The fate of the carotenoid pigment fucoxanthin during passage through the copepod gut: pigment recovery as a function of copepod species, season and food concentration

Author: Kleppel G.S.  

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISSN: 1464-3774

Source: Journal of Plankton Research, Vol.20, Iss.10, 1998-01, pp. : 2017-2028

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Abstract

The amount of fucoxanthin, a taxonomically diagnostic carotenoid, recovered after passage through the guts of the copepods Acartia califomiensis and Calanus pacificus, was determined after the copepods had fed on low (50 µg Cl−1) and high (350 µg C1−1 for Acartia; 500 ug C H for Calanus) concentrations of the diatom Thalassiosira weissftogii, during spring (May) and winter (December). Changes in pigment concentrations and cell abundances were assessed in experimental (with copepods) and control (without copepods) samples by standard incubation experiments. Pigment recovery was assessed by (i) comparing the amount of ingested pigment recovered in the experimental groups with that predicted to have been ingested from cell count data and (ii) comparing fuco-xanthin/cell ratios in control and experimental samples. Both techniques suggested that pigment loss is substantial (usually 60–100%), regardless of species, food availability or season. Patterns of pigment conservation differed between species, although pigment recovery was always higher at high, than at low, food concentrations. Pigment recovery in Acartia was higher (9.4–28.0%) in the spring than during the winter (0 recovery), regardless of food concentration. In Calanus, however, pigment recovery was always higher at high (34.9–67.8%) than at low (0 recovery) food concentrations, regardless of season.

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