Fatty acid ratio analysis identifies changes in competent meroplanktonic larvae sampled over different supply events. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rey, Felisa; Greenacre, Michael; Silva Neto, Gina M.; Bueno-Pardo, Juan; Domingues, M. Rosário; Calado, Ricardo
• Is Part Of: Marine environmental research. Volume 173(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Carcinus maenas -- Coastal lagoon -- Essential fatty acids -- Larval nutritional state -- Logratio -- Marine lipids -- Megalopae -- Meroplanktonic life cycle -- Settlement events -- Upwelling systems; Marine pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Marine ecology -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Écologie marine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 577.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105517
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-1136

Abstract

Abstract: Planktonic communities are a cornerstone of ocean food webs. Early benthic performance of meroplanktonic organisms is shaped by their life stages in planktonic communities. Fatty acid profiles of marine invertebrates are a good indicator of their nutritional state and allow inferring how dietary regimes experienced during larval pelagic life may drive their pre- and post-metamorphosis performance. Fatty acid profiles of Carcinus maenas megalopae were analysed during four larval supply events in two consecutive years to better understand the variability in their nutritional state at settlement. The logratio analysis of fatty acids showed differences between the four larval supply events, with five ratios explaining 83.1% of the variance. The ratios that contributed to separate larval supply events presented a combination of essential, de novo synthetized and diet origin fatty acids (e.g., phytanate/20:4 n -6, 16:0/18:2 n -4). The high fatty acid signature dispersion found within the same supply event suggests that larvae settling at Ria de Aveiro (Portugal) developed through different planktonic feeding zones and experienced contrasting feeding regimes. The fatty acid profile of megalopae demonstrated a high contribution of diatoms, flagellates and bacteria in the larval diet of C. maenas . The present study demonstrated differences between supply events, although a high variability of larval phenotypes was recorded within the same supply event. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Carcinus maenas megalopae display high phenotype variability. Logratio analysis of fatty acids showed differences between larval supply events. Classification tree with five logratios achieved 80% correct sample predictions. Structural, dietary and essential fatty acids contributed to discriminate supply events. High contribution of diatoms, flagellates and bacteria in the larval diet of C. maenas .