A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

The second life of terrestrial and plastic carbon as nutritionally valuable food for aquatic consumers




AuthorsTaipale, S. J.; Rigaud, C.; Calderini, M. L.; Kainz, M. J.; Pilecky, M.; Uusi-Heikkilä, S.; Vesamäki, J. S.; Vuorio, K.; Tiirola, M.

PublisherWILEY

Publishing placeHOBOKEN

Publication year2023

JournalEcology Letters

Journal name in sourceECOLOGY LETTERS

Journal acronymECOL LETT

Number of pages12

ISSN1461-023X

eISSN1461-0248

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/ele.14244(external)


Abstract
Primary production is the basis for energy and biomolecule flow in food webs. Nutritional importance of terrestrial and plastic carbon via mixotrophic algae to upper trophic level is poorly studied. We explored this question by analysing the contribution of osmo- and phagomixotrophic species in boreal lakes and used C-13-labelled materials and compound-specific isotopes to determine biochemical fate of carbon backbone of leaves, lignin-hemicellulose and polystyrene at four-trophic level experiment. Microbes prepared similar amounts of amino acids from leaves and lignin, but four times more membrane lipids from lignin than leaves, and much less from polystyrene. Mixotrophic algae (Cryptomonas sp.) upgraded simple fatty acids to essential omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Labelled amino and fatty acids became integral parts of cell membranes of zooplankton (Daphnia magna) and fish (Danio rerio). These results show that terrestrial and plastic carbon can provide backbones for essential biomolecules of mixotrophic algae and consumers at higher trophic levels.



Last updated on 2025-27-01 at 19:38