Tracing sources of carbon and hydrogen to stored lipids in migratory passerines using stable isotope (δ13C, δ2H) measurements

Anparasan, Libesha; Hobson, Keith A.

doi:10.1007/s00442-020-04827-1

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 84 publications

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“…Compound‐specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of individual AAs or fatty acids (FAs) continues to grow as a robust proxy for tracing energy sources and estimating consumer TL. For example, FA δ 2 H and δ 13 C values are promising tracers for food web studies (Anparasan & Hobson, 2021; Budge et al, 2011; Burian et al, 2020; Chiapella et al, 2021; Wang et al, 2015), especially those in which consumers rely on both terrestrial and aquatic resources. Aquatic algae and terrestrial plants typically have distinct FA profiles, with algae containing higher concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs; Gladyshev et al, 2013; Hixson et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the potential of amino acid δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analysis in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

2022

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Understanding the structure and dynamics of food webs requires accurate estimates of energy flow among organisms. Bulk tissue carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis is often used to this end; however, the limitations of this technique can outweigh the benefits. The isotope analysis of individual amino acids is being increasingly employed to trace energy flow and estimate consumer trophic level. Central to this compound‐specific approach are the concepts of essential amino acid (AAESS) δ13C fingerprinting and amino acid (AA) δ15N β‐values, both of which have been understudied and are poorly constrained in terrestrial and freshwater producers. We present AAESS δ13C data for 112 terrestrial and freshwater producers collected from two aridland habitats in the northern Chihuahuan Desert (New Mexico, USA) and AA δ15N data for a subset (n = 28) of these samples. We characterized AAESS δ13C fingerprints by performing linear discriminant analysis on the δ13C values of isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, threonine and valine for four producer groups—C3 plants, C4 plants, CAM plants and filamentous green algae. We explored potential biochemical mechanisms underlying these AAESS δ13C fingerprints by calculating differences between the δ13C values of AAESS products and their AA precursors. This allowed us to estimate and compare isotopic discrimination for specific AAESS synthesis pathways across producer groups. We found a near‐perfect separation of AAESS δ13C fingerprints among producer groups; all groups reclassified with >95% success within our multivariate framework. We also found varied isotopic discrimination for specific AAESS synthesis pathways among producer groups. Contrary to previous studies, we found no differences in β‐values between terrestrial C3 and C4 plants for any trophic‐source AA pairing. Furthermore, we found that Lys δ15N values were less variable and more closely related to bulk tissue δ15N values than Phe δ15N values in terrestrial and freshwater producers. Synthesis. We conclude that AAESS δ13C fingerprints are a higher resolution tracer for freshwater food webs, where instream algae have overlapping bulk tissue δ13C values with terrestrial C3 plants. Additionally, βGlx‐Lys and βPro‐Lys are the best for AA δ15N‐based consumer trophic‐level estimates in freshwater food webs containing both terrestrial and aquatic resources.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the potential of amino acid δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analysis in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

2022

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“…Although breath δ 13 C measurements of wild animals are uncommon (but see Podlesak et al, 2005 , Hobson et al , 2009 , Voigt, 2009 , Whiteman et al, 2012 , Voigt et al , 2013 , Anparasan & Hobson, 2021 ), numerous laboratory studies have used this assay to monitor the uptake of carbohydrates for energy metabolism in a variety of animals (reviewed by McCue & Welch Jr., 2015 ). Breath CO 2 is a byproduct of the oxidation of dietary organic compounds in animals so the δ 13 C measurement of breath should reflect δ 13 C of the substrate being metabolized.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biofilm and invertebrate consumption by western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) and dunlin (Calidris alpina)during spring migratory stopover: insights from tissue and breath CO2 isotopic (δ13C,δ15N) analyses

Hobson

Kuwae²,

Drever

et al. 2022

Conservation Physiology

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Shorebirds use key migratory stopover habitats in spring and fall where body proteins are replenished and lipids stored as fuel for the remaining journey. The Fraser River estuary, British Columbia, Canada, is a critical spring stopover site for hundreds of thousands of migrating western sandpiper, Calidris mauri, and dunlin, Calidris alpina. Intertidal biofilm in spring is an important nutritional source for western sandpiper, with previous isotopic research predicting 45–59% of total diet and 50% of total energy needs. However, these studies relied on isotopic mixing models that did not consider metabolic routing of key dietary macromolecules. Complexity arises due to the mixed macromolecular composition of biofilm that is difficult to characterize isotopically. We expanded on these earlier findings by considering a protein pathway from diet to the body protein pool represented by liver tissue, using a Bayesian mixing model based on δ13C and δ15N. We used δ13C measurements of adipose tissue and breath CO2 to provide an estimate of the carbohydrate and protein δ13C values of microphytobenthos and used these derived values to better inform the isotopic mixing models. Our results reinforce earlier estimates of the importance of biofilm to staging shorebirds in predicting that assimilated nutrients from biofilm contribute ~35% of the protein budgets for staging western sandpipers (n = 13) and dunlin (n = 11) and at least 41% of the energy budget of western sandpiper (n = 69). Dunlin’s ingestion of biofilm appeared higher than anticipated given their expected reliance on invertebrate prey compared to western sandpiper, a biofilm specialist. Isotopic analyses of bulk tissues that consider metabolic routing and that make use of breath CO2 and adipose lipid assays can provide new insights into avian physiology. We advocate further isotopic research to better understand biofilm use by migratory shorebirds in general and as a critical requirement for more effective conservation.

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Stable isotopes and a changing world

Hobson

2023

Oecologia

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Tracing sources of carbon and hydrogen to stored lipids in migratory passerines using stable isotope (δ13C, δ2H) measurements

Cited by 4 publications

References 84 publications

Assessing the potential of amino acid δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analysis in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

Assessing the potential of amino acid δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analysis in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

Biofilm and invertebrate consumption by western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) and dunlin (Calidris alpina)during spring migratory stopover: insights from tissue and breath CO2 isotopic (δ13C,δ15N) analyses

Stable isotopes and a changing world

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Tracing sources of carbon and hydrogen to stored lipids in migratory passerines using stable isotope (δ13C, δ2H) measurements

Cited by 4 publications

References 84 publications

Assessing the potential of amino acid δ13C and δ15N analysis in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

Assessing the potential of amino acid δ13C and δ15N analysis in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

Biofilm and invertebrate consumption by western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) and dunlin (Calidris alpina)during spring migratory stopover: insights from tissue and breath CO2 isotopic (δ13C,δ15N) analyses

Stable isotopes and a changing world

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Assessing the potential of amino acid δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analysis in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

Assessing the potential of amino acid δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analysis in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems