δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes.
The finding that tissue δ(15)N values increase with protein catabolism has led researchers to apply this value to gauge nutritive condition in vertebrates. However, its application to marine mammals has in most occasions failed. We investigated the relationship between δ(15)N values and the fattenin...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:94af43585a244626919ab0accdf80129 2023-05-15T16:13:19+02:00 δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. Alex Aguilar Joan Giménez Encarna Gómez-Campos Luís Cardona Asunción Borrell 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 https://doaj.org/article/94af43585a244626919ab0accdf80129 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3961314?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 https://doaj.org/article/94af43585a244626919ab0accdf80129 PLoS ONE, Vol 9, Iss 3, p e92288 (2014) Medicine R Science Q article 2014 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 2022-12-31T00:32:28Z The finding that tissue δ(15)N values increase with protein catabolism has led researchers to apply this value to gauge nutritive condition in vertebrates. However, its application to marine mammals has in most occasions failed. We investigated the relationship between δ(15)N values and the fattening/fasting cycle in a model species, the fin whale, a migratory capital breeder that experiences severe seasonal variation in body condition. We analyzed two tissues providing complementary insights: one with isotopic turnover (muscle) and one that keeps a permanent record of variations in isotopic values (baleen plates). In both tissues δ(15)N values increased with intensive feeding but decreased with fasting, thus contradicting the pattern previously anticipated. The apparent inconsistency during fasting is explained by the fact that a) individuals migrate between different isotopic isoscapes, b) starvation may not trigger significant negative nitrogen balance, and c) excretion drops and elimination of 15N-depleted urine is minimized. Conversely, when intensive feeding is resumed in the northern grounds, protein anabolism and excretion start again, triggering 15N enrichment. It can be concluded that in whales and other mammals that accrue massive depots of lipids as energetic reserves and which have limited access to drinking water, the δ15N value is not affected by fasting and therefore cannot be used as an indication of nutritive condition. Article in Journal/Newspaper Fin whale Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles PLoS ONE 9 3 e92288 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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English |
topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
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Medicine R Science Q Alex Aguilar Joan Giménez Encarna Gómez-Campos Luís Cardona Asunción Borrell δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. |
topic_facet |
Medicine R Science Q |
description |
The finding that tissue δ(15)N values increase with protein catabolism has led researchers to apply this value to gauge nutritive condition in vertebrates. However, its application to marine mammals has in most occasions failed. We investigated the relationship between δ(15)N values and the fattening/fasting cycle in a model species, the fin whale, a migratory capital breeder that experiences severe seasonal variation in body condition. We analyzed two tissues providing complementary insights: one with isotopic turnover (muscle) and one that keeps a permanent record of variations in isotopic values (baleen plates). In both tissues δ(15)N values increased with intensive feeding but decreased with fasting, thus contradicting the pattern previously anticipated. The apparent inconsistency during fasting is explained by the fact that a) individuals migrate between different isotopic isoscapes, b) starvation may not trigger significant negative nitrogen balance, and c) excretion drops and elimination of 15N-depleted urine is minimized. Conversely, when intensive feeding is resumed in the northern grounds, protein anabolism and excretion start again, triggering 15N enrichment. It can be concluded that in whales and other mammals that accrue massive depots of lipids as energetic reserves and which have limited access to drinking water, the δ15N value is not affected by fasting and therefore cannot be used as an indication of nutritive condition. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Alex Aguilar Joan Giménez Encarna Gómez-Campos Luís Cardona Asunción Borrell |
author_facet |
Alex Aguilar Joan Giménez Encarna Gómez-Campos Luís Cardona Asunción Borrell |
author_sort |
Alex Aguilar |
title |
δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. |
title_short |
δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. |
title_full |
δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. |
title_fullStr |
δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. |
title_full_unstemmed |
δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. |
title_sort |
δ15n value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 https://doaj.org/article/94af43585a244626919ab0accdf80129 |
genre |
Fin whale |
genre_facet |
Fin whale |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 9, Iss 3, p e92288 (2014) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3961314?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 https://doaj.org/article/94af43585a244626919ab0accdf80129 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 |
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PLoS ONE |
container_volume |
9 |
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3 |
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e92288 |
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