Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta

Marine mammals and turtles are often studied using the carcasses of stranded deadindividuals. Since decomposition processes might modify the stable isotope ratios of tissues, thepresent study tested the effects of decomposition on carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable iso-tope ratios in 2 tissue...

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Authors: Payo Payo, Ana; Ruiz, B.; Cardona Pascual, Luis; Borrell Thió, Assumpció
Format: Article
Status:Published version
Publication date:2013
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/163060
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/163060
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Isòtops estables en ecologia
Tortugues marines
Dofins
Stable isotopes in ecological research
Sea turtles
Dolphins
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author Payo Payo, Ana
author2 Ruiz, B.
Cardona Pascual, Luis
Borrell Thió, Assumpció
author2_role author
author
author
author_browse Borrell Thió, Assumpció
Cardona Pascual, Luis
Payo Payo, Ana
Ruiz, B.
author_facet Payo Payo, Ana
Ruiz, B.
Cardona Pascual, Luis
Borrell Thió, Assumpció
author_role author
collection Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
description Marine mammals and turtles are often studied using the carcasses of stranded deadindividuals. Since decomposition processes might modify the stable isotope ratios of tissues, thepresent study tested the effects of decomposition on carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable iso-tope ratios in 2 tissue types of striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalbaand loggerhead sea turtleCaretta caretta. Decomposing carcasses of 3 dolphins and 3 turtles were sampled for muscle andskin for 62 d. Following lipid extraction, samples were analysed regularly using a continuous flow-isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Samples reached decomposition stage CC4 after 62 d at ambienttemperature, but no statistical change in δ13C or δ15N was observed over that period for either tis-sue or species. These results imply that muscle and skin samples from carcasses decomposing outof water at stage CC4 or lower can be used as reliable material for stable isotope analysis in these2 species, and probably in other marine mammal and marine turtle species. The effects of decom-position on the stability of stable isotope ratios in other tissues, in carcasses at stage CC5, or in car-casses decomposing underwater require further study.
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
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institution Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
instname_str Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
oai_identifier_str oai:recercat.cat:2445/163060
publishDate 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher Inter-Research
publisherStr Inter-Research
reponame_str Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
spelling Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta Payo Payo, Ana Ruiz, B. Cardona Pascual, Luis Borrell Thió, Assumpció Isòtops estables en ecologia Tortugues marines Dofins Stable isotopes in ecological research Sea turtles Dolphins Marine mammals and turtles are often studied using the carcasses of stranded deadindividuals. Since decomposition processes might modify the stable isotope ratios of tissues, thepresent study tested the effects of decomposition on carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable iso-tope ratios in 2 tissue types of striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalbaand loggerhead sea turtleCaretta caretta. Decomposing carcasses of 3 dolphins and 3 turtles were sampled for muscle andskin for 62 d. Following lipid extraction, samples were analysed regularly using a continuous flow-isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Samples reached decomposition stage CC4 after 62 d at ambienttemperature, but no statistical change in δ13C or δ15N was observed over that period for either tis-sue or species. These results imply that muscle and skin samples from carcasses decomposing outof water at stage CC4 or lower can be used as reliable material for stable isotope analysis in these2 species, and probably in other marine mammal and marine turtle species. The effects of decom-position on the stability of stable isotope ratios in other tissues, in carcasses at stage CC5, or in car-casses decomposing underwater require further study. Inter-Research https://hdl.handle.net/2445/163060
spellingShingle Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta
Payo Payo, Ana
Isòtops estables en ecologia
Tortugues marines
Dofins
Stable isotopes in ecological research
Sea turtles
Dolphins
status_str publishedVersion
title Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta
title_full Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta
title_fullStr Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta
title_full_unstemmed Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta
title_short Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta
title_sort Effect of tissue decomposition on stable isotope signatures of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta
topic Isòtops estables en ecologia
Tortugues marines
Dofins
Stable isotopes in ecological research
Sea turtles
Dolphins
topic_facet Isòtops estables en ecologia
Tortugues marines
Dofins
Stable isotopes in ecological research
Sea turtles
Dolphins
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/163060