Uncertainties associated with trophic discrimination factor and body size complicate calculation of δ15N‐derived trophic positions in Arapaima sp
2020
Jacobi, Cristina Mariana | Villamarín, Francisco | Jardine, T. D. (Timothy D.) | Magnusson, William E.
Stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) have been used to estimate trophic position (TP) of organisms due to the predictable enrichment of nitrogen‐15 in consumer tissues relative to their diet. We explored estimates of trophic position using liver and muscle δ¹⁵N and stomach content analysis in a broad size range of Arapaima sp. from Amazonian floodplain lakes. Estimates of TP based on liver δ¹⁵N were more closely related to the stomach content data than estimates based on muscle δ¹⁵N, possibly because of the higher turnover of nitrogen in liver. Total length and season explained most of the variation in TP values estimated from δ¹⁵N, showing that they have more effect than prey trophic position on δ¹⁵N values. The TP estimated by identification of stomach content was 3.6 and was unrelated to the size of the arapaima. This highlights the need for a better understanding of the factors that affect values of δ¹⁵N and stomach content analysis is still needed to unravel the trophic ecology of predatory fishes.
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