Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Discrimination Factors for Quantifying Spectacled Eider Nutrient Allocation to Egg Production

The Condor ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 726-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekka N. Federer ◽  
Tuula E. Hollmén ◽  
Daniel Esler ◽  
Matthew J. Wooller
Keyword(s):  
Egg Production ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Nutrient Allocation ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Isotope Discrimination ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Discrimination Factors

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope discrimination factors from diet to blood plasma, cellular blood, feathers, and adipose tissue fatty acids in Spectacled Eiders (Somateria fischeri)

2010 ◽  
Vol 88 (9) ◽  
pp. 866-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. N. Federer ◽  
T. E. Hollmén ◽  
D. Esler ◽  
M. J. Wooller ◽  
S. W. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Blood Plasma ◽  
Dietary Lipids ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Isotope Discrimination ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Discrimination Factors

Stable isotope analyses of animal tissues can be used to infer diet through application of mixing models. An important component in a mixing model is the incorporation of stable isotope discrimination factors so that isotopic shifts between diet and tissues built from the diet can be accounted for when comparing tissues to potential food sources. We determined the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic discrimination factors between lipid-free diet and blood plasma, cellular blood, and adult chest contour feathers for captive female Spectacled Eiders ( Somateria fischeri (Brandt, 1847)). Mean discrimination factors for blood components and feathers were either similar or slightly larger compared with previously studied species. Additionally, we determined the stable carbon isotope discrimination factors between dietary lipids and adipose tissue fatty acids using three adipose tissue biopsies from captive male Spectacled Eiders that were fed three different diet treatments. Isotopic signatures of adipose tissue fatty acids closely reflected shifts in the diet and were either similar to or increased relative to diet. Our study provides a foundation for research using tissues as end-members in stable isotope nutrient allocation models and foraging ecology studies of Spectacled Eiders, and will provide the most applicable isotope data to date for sea ducks.

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