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Similarities and differences in 13C and 15N stable isotope ratios in two non-lethal tissue
types from shovelnose sturgeon*
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Robert J. DeVries1 and Harold L. Schramm, Jr.2
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1
Mississippi State University, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mail Stop
9690, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762, USA. Email: rjd155@msstate.edu
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2
US Geological Survey, Mississippi Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Mail Stop
9691, Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762 USA.
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Abstract
Stable isotope analysis has become a useful and reliable tool for assessing long-term
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feeding patterns and trophic interactions. Recent studies determined δ13C and δ15N signatures
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derived from fin clips closely approximated signatures derived from muscle tissue, indicating
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that fin clips were a viable option for non-lethal sampling when the organism is large enough to
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obtain sufficient fin tissue without impairing the organism. The objective for this study was to
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compare the δ13C and δ15N signatures of fin tissue and the pectoral spine; both tissues can be
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obtained non-lethally, and the latter is also used for aging individuals. Thirty-two shovelnose
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sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (fork length [FL] = 500-724 mm) were sampled from the
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lower Mississippi River. Tissue types differed significantly for both δ13C (P<0.01; spine: mean
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= -23.83, SD = 0.62; fin clip: mean = -25.74, SD = 0.97) and δ15N (P=0.01; spine: mean = 17.01,
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SD = 0.51; fin clip: mean = 17.19, SD = 0.62). Neither FL nor FL-tissue type interaction had
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significant (P>0.05) effects on δ13C. Fin clip δ13C values were highly variable and poorly
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correlated (r = 0.16, P = 0.40) to those from pectoral spines. We found a significant FL-tissue
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type for δ15N, reflecting increasing δ15N with FL for spines and decreasing δ15N with FL for fin
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clips. These results indicate that spines are not a substitute for fin clip tissue for measuring δ13C
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and δ15N for shovelnose sturgeon, but the two tissues may provide complementary information
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for assessing trophic position at different time scales.
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* This draft manuscript is distributed solely for purposes of scientific peer review. Its content is
deliberative and predecisional, so it must not be disclosed or released by reviewers. Because the
manuscript has not yet been approved for publication by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), it does
not represent any official USGS finding or policy.
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Introduction
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Stable isotope analysis (SIA) has become a useful and reliable tool for assessing long-
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term feeding patterns and trophic interactions of fishes (Overman and Parrish, 2001). Carbon
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isotope ratios (δ13C) can be used to estimate the source of dietary input for an organism (Peterson
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and Fry, 1987). Depleted δ13C values (containing less 13C than a comparable sample or a
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reference standard) generally indicate pelagic or autochthonous-based food sources, while
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enriched values (containing more 13C than a comparable sample or a reference standard) indicate
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nearshore or allochthonous food sources (Peterson and Fry, 1987). Nitrogen isotope ratios can
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be used to infer trophic position. Because consumer δ15N ratios show consistent enrichment of
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approximately 3.4‰ relative to diet, enriched δ15N values indicate consumption of higher
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trophic-level prey (Minagawa and Wada, 1984; Vander Zanden et al., 1997; Vander Zanden and
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Rasmussen, 2001).
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Stable isotope analysis has utility for assessing, among other questions, food resources
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and potential diet overlap of endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) and threatened
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shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus). Most SIA use tissue samples that are
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obtained by sacrificing the specimen or biopsies. Sacrificing endangered species is not
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acceptable, and the consequences of biopsies that could affect survival (e.g., delayed mortality,
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infection) or swimming ability of Scaphirhynchus spp. are not known. Thus, use of readily
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accessible tissues that can be obtained without jeopardizing survival of the specimen (hereafter,
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non-lethal tissues) is a desirable alternative for SIA of protected species such as sturgeons
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(Jardine et al., 2005). Several studies have determined that δ13C and δ15N values derived from
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fin clips and scales closely approximate values derived from muscle tissue, indicating that fin
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clips are a viable option for non-lethal sampling if the specimen is large enough to provide
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sufficient tissue (e.g., Jardine et al., 2005; Sanderson et al., 2009; Willis et al., 2013). Fin clips
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are commonly collected from Scaphirhynchus spp. for genetic analysis, and fin clipping is
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assumed to pose little risk for the specimen (e.g., USFWS, 2012). The enlarged leading pectoral
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fin ray (spine) has been used to age shovelnose sturgeon (Jackson et al., 2007) and may offer an
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alternative non-lethal tissue for SIA. Although pectoral spine removal has not been conclusively
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shown to be nondeleterious, Collins and Smith (1996) and Parsons et al. (2003) demonstrated
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that spine removal had no effect on growth, survival or station-holding ability of sturgeon.
