Based on Scanning Proton Microprobe Analysis of Otolith Strontium Distribution

• Main Authors: John A. Babaluk, Norman M. Halden, James D. Reist, Allan H. Kristofferson, John L. Campbell, William J. Teesdale
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1996
• Subjects: Arctic; Ellesmere Island; Lake Hazen; Arctic charr; Salvelinus alpinus
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.586.3671; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic50-3-224.pdf

ABSTRACT. Scanning proton microprobe analysis was used to determine the distribution of strontium (Sr) in otoliths from arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) of known non-anadromous, known anadromous, and unknown life histories. Strontium concentration patterns in otoliths of known non-anadromous charr were low and relatively flat (with little variation) from the core area to the outermost edge of the otolith, while patterns for known anadromous charr were characterized by a similar low, flat region for the first several years of life, followed by marked oscillatory increases and decreases in Sr content for the duration of the fish’s life. Small and large forms of Lake Hazen charr of unknown life histories exhibited Sr profiles that were similar to those of the known non-anadromous charr, which strongly suggests that Lake Hazen charr are non-anadromous. These results indicate that Lake Hazen is a “closed ” system with energy cycling primarily within the system; this conclusion suggests that a conservative approach would be appropriate for the management of the Lake Hazen charr population. Key words: anadromy, arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, Ellesmere Island National Park Reserve, life history, otolith microchemistry, scanning proton microprobe, trace elements RÉSUMÉ. À l’aide d’une sonde protonique à balayage, on a procédé à une analyse afin de déterminer la répartition du strontium (Sr) dans des otolithes prélevés sur des ombles chevaliers (Salvelinus alpinus) ayant eu soit un cycle biologique non anadrome connu, soit un cycle anadrome connu ou un cycle inconnu. Les courbes de concentration en strontium dans les otolithes d’ombles reconnus comme non anadromes étaient faibles et relativement uniformes (montrant peu de fluctuations) en allant du centre de