Use of Chemical Tracers to Assess Diet and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Type C Killer Whales
Measuring chemical tracers in tissues of marine predators provides insight into the prey consumed and the predator’s contaminant exposure. In this study, samples from Type C killer whales (Orcinus orca) biopsied in Antarctica were analyzed for chemical tracers (i.e., stable isotopes of carbon and ni...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Text |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln
2008
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/29 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1034/viewcontent/Krahn_MMS_2008_Use_of_chemical_NOAA.pdf |
id |
ftunivnebraskali:oai:digitalcommons.unl.edu:usdeptcommercepub-1034 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivnebraskali:oai:digitalcommons.unl.edu:usdeptcommercepub-1034 2023-11-12T04:08:28+01:00 Use of Chemical Tracers to Assess Diet and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Type C Killer Whales Krahn, Margaret Pitman, Robert Burrows, Douglas Herman, David Pearce, Ronald 2008-07-01T07:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/29 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1034/viewcontent/Krahn_MMS_2008_Use_of_chemical_NOAA.pdf unknown DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/29 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1034/viewcontent/Krahn_MMS_2008_Use_of_chemical_NOAA.pdf Publications, Agencies and Staff of the U.S. Department of Commerce Environmental Sciences text 2008 ftunivnebraskali 2023-10-30T10:35:08Z Measuring chemical tracers in tissues of marine predators provides insight into the prey consumed and the predator’s contaminant exposure. In this study, samples from Type C killer whales (Orcinus orca) biopsied in Antarctica were analyzed for chemical tracers (i.e., stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen, fatty acids, and persistent organic pollutants [POPs]). Profiles of these individual tracers were very different from those of killer whale populations that have been studied in the eastern North and eastern Tropical Pacific. For example, δ13C and δ15N stable isotope values and most POP concentrations were significantly lower in the Antarctic population. In addition, multivariate statistical analyses of both fatty acid and POP profiles found distinctly different patterns for Antarctic Type C whales compared to those from whales in the other populations. Similar assays were conducted on four species of Antarctic marine fish considered potential prey for Type C killer whales. Results were consistent with a diet of fish for Type C whales, but other species (e.g., low trophic-level marine mammals or penguins) could not be eliminated as supplemental prey. Text Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL Antarctic The Antarctic Pacific |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnebraskali |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Environmental Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Environmental Sciences Krahn, Margaret Pitman, Robert Burrows, Douglas Herman, David Pearce, Ronald Use of Chemical Tracers to Assess Diet and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Type C Killer Whales |
topic_facet |
Environmental Sciences |
description |
Measuring chemical tracers in tissues of marine predators provides insight into the prey consumed and the predator’s contaminant exposure. In this study, samples from Type C killer whales (Orcinus orca) biopsied in Antarctica were analyzed for chemical tracers (i.e., stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen, fatty acids, and persistent organic pollutants [POPs]). Profiles of these individual tracers were very different from those of killer whale populations that have been studied in the eastern North and eastern Tropical Pacific. For example, δ13C and δ15N stable isotope values and most POP concentrations were significantly lower in the Antarctic population. In addition, multivariate statistical analyses of both fatty acid and POP profiles found distinctly different patterns for Antarctic Type C whales compared to those from whales in the other populations. Similar assays were conducted on four species of Antarctic marine fish considered potential prey for Type C killer whales. Results were consistent with a diet of fish for Type C whales, but other species (e.g., low trophic-level marine mammals or penguins) could not be eliminated as supplemental prey. |
format |
Text |
author |
Krahn, Margaret Pitman, Robert Burrows, Douglas Herman, David Pearce, Ronald |
author_facet |
Krahn, Margaret Pitman, Robert Burrows, Douglas Herman, David Pearce, Ronald |
author_sort |
Krahn, Margaret |
title |
Use of Chemical Tracers to Assess Diet and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Type C Killer Whales |
title_short |
Use of Chemical Tracers to Assess Diet and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Type C Killer Whales |
title_full |
Use of Chemical Tracers to Assess Diet and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Type C Killer Whales |
title_fullStr |
Use of Chemical Tracers to Assess Diet and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Type C Killer Whales |
title_full_unstemmed |
Use of Chemical Tracers to Assess Diet and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Type C Killer Whales |
title_sort |
use of chemical tracers to assess diet and persistent organic pollutants in antarctic type c killer whales |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/29 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1034/viewcontent/Krahn_MMS_2008_Use_of_chemical_NOAA.pdf |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic Pacific |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
op_source |
Publications, Agencies and Staff of the U.S. Department of Commerce |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/29 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1034/viewcontent/Krahn_MMS_2008_Use_of_chemical_NOAA.pdf |
_version_ |
1782328761588383744 |