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Additionally, ongoing telemetry studies (H. Schramm, U.S. Geological Survey, unpublished
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data) indicate high survival of shovelnose sturgeon after surgical implantation of sonic tags and
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spine removal. Thus, pectoral spines appear to be non-lethal tissues and provide the additional
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advantages of collecting a tissue that can be used for age estimation, may be stored more easily,
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and may possibly store diet information from throughout its life history. If pectoral spines
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provided estimates of δ13C and δ15N similar to fin clips, removal of a single tissue could provide
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for multiple analyses. The objective of this study was to determine whether fin spines provide
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measures of δ13C and δ15N similar to those obtained from fin clips for shovelnose sturgeon larger
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than 500 mm fork length (FL).
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Methods
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Sample collection
Shovelnose sturgeon were collected from the lower Mississippi River near Greenville,
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Mississippi, USA (rkm = 893-933) on 23 February 2013. The pectoral spine was removed from
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the right side, and a 1 cm2 section of fin tissue (fin clip) was removed from the left pectoral fin
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and placed in a vial of ultrapure water. Both tissues were stored on ice for up to 5 h and frozen.
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Stable isotope analysis
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Pectoral spines were prepared for stable isotope analysis by first scraping all epidermal
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tissue from the surface with a stainless steel scalpel. The pectoral spines were then rinsed with
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deionized water and dried at 60°C for 72 h. After drying, each pectoral spine was placed into
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individually labeled glass scintillation vials and sent to the Cornell Isotope Laboratory (COIL,
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Ithaca, NY; http://www.cobsil.com) where they were homogenized into a fine powder. Each fin
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clip was washed with deionized water, dried at 60°C for 72 h, frozen, and pulverized into a fine
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powder inside an individually labeled glass scintillation vial using a glass stirring rod.
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Approximately 1.1 mg of ground tissue was placed into individual tin capsules and submitted to
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the Cornell Isotope Laboratory for analysis. Both tissues were analyzed for carbon (δ13C) and
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nitrogen (δ15N) isotope ratios using a Thermo Delta V isotope ratio mass spectrometer interfaced
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to a Carlo Erba NC2500 elemental analyzer.
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Isotope values are reported in δ notation as per mille (‰) deviations from the standard
(Pee Dee Belemnite for 13C and atmospheric nitrogen for 15N) using the equation
δ13 C or δ15 N = [
(𝑅𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 − 𝑅𝑠𝑡𝑑 )
⁄
𝑅𝑠𝑡𝑑 ] × 1000,
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where Rsample is the ratio 13C/12C or 15N/14N in the sample and Rstd is the ratio 13C/12C or 15N/14N
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in the standard (Peterson and Fry, 1987). Instrument precision and linearity were calibrated
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against powdered mink (Neovison spp.) tissue and methionine standards, respectively. The
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standards were analyzed after every 10th sample and resulted in a measurement coefficient of
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variation (CV) of 0.10‰ for δ15N and < 0.01‰ for δ13C and an instrument precision CV of
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0.04‰ δ15N and < 0.01‰ for δ13C. Corn (Zea spp.) and trout (Salmo trutta) standards were
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utilized to perform isotope corrections using linear regression with observed isotope delta values
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as the independent variable and expected delta values as the dependent variable. The resulting
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relationship was then applied to all raw isotope data.
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The values of δ13C can be influenced by lipid content and the presence of carbonates.
