A Molecular and Stable Isotopic Approach to Investigate Algal and Detrital Energy Pathways in a Freshwater Marsh

Authors

Laura L. Belicka, Florida International University
Eric R. Sokol, Florida International University; Virginia Tech
J. Matthew Hoch, Florida International UniversityFollow
Rudolf Jaffe, Florida International University
Joel C. Trexler, Florida International University

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Wetlands

ISSN

0277-5212

Publication Date

6-2012

Keywords

Fatty acids, Stable isotopes, Food webs, Detritus, Algae, Everglades

Abstract

The relative importance of algal and detrital energy pathways remains a central question in wetlands ecology. We used bulk stable isotope analysis and fatty acid composition to investigate the relative contributions of periphyton (algae) and floc (detritus) in a freshwater wetland with the goal of determining the inputs of these resource pools to lower trophic-level consumers. All animal samples revealed fatty acid markers indicative of both microbial (detrital) and algal origins, though the relative contributions varied among species. Vascular plant markers were in low abundance in most consumers. Detritivory is important for chironomids and amphipods, as demonstrated by the enhanced bacterial fatty acids present in both consumers, while algal resources, in the form of periphyton, likely support ephemeropteran larvae. Invertebrates such as amphipods and grass shrimp appear to be important resources for small omnivorous fish, while Poecilia latipinna appear to strongly use periphyton and Ephemeroptera larvae as food sources. Both P. latipinna and Lepomis spp. assimilated small amounts of vascular plant debris, possibly due to unintentional ingestion of floc while foraging for invertebrates and insect larvae. Physid snails, Haitia spp., were characterized by considerably different fatty acid compositions than other taxa examined, and likely play a unique role in Everglades’ food webs.

DOI

10.1007/s13157-012-0288-6

Volume

32

Issue

3

First Page

531

Last Page

542

Comments

©Society of Wetland Scientists 2012

Additional Comments

FIU/National Park Service Cooperative Agreement #: H5000060104, Task: J5284060023; NSF grant #: DBI-0620409

NSUWorks Citation

Laura L. Belicka, Eric R. Sokol, J. Matthew Hoch, Rudolf Jaffe, and Joel C. Trexler. 2012. A Molecular and Stable Isotopic Approach to Investigate Algal and Detrital Energy Pathways in a Freshwater Marsh .Wetlands , (3) : 531 -542. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/723.