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From Aquatic to Terrestrial Food Webs: Decrease of the Docosahexaenoic Acid/Linoleic Acid Ratio

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Lipids

Abstract

Fatty acid composition of the adipose tissue of six carnivorous mammalian species (European otter Lutra lutra, American mink Mustela vison, European Mink Mustela lutreola, European polecat Mustela putorius, stone marten Martes foina and European wild cat Felis silvestris) was studied. These species forage to differing degrees in aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Fatty acid analysis revealed significant differences in polyunsaturated fatty acid composition between species. More specifically, our results underline a gradual significant decrease in the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/linoleic acid (LNA) ratio of carnivore species as their dependence on aquatic food webs decreases. In conclusion, the use of the DHA/LNA ratio in long-term studies is proposed as a potential proxy of changes in foraging behaviour of semi-aquatic mammals.

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Abbreviations

ARA:

Arachidonic acid

ALA:

α-Linolenic acid

DHA:

Docosahexaenoic acid

EPA:

Eicosapentaenoic acid

LNA:

Linoleic acid

MUFA:

Monounsaturated fatty acid

PUFA:

Polyunsaturated fatty acid

SAFA:

Saturated fatty acid

TFAW:

Total fatty acid weight

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire LMGE, UMR CNRS 6023, Equipe Réseaux Trophiques Aquatiques, Université Blaise Pascal, 24, Avenue des Landais, 63177, Aubière, France

    Apostolos-Manuel Koussoroplis, Charles Lemarchand, Alexandre Bec, Christian Desvilettes, Christian Amblard & Gilles Bourdier

  2. GREGE, Route de Préchac, 33730, Villandraut, France

    Christine Fournier

  3. Laboratoire de Biologie et Toxicologie, ENVL, BP83, 69280, Marcy l’Etoile, France

    Philippe Berny

Authors
  1. Apostolos-Manuel Koussoroplis
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  2. Charles Lemarchand
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  3. Alexandre Bec
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  4. Christian Desvilettes
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  5. Christian Amblard
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  6. Christine Fournier
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  7. Philippe Berny
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  8. Gilles Bourdier
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Correspondence to Apostolos-Manuel Koussoroplis.

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Koussoroplis, AM., Lemarchand, C., Bec, A. et al. From Aquatic to Terrestrial Food Webs: Decrease of the Docosahexaenoic Acid/Linoleic Acid Ratio. Lipids 43, 461–466 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-008-3166-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-008-3166-5

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