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Lipids are depleted in 13C, and high lipid content could influence results (Pinnegar and Polunin,
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1999; Post et al., 2007). Post et al. (2007) found that it was not necessary to account for lipids
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when C:N ratio was below 3.5. Because the C:N ratios of pectoral spines (1.4; SE=0.009) and
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fin clips (1.5; SE=0.013) were below 3.5, no corrections for lipid content were deemed
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necessary. Pectoral spines are calcified structures (Rien and Beamesderfer, 1994), and carbonate
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has been documented to result in 13C values that are generally enriched relative to diet
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(McCutchan et al., 2003). Bunn et al. (1995) found acidification of samples to remove
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carbonates resulted in increased variability and altered δ15N values. Perga and Gerdeaux (2003)
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reported that acid treatment resulted in increased δ15N and δ13C values, which suggests that more
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than inorganic carbon is removed during this process. Therefore, we did not acid wash our spine
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samples to remove carbonates.
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Data analysis
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Differences in δ15N or δ13C between fin clips and spines were tested with a paired t test
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(Proc TTEST, SAS 9.3, 2011). Relationships between tissues for δ15N or δ13C were assessed
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with Pearson’s correlation (Proc CORR, SAS 9.3, 2011). As FL has been found to affect stable
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isotope ratios (Sweeting et al., 2007a; Sweeting et al., 2007b), we examined relationships
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between tissue types (fin clips and pectoral spines) for δ15N and δ13C using mixed model analysis
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of covariance (Proc MIXED, SAS 9.3, 2011) with FL as a covariate and specimen as a random
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effect.
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Results
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Pectoral spine and fin clip samples were obtained from 32 shovelnose sturgeon ranging
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from 500 to724 mm FL. We found a significant difference for δ15N between tissue types (t31 =
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2.33, P = 0.03, spine: mean = 17.01, SD = 0.51; fin clip: mean = 17.19, SD = 0.62) and a strong
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correlation between tissue type δ15N values (r = 0.70, P < 0.01; Figure 1A). Fork length was a
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significant covariate for δ15N (FL-tissue type interaction: F1,30 = 6.71, P = 0.01; Figure 2A), such
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that δ15N from fin clips was significantly enriched relative to spines for 500-600 mm FL fish (P
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< 0.06), but differences were not significant (P ≥ 0.46) for 650-700 mm FL fish.
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Similarly, we found a significant difference between tissue type and isotope values for
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δ13C (t31 = -10.14, P<0.0, spine: mean = -23.83, SD = 0.62; fin clip: mean = -25.74, SD = 0.97;
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Figure 1B), but the δ13C values in each tissue type were poorly correlated (r = 0.16, P = 0.40).
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ANCOVA indicated the FL-tissue type interaction was not significant (F1,30 = 0.81, P = 0.37),
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and δ13C was not affected by FL (F1,30 = 1.45, P = 0.24; Figure 2B).
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Discussion
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Our goal was to determine whether pectoral spines were a good alternative for fin clips
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for measuring nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) isotope ratios. Although δ15N differed between
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fin clips and pectoral spines, values were closely related, and fin clip δ15N could be predicted
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from pectoral spine δ15N when FL was included in the model. Tissue type significantly affected
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δ13C, but fin clip δ13C was not correlated with pectoral spine δ13C. Although pectoral spines do
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not appear to be a good substitute for fin clips for δ13C for shovelnose sturgeon in the lower
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Mississippi River, it is unclear whether the lack of variability in pectoral spines or the high
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variability in fin clips resulted in the lack of a relationship between the two tissue types. The
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variability observed in fin clip δ13C may have resulted from differential fractionation rates (the
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difference between the true amount of 13C and 15N and the amount of the isotope incorporated
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into the tissue) of each tissue type or more rapid turnover rates in fin clips relative to pectoral
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spines. Tieszen et al. (1983) also observed that less metabolically active tissues, such as hair,
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were enriched in δ13C and that fractionation rates differed among tissues; thus, they
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recommended that multiple tissues of known fractionation and turnover patterns be used to
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obtain a complete dietary history of the specimen.
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Fin clip δ13C was depleted compared to pectoral spines. One possible explanation is the
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presence of carbonate in the pectoral spines. Carbonates can result in enriched 13C relative to
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diet (McCutchan et al., 2003). Acid washing of spine samples might have reduced the disparity
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between tissues. However, a second problem that precludes using pectoral spines to estimate fin
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tissue δ13C is the disparity in variation in δ13C between the two tissues. The greater variation of
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δ13C from fin clips could be partially explained by food source (Post, 2002; Olive et al., 2003).
