δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes.
The finding that tissue δ15N 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 δ15N values and the fattening/fa...
Published in: | PLoS ONE |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2014
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2445/52865 |
id |
ftubarcepubl:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/52865 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftubarcepubl:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/52865 2024-02-11T10:03:48+01:00 δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. Aguilar, Àlex Giménez, Joan Goméz Campos, Encarna Cardona Pascual, Luis Borrell Thió, Assumpció 2014 7 p. application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/2445/52865 eng eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) Reproducció del document publicat a: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 PLoS One, 2014, vol. 9, num. 3, p. e92288 Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals) http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 1932-6203 http://hdl.handle.net/2445/52865 636455 24651388 cc-by (c) Aguilar, Àlex et al., 2014 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Mamífers marins Ecologia marina Nutrició animal Dieta Músculs Marine mammals Marine ecology Animal nutrition Diet Muscles info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2014 ftubarcepubl https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 2024-01-24T00:56:32Z The finding that tissue δ15N 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 δ15N 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 δ15N 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 indicatior of nutritive condition. Article in Journal/Newspaper Fin whale Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona PLoS ONE 9 3 e92288 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona |
op_collection_id |
ftubarcepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Mamífers marins Ecologia marina Nutrició animal Dieta Músculs Marine mammals Marine ecology Animal nutrition Diet Muscles |
spellingShingle |
Mamífers marins Ecologia marina Nutrició animal Dieta Músculs Marine mammals Marine ecology Animal nutrition Diet Muscles Aguilar, Àlex Giménez, Joan Goméz Campos, Encarna Cardona Pascual, Luis Borrell Thió, Assumpció δ15N value does not reflect fasting in mysticetes. |
topic_facet |
Mamífers marins Ecologia marina Nutrició animal Dieta Músculs Marine mammals Marine ecology Animal nutrition Diet Muscles |
description |
The finding that tissue δ15N 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 δ15N 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 δ15N 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 indicatior of nutritive condition. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Aguilar, Àlex Giménez, Joan Goméz Campos, Encarna Cardona Pascual, Luis Borrell Thió, Assumpció |
author_facet |
Aguilar, Àlex Giménez, Joan Goméz Campos, Encarna Cardona Pascual, Luis Borrell Thió, Assumpció |
author_sort |
Aguilar, Àlex |
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 |
http://hdl.handle.net/2445/52865 |
genre |
Fin whale |
genre_facet |
Fin whale |
op_relation |
Reproducció del document publicat a: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 PLoS One, 2014, vol. 9, num. 3, p. e92288 Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals) http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 1932-6203 http://hdl.handle.net/2445/52865 636455 24651388 |
op_rights |
cc-by (c) Aguilar, Àlex et al., 2014 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092288 |
container_title |
PLoS ONE |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
e92288 |
_version_ |
1790600133543460864 |