Spatiotemporal variation in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada
Climate-induced alterations to Arctic sea ice dynamics are influencing the availability and distribution of resources, and in turn, the nutrient and energy intake of opportunistic predators across the food web. These temporal changes in local prey communities likely influence the availability of car...
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ftunivmanitoba:oai:null:1993/38071 2024-09-15T17:52:51+00:00 Spatiotemporal variation in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada Faulkner, Connor Wayne Harris, Les (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) Roth, James (Biological Sciences) Yurkowski, David Davoren, Gail 2024-03-21T23:36:25Z application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/1993/38071 eng eng http://hdl.handle.net/1993/38071 open access Anadromous species Isotopes Analytical methods Carotenoids Trophic relationships Climate change master thesis 2024 ftunivmanitoba 2024-06-26T00:08:06Z Climate-induced alterations to Arctic sea ice dynamics are influencing the availability and distribution of resources, and in turn, the nutrient and energy intake of opportunistic predators across the food web. These temporal changes in local prey communities likely influence the availability of carotenoid-rich prey types, as well as the foraging ecology of opportunistic predators that forage in the marine environment, such as anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Despite its socioeconomic importance across its range, anadromous Arctic char foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation, particularly in relation to sea ice dynamics, remains understudied. Here, over two years (2021, 2022) with contrasting sea ice dynamics, I investigated the foraging ecology of anadromous Arctic char and its influence on their muscle pigmentation at a southern (Rankin Inlet) and northern (Naujaat) location along western Hudson Bay using a combination of stomach contents, stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N), highly branched isoprenoids, carotenoid spectrophotometry, and a standard muscle colour scale (DSM SalmoFan). Spatiotemporal variation in Arctic char diet occurred, where Rankin Inlet Arctic char generally consumed more fish and phytoplankton-based carbon sources, occupied a higher trophic position, and displayed a similar isotopic niche breadth compared to Arctic char in Naujaat. Invertebrates were higher in carotenoid concentration than fishes, and in association with a more invertebrate-based diet, Arctic char in Naujaat contained higher muscle carotenoid concentrations (e.g., astaxanthin) compared to Rankin Inlet Arctic char in 2021. In 2022, however, muscle carotenoid concentrations in Naujaat and Rankin Inlet Arctic char were more similar, as the diet of Arctic char in both locations was largely fish-based despite muscle colour remaining redder in Naujaat Arctic char. Overall, the observed plastic foraging ecology of Arctic char highlights this species' ability to adjust to inter-annual variability in ... Master Thesis Arctic Climate change Hudson Bay Naujaat Nunavut Phytoplankton Rankin Inlet Salvelinus alpinus Sea ice MSpace at the University of Manitoba |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
MSpace at the University of Manitoba |
op_collection_id |
ftunivmanitoba |
language |
English |
topic |
Anadromous species Isotopes Analytical methods Carotenoids Trophic relationships Climate change |
spellingShingle |
Anadromous species Isotopes Analytical methods Carotenoids Trophic relationships Climate change Faulkner, Connor Wayne Spatiotemporal variation in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada |
topic_facet |
Anadromous species Isotopes Analytical methods Carotenoids Trophic relationships Climate change |
description |
Climate-induced alterations to Arctic sea ice dynamics are influencing the availability and distribution of resources, and in turn, the nutrient and energy intake of opportunistic predators across the food web. These temporal changes in local prey communities likely influence the availability of carotenoid-rich prey types, as well as the foraging ecology of opportunistic predators that forage in the marine environment, such as anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Despite its socioeconomic importance across its range, anadromous Arctic char foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation, particularly in relation to sea ice dynamics, remains understudied. Here, over two years (2021, 2022) with contrasting sea ice dynamics, I investigated the foraging ecology of anadromous Arctic char and its influence on their muscle pigmentation at a southern (Rankin Inlet) and northern (Naujaat) location along western Hudson Bay using a combination of stomach contents, stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N), highly branched isoprenoids, carotenoid spectrophotometry, and a standard muscle colour scale (DSM SalmoFan). Spatiotemporal variation in Arctic char diet occurred, where Rankin Inlet Arctic char generally consumed more fish and phytoplankton-based carbon sources, occupied a higher trophic position, and displayed a similar isotopic niche breadth compared to Arctic char in Naujaat. Invertebrates were higher in carotenoid concentration than fishes, and in association with a more invertebrate-based diet, Arctic char in Naujaat contained higher muscle carotenoid concentrations (e.g., astaxanthin) compared to Rankin Inlet Arctic char in 2021. In 2022, however, muscle carotenoid concentrations in Naujaat and Rankin Inlet Arctic char were more similar, as the diet of Arctic char in both locations was largely fish-based despite muscle colour remaining redder in Naujaat Arctic char. Overall, the observed plastic foraging ecology of Arctic char highlights this species' ability to adjust to inter-annual variability in ... |
author2 |
Harris, Les (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) Roth, James (Biological Sciences) Yurkowski, David Davoren, Gail |
format |
Master Thesis |
author |
Faulkner, Connor Wayne |
author_facet |
Faulkner, Connor Wayne |
author_sort |
Faulkner, Connor Wayne |
title |
Spatiotemporal variation in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada |
title_short |
Spatiotemporal variation in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada |
title_full |
Spatiotemporal variation in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada |
title_fullStr |
Spatiotemporal variation in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatiotemporal variation in anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western Hudson Bay, Nunavut, Canada |
title_sort |
spatiotemporal variation in anadromous arctic char (salvelinus alpinus) foraging ecology and its influence on muscle pigmentation along western hudson bay, nunavut, canada |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1993/38071 |
genre |
Arctic Climate change Hudson Bay Naujaat Nunavut Phytoplankton Rankin Inlet Salvelinus alpinus Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Arctic Climate change Hudson Bay Naujaat Nunavut Phytoplankton Rankin Inlet Salvelinus alpinus Sea ice |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/1993/38071 |
op_rights |
open access |
_version_ |
1810294865952505856 |