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Studies in different rivers consistently indicate shovelnose sturgeon primarily consume
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invertebrates and diet does not change with size (e.g., Carlson et al., 1985; Hoover et al., 2007;
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Wanner et al., 2007). Hoover et al. (2007) reported that Trichopterans were one of the primary
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shovelnose sturgeon prey items during winter months; however, Rounick et al. (1982) found
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mean δ13C values of two Trichopteran species varied by more than 2‰ in a New Zealand stream.
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Although specific data on prey species below the family level is generally lacking, Hoover et al.
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(2007) found that shovelnose sturgeon diet during winter months was more variable than in
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spring. Thus, assuming that diet isotope composition is continuously incorporated, 13C variation
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may also have been influenced by both invertebrate prey composition and δ13C variability among
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closely related species. However, more detailed diet studies and corresponding isotopic analysis
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on prey species is needed to better quantify any relationships on prey species to isotope values in
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the lower Mississippi River.
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Pectoral spine δ15N values were depleted relative to those obtained from fin clips, and the
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differences were affected by FL. Vander Zanden and Rasmussen ( 2001) attributed changes in
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δ15N with body size to ontogenetic changes in diets of aquatic predators; however, a difference in
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δ15N between tissues we observed, although statistically significant, was less than the 3.4‰
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difference expected for a change in trophic level; a result expected from multiple studies
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indicating that shovelnose sturgeon eat invertebrates throughout their life. Depleted δ15N values
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in smaller individuals were not unexpected as 15N enriches with age, and thus presumably size
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(Minagawa and Wada, 1984). Further studies are needed to examine the interaction of length,
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age, diet, and tissue type on δ15N for shovelnose sturgeon.
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Fin tissue (excluding rays) grow by adding and replacing tissue, whereas pectoral spines
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grow continuously, with subsequent layers presumed to form on the surface and distal ends of
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the spine (Hoptak-Solga et al., 2008). Thus, pectoral spines may provide a record of dietary
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patterns over the life of the individual, assuming no resorption has occurred, whereas fin clips
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may be a good indicator of dietary patterns over a shorter time period. If this is the case,
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different tissue types can provide information about diet during different portions of the
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individual’s life. Further, technological advances in mass spectrometry may reduce the amount
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of material required so that alternative techniques, such as micromilling or laser ablation, may be
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used in measuring isotopic ratios in specific portions of fin spines, thereby enabling researchers
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to examine diet over narrow temporal ranges and compare isotopic ratios at multiple points in
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time. While SIA is continuing to provide meaningful assessment of trophic ecology, further
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research is needed to evaluate turnover rates and fractionation for fin clips, pectoral spines, and
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other tissues derived from shovelnose sturgeon, as well as other sturgeon, used for SIA.
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Acknowledgments
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We thank Dylan Hann, Patrick Kroboth, Jared Porter, Tyler Young, and Bryant Haley for
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helping collect tissue samples, Pat Gerard for his statistical input, and Kimberlee Sparks and the
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Cornell Stable Isotope Laboratory for processing the spine samples and conducting the isotopic
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analysis. Funding for this study was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey Mississippi
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Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries,
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and Parks, and Mississippi State University. This study was performed under the auspices of
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Mississippi State University animal use protocol 11-014. The use of trade names or products is
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for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for.
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20
A
Fin clip δ15N (‰)
19
18
17
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r = 0.70, P < 0.01
15
15
16
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17
18
Pectoral spine
δ15N
19
20
(‰)
-22
B
Fin clip δ13C (‰)
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r = 0.16, P = 0.40
-24
-25
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-27
-28
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-29
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-27
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δ13C
-24
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(‰)
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Pectoral spine
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Figure 1. Relationship between δ15N values (A) and δ13C values (B) in fin clips and pectoral
spines from shovelnose sturgeon from the lower Mississippi River. The dotted line is the 1:1
line.
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287
20
A
δ15N (‰)
19
18
17
16
15
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
650
700
750
FL (mm)
288
-21
B
-22
-23
δ13C (‰)
-24
-25
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-27
-28
-29
450
289
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293
500
550
600
FL (mm)
Figure 2. Relationship of δ15N (A) and δ13C (B) from pectoral spines (diamonds, solid line) and
fin clips (circles, dashed line) and fork length (FL, mm) from shovelnose sturgeon from the
lower Mississippi River.