Article (Scientific journals)
Long-Term Feeding Ecology and Habitat Use in Harbour Porpoises Phocoena Phocoena from Scandinavian Waters Inferred from Trace Elements and Stable Isotopes
Fontaine, Michael; Tolley, K. A.; Siebert, U. et al.
2007In BMC Ecology, 7
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Keywords :
Marine mammals, harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena; stable isotopes, trace elements, metals; diet, trophic ecology
Abstract :
[en] BACKGROUND: We investigated the feeding ecology and habitat use of 32 harbour porpoises by-caught in 4 localities along the Scandinavian coast from the North Sea to the Barents Sea using time-integrative markers: stable isotopes (delta13C, delta15N) and trace elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Se, total Hg and Cd), in relation to habitat characteristics (bathymetry) and geographic position (latitude). RESULTS: Among the trace elements analysed, only Cd, with an oceanic specific food origin, was found to be useful as an ecological tracer. All other trace elements studied were not useful, most likely because of physiological regulation and/or few specific sources in the food web. The delta13C, delta15N signatures and Cd levels were highly correlated with each other, as well as with local bathymetry and geographic position (latitude). Variation in the isotopic ratios indicated a shift in harbour porpoise's feeding habits from pelagic prey species in deep northern waters to more coastal and/or demersal prey in the relatively shallow North Sea and Skagerrak waters. This result is consistent with stomach content analyses found in the literature. This shift was associated with a northward Cd-enrichment which provides further support to the Cd 'anomaly' previously reported in polar waters and suggests that porpoises in deep northern waters include Cd-contaminated prey in their diet, such as oceanic cephalopods. CONCLUSION: As stable isotopes and Cd provide information in the medium and the long term respectively, the spatial variation found, shows that harbour porpoises experience different ecological regimes during the year along the Scandinavian coasts, adapting their feeding habits to local oceanographic conditions, without performing extensive migration.
Research center :
MARE - Centre Interfacultaire de Recherches en Océanologie - ULiège
Disciplines :
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Author, co-author :
Fontaine, Michael ;  Université de Liège - ULiège
Tolley, K. A.
Siebert, U.
Gobert, Sylvie  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Lepoint, Gilles  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Das, Krishna  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Language :
English
Title :
Long-Term Feeding Ecology and Habitat Use in Harbour Porpoises Phocoena Phocoena from Scandinavian Waters Inferred from Trace Elements and Stable Isotopes
Publication date :
2007
Journal title :
BMC Ecology
eISSN :
1472-6785
Publisher :
BioMed Central, United Kingdom
Volume :
7
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
Available on ORBi :
since 15 October 2008

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