Stable Isotopes of Sulfur, Carbon, and Nitrogen as Indicators of Trophic Level and Fish Migration in the Lower Mackenzie River Basin, Canada
Stable isotopes of sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen were used to investigate the incorporation of nutrients into food chains (fish, invertebrates, and plants) and the influence of migration on the nutritional origins of fish in two freshwater systems in the Mackenzie Delta region. Sulfur isotope analyse...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1991
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f91-265 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f91-265 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/f91-265 2024-05-19T07:43:47+00:00 Stable Isotopes of Sulfur, Carbon, and Nitrogen as Indicators of Trophic Level and Fish Migration in the Lower Mackenzie River Basin, Canada Hesslein, R. H. Capel, M. J. Fox, D. E. Hallard, K. A. 1991 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f91-265 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f91-265 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 48, issue 11, page 2258-2265 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 journal-article 1991 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/f91-265 2024-05-02T06:51:24Z Stable isotopes of sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen were used to investigate the incorporation of nutrients into food chains (fish, invertebrates, and plants) and the influence of migration on the nutritional origins of fish in two freshwater systems in the Mackenzie Delta region. Sulfur isotope analyses of fish muscle showed that broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus) in Travaillant Lake and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) in the Kukjuktuk Creek system were migrant populations which had grown mostly on sources outside the local food base. A marine food source was indicated for the lake whitefish, while no specific source was determined for the broad whitefish. The δ 15 N clearly defined the trophic levels in the local food chains in both systems. Fish were in three levels in Travaillant Lake. Amphipods were in a level below the lowest fish and sediments and macrophytes were in the lowest level. The Kukjuktuk Creek fish were in two levels above a level including macrophytes, amphipods, and zooplankton. The δ 13 C varied widely even within single fish species local to Travaillant Lake. The δ 13 C did not differentiate migrants from local fish. Plants of both the C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathway were indicated by carbon isotopes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Mackenzie Delta Mackenzie river Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 48 11 2258 2265 |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
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English |
description |
Stable isotopes of sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen were used to investigate the incorporation of nutrients into food chains (fish, invertebrates, and plants) and the influence of migration on the nutritional origins of fish in two freshwater systems in the Mackenzie Delta region. Sulfur isotope analyses of fish muscle showed that broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus) in Travaillant Lake and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) in the Kukjuktuk Creek system were migrant populations which had grown mostly on sources outside the local food base. A marine food source was indicated for the lake whitefish, while no specific source was determined for the broad whitefish. The δ 15 N clearly defined the trophic levels in the local food chains in both systems. Fish were in three levels in Travaillant Lake. Amphipods were in a level below the lowest fish and sediments and macrophytes were in the lowest level. The Kukjuktuk Creek fish were in two levels above a level including macrophytes, amphipods, and zooplankton. The δ 13 C varied widely even within single fish species local to Travaillant Lake. The δ 13 C did not differentiate migrants from local fish. Plants of both the C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathway were indicated by carbon isotopes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hesslein, R. H. Capel, M. J. Fox, D. E. Hallard, K. A. |
spellingShingle |
Hesslein, R. H. Capel, M. J. Fox, D. E. Hallard, K. A. Stable Isotopes of Sulfur, Carbon, and Nitrogen as Indicators of Trophic Level and Fish Migration in the Lower Mackenzie River Basin, Canada |
author_facet |
Hesslein, R. H. Capel, M. J. Fox, D. E. Hallard, K. A. |
author_sort |
Hesslein, R. H. |
title |
Stable Isotopes of Sulfur, Carbon, and Nitrogen as Indicators of Trophic Level and Fish Migration in the Lower Mackenzie River Basin, Canada |
title_short |
Stable Isotopes of Sulfur, Carbon, and Nitrogen as Indicators of Trophic Level and Fish Migration in the Lower Mackenzie River Basin, Canada |
title_full |
Stable Isotopes of Sulfur, Carbon, and Nitrogen as Indicators of Trophic Level and Fish Migration in the Lower Mackenzie River Basin, Canada |
title_fullStr |
Stable Isotopes of Sulfur, Carbon, and Nitrogen as Indicators of Trophic Level and Fish Migration in the Lower Mackenzie River Basin, Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
Stable Isotopes of Sulfur, Carbon, and Nitrogen as Indicators of Trophic Level and Fish Migration in the Lower Mackenzie River Basin, Canada |
title_sort |
stable isotopes of sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen as indicators of trophic level and fish migration in the lower mackenzie river basin, canada |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1991 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f91-265 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f91-265 |
genre |
Mackenzie Delta Mackenzie river |
genre_facet |
Mackenzie Delta Mackenzie river |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 48, issue 11, page 2258-2265 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/f91-265 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
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48 |
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11 |
container_start_page |
2258 |
op_container_end_page |
2265 |
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1799483529920249856 |