Impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) skin

Rationale Distinct techniques employed to preserve different types of tissues may affect stable isotope analyses conducted on samples, and this is critical when field work takes place in remote areas. To investigate this, the stable isotope ratios (δ 13 C and δ 15 N values) obtained using two method...

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Published in:Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry
Main Authors: Hidalgo‐Reza, Mariana, Elorriaga‐Verplancken, Fernando R., Aguíñiga‐García, Sergio, Urbán R., Jorge
Other Authors: WWF-TELCEL and Ecology Project International
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019
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Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rcm.8392
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spelling crwiley:10.1002/rcm.8392 2024-06-02T08:07:55+00:00 Impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) skin Hidalgo‐Reza, Mariana Elorriaga‐Verplancken, Fernando R. Aguíñiga‐García, Sergio Urbán R., Jorge WWF-TELCEL and Ecology Project International 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rcm.8392 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Frcm.8392 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/rcm.8392 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/rcm.8392 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry volume 33, issue 8, page 789-794 ISSN 0951-4198 1097-0231 journal-article 2019 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.8392 2024-05-03T11:05:57Z Rationale Distinct techniques employed to preserve different types of tissues may affect stable isotope analyses conducted on samples, and this is critical when field work takes place in remote areas. To investigate this, the stable isotope ratios (δ 13 C and δ 15 N values) obtained using two methods commonly used to preserve humpback whale (and other cetaceans) skin samples were compared. Methods A total of 54 pairs of skin samples of humpback whales from the southern Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, were preserved in ethanol (90%) and by freezing, between 2007 and 2009. The δ 13 C and δ 15 N values were determined using a PDZ Europa ANCA‐GSL elemental analyzer interfaced to a PDZ Europe 20‐20 isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to compare the isotopic results. Results A significant ( t = 4.93; p = 0.000003) variation of −0.92‰ was found between the mean δ 13 C values in ethanol (from −19.38‰ to −16.07‰; mean = −17.86‰) and freezing (from −20.67‰ to −16.44‰; mean = −18.78‰) techniques. No significant (U = 1314, p = 0.38) differences were observed in the δ 15 N values. The δ 13 C values were compared between preservation methods for each of the three years under analysis. Significant differences were observed in 2007 ( t = 3.45; p = 0.0012) and 2008 ( t = 3.13; p = 0.0030), but not for 2009 ( t = 1.66; p = 0.12). Conclusions Based on the results of this study, the use of ethanol to preserve humpback whale skin samples collected for stable isotope analysis is not recommended, particularly regarding the analysis of δ 13 C values. This study serves as a point of reference for future research on humpback whales or other whales involving skin samples preserved by freezing or in ethanol. Article in Journal/Newspaper Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Wiley Online Library Baja Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 33 8 789 794
institution Open Polar
collection Wiley Online Library
op_collection_id crwiley
language English
description Rationale Distinct techniques employed to preserve different types of tissues may affect stable isotope analyses conducted on samples, and this is critical when field work takes place in remote areas. To investigate this, the stable isotope ratios (δ 13 C and δ 15 N values) obtained using two methods commonly used to preserve humpback whale (and other cetaceans) skin samples were compared. Methods A total of 54 pairs of skin samples of humpback whales from the southern Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, were preserved in ethanol (90%) and by freezing, between 2007 and 2009. The δ 13 C and δ 15 N values were determined using a PDZ Europa ANCA‐GSL elemental analyzer interfaced to a PDZ Europe 20‐20 isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to compare the isotopic results. Results A significant ( t = 4.93; p = 0.000003) variation of −0.92‰ was found between the mean δ 13 C values in ethanol (from −19.38‰ to −16.07‰; mean = −17.86‰) and freezing (from −20.67‰ to −16.44‰; mean = −18.78‰) techniques. No significant (U = 1314, p = 0.38) differences were observed in the δ 15 N values. The δ 13 C values were compared between preservation methods for each of the three years under analysis. Significant differences were observed in 2007 ( t = 3.45; p = 0.0012) and 2008 ( t = 3.13; p = 0.0030), but not for 2009 ( t = 1.66; p = 0.12). Conclusions Based on the results of this study, the use of ethanol to preserve humpback whale skin samples collected for stable isotope analysis is not recommended, particularly regarding the analysis of δ 13 C values. This study serves as a point of reference for future research on humpback whales or other whales involving skin samples preserved by freezing or in ethanol.
author2 WWF-TELCEL and Ecology Project International
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Hidalgo‐Reza, Mariana
Elorriaga‐Verplancken, Fernando R.
Aguíñiga‐García, Sergio
Urbán R., Jorge
spellingShingle Hidalgo‐Reza, Mariana
Elorriaga‐Verplancken, Fernando R.
Aguíñiga‐García, Sergio
Urbán R., Jorge
Impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) skin
author_facet Hidalgo‐Reza, Mariana
Elorriaga‐Verplancken, Fernando R.
Aguíñiga‐García, Sergio
Urbán R., Jorge
author_sort Hidalgo‐Reza, Mariana
title Impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) skin
title_short Impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) skin
title_full Impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) skin
title_fullStr Impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) skin
title_full_unstemmed Impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) skin
title_sort impact of freezing and ethanol preservation techniques on the stable isotope analysis of humpback whale ( megaptera novaeangliae) skin
publisher Wiley
publishDate 2019
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rcm.8392
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geographic Baja
geographic_facet Baja
genre Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
genre_facet Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
op_source Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry
volume 33, issue 8, page 789-794
ISSN 0951-4198 1097-0231
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