measured in winter/early spring 1992, but the C14:0 and C16:1 proportions, and Pr/C17 ratios (9-27) exhibited their highest values of the investigated period. This indicated more favourable feeding conditions and significant phytoplankton contributions in the zooplankton diets than in summer 1991. The highest total mass fractions (12.2 to 46.5 mg g-1 dry wt) and PUFA proportions (30 to 49%) were observed during spring and autumn, when the food supply was probably sufficient and diverse. The oleic acid (C18:1n9) proportions (12 to 22%) in the northeastern Adriatic, were higher than in other marine regions.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija

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