Trophic interactions and energy flow within the pelagic ecosystem in the Iceland Sea ...

• Main Authors: Petursdottir, Hildur, Gislason, Astthor
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: unknown
• Published: ASC 2009 - Theme session A 2024
• Subjects: Ecosystem observation, processes and dynamics; Arctic; Calanus finmarchicus; Iceland; Thysanoessa inermis
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.25070078.v1; https://ices-library.figshare.com/articles/conference_contribution/Trophic_interactions_and_energy_flow_within_the_pelagic_ecosystem_in_the_Iceland_Sea/25070078/1

No abstracts are to be cited without prior reference to the author.A trophic study was carried out in August 2007 on the pelagic ecosystem in the sub-arctic Iceland Sea, north of Iceland, using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes and fatty acid biomarkers. The aim was to study trophic linkages and positions of the most important pelagic species in this ecosystem with special emphasis on the trophic ecology of capelin. According to 15N enrichment it is concluded that there are around 4 trophic levels in this pelagic ecosystem excluding bird and mammals, where the primarily herbivorous copepod Calanus finmarchicus occupies the lowest trophic level of the studied species and adults of capelin (Mallotus villosus) and blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) the highest. Calanus spp. proved to be important diet component (high amount of Calanus fatty acid trophic markers in the neutral lipid fraction), of most of the studied species. However the euphausiid species Thysanoessa inermis and T. longicaudata are ...