Assimilation efficiency in herbivorous aquatic organisms - the potential of the ratio method using /sup 14/C and biogenic silica as markers

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1985.30.5.1093· OSTI ID:5244314

Tande, K S; Slagstad, D

A method for measuring assimilation efficiencies based on the change in the Si: /sup 14/C ratio in food and feces is proposed. Since this indicator method uses biogenic silica as the inert substance, the method is restricted to aquatic herbivores that consume food containing it. The method has been demonstrated on adult female Calanus hyperboreus fed the diatom Thalassiosira anguste-lineata; assimilation efficiency decreases from 87.7 to 84.2% during a threefold increase in ingestion rate. The effect of errors in the estimate of Si:C ratios is slight when assimilation efficiency is high, but with decreasing values of assimilation efficiency, the sensitivity to errors in the estimates of silicon and carbon is increased.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Tromsoe, Norway
• OSTI ID: 5244314
• Journal Information: Limnol. Oceanogr.; (United States), Vol. 30:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
DIATOMS
INGESTION
SILICA
FECES
FOOD
ZOOPLANKTON
ALGAE
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
CHALCOGENIDES
INTAKE
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MINERALS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANKTON
PLANTS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
WASTES
550701* - Microbiology- Tracer Techniques