Des relations trophiques à l'état de santé : allocation d'énergie chez les thons tropicaux – Cas de l'Ouest de l'océan Indien

Tropical tunas (yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack tuna) are exploited worldwide with a quarter of the catches coming from Indian Ocean. Caught by purse seine in mixed schools, these top predators displayed a specific physiology (e.g. partial endothermy, ram-ventilators) but various life history traits (e.g. maximal size, reproduction batches). The objective of this work is to contribute to a better understanding of energy allocation in these species. For this purpose, a monthly sampling was carry out throughout 2013 in Seychelles, to collect tunas on a large range size and environmental conditions. In a first methodological step, we studied the lipids influence on isotopic values in tropical tunas and showed that using mathematical correction of lipids content requires a specific adjustment. Then, using ecological tracers (stable isotope of carbon and nitrogen and fatty acids), a trophic comparison of the three species showed that they do not exploited exactly the same energetic resources, especially due to an ontogenic diet shift. This shift was illustrated by an increasing assimilation of mono-unsaturated fatty acids over 100 cm FL. Study of lipid and protein content in four tissues presenting different physiological function (white and red muscles, liver, gonads) showed these species make little energetic reserves, only in liver and red muscle. In addition, males invest less energy for germinal cells production than females. Furthermore, only the gonado-somatic index brought information concerning energetic variations, the others tested indices (Le Cren condition factor, hepato-somatic index, girth) were bad proxies of energetic content in tissues. Finally, study of membrane fatty acids indicates a specific incorporation of 20:4ω6 and 22:6ω3 that varies with ontogeny. A great intra-specific variability was also observed and could suggest a specific physiological plasticity in these species.Les thons tropicaux (thon jaune, thon obèse et bonite à ventre rayé) sont des espèces largement exploitées dont un quart des prises mondiales provient de l'océan Indien. Capturés en bancs mixtes à la senne, ces prédateurs de haut niveau trophique présentent une physiologie particulière (e.g. thermorégulation partielle, nage obligatoire) mais différents traits de vie (e.g. taille maximale, stratégie de reproduction). L’objectif est ici de contribuer à une meilleure compréhension de l'allocation d'énergie chez ces espèces. Pour cela un échantillonnage mensuel a été mis en place en 2013 aux Seychelles, de manière à collecter des thons sur une large gamme de taille et de conditions environnementales. Un premier travail méthodologique nous a conduit à étudier l'effet de la teneur en lipides sur les valeurs isotopiques, et nous avons montré que l'utilisation d'équation de correction du taux de lipides lors des analyses isotopiques nécessite un ajustement spécifique. Au travers de traceurs écologiques (isotopes stables du carbone et de l'azote et acides gras), une comparaison trophique des trois espèces a montré qu'elles n'exploitent pas exactement les mêmes ressources énergétiques, notamment grâce à un changement alimentaire au cours de l'ontogénie. Ce changement se traduit par l'assimilation de proies plus riches en acides gras mono-insaturés pour les individus supérieurs à 100 cm FL. L'étude des contenus en lipides et protéines de quatre tissus aux fonctions physiologiques différentes (muscles blanc et rouge, foie et gonades) a montré que ces espèces font peu de réserves énergétiques et uniquement dans le foie et le muscle rouge. Les mâles consacrent également moins d'énergie que les femelles à la synthèse de cellules germinales. D'autre part, seul l'indice gonado-somatique permet de rendre compte de variations énergétiques, les autres indices testés (facteur de condition de Le Cren, indice hépato-somatique et circonférence) sont de mauvais proxies du contenu énergétique des tissus. Enfin, l'étude des acides gras membranaires indique une incorporation particulière du 20:4ω6 et du 22:6ω3, dont le niveau varie avec l'ontogénie et selon les tissus. Une grande variabilité intra-spécifique est cependant observée et suggère une certaine plasticité physiologique chez ces espèces

From trophic relationships to health status : energy allocation in tropical tunas - case study of the Western Indian Ocean

Les thons tropicaux (thon jaune, thon obèse et bonite à ventre rayé) sont des espèces largement exploitées dont un quart des prises mondiales provient de l'océan Indien. Capturés en bancs mixtes à la senne, ces prédateurs de haut niveau trophique présentent une physiologie particulière (e.g. thermorégulation partielle, nage obligatoire) mais différents traits de vie (e.g. taille maximale, stratégie de reproduction). L’objectif est ici de contribuer à une meilleure compréhension de l'allocation d'énergie chez ces espèces. Pour cela un échantillonnage mensuel a été mis en place en 2013 aux Seychelles, de manière à collecter des thons sur une large gamme de taille et de conditions environnementales. Un premier travail méthodologique nous a conduit à étudier l'effet de la teneur en lipides sur les valeurs isotopiques, et nous avons montré que l'utilisation d'équation de correction du taux de lipides lors des analyses isotopiques nécessite un ajustement spécifique. Au travers de traceurs écologiques (isotopes stables du carbone et de l'azote et acides gras), une comparaison trophique des trois espèces a montré qu'elles n'exploitent pas exactement les mêmes ressources énergétiques, notamment grâce à un changement alimentaire au cours de l'ontogénie. Ce changement se traduit par l'assimilation de proies plus riches en acides gras mono-insaturés pour les individus supérieurs à 100 cm FL. L'étude des contenus en lipides et protéines de quatre tissus aux fonctions physiologiques différentes (muscles blanc et rouge, foie et gonades) a montré que ces espèces font peu de réserves énergétiques et uniquement dans le foie et le muscle rouge. Les mâles consacrent également moins d'énergie que les femelles à la synthèse de cellules germinales. D'autre part, seul l'indice gonado-somatique permet de rendre compte de variations énergétiques, les autres indices testés (facteur de condition de Le Cren, indice hépato-somatique et circonférence) sont de mauvais proxies du contenu énergétique des tissus. Enfin, l'étude des acides gras membranaires indique une incorporation particulière du 20:4n-6 et du 22:6n-3, dont le niveau varie avec l'ontogénie et selon les tissus. Une grande variabilité intra-spécifique est cependant observée et suggère une certaine plasticité physiologique chez ces espèces.Tropical tunas (yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack tuna) are exploited worldwide with a quarter of the catches coming from Indian Ocean. Caught by purse seine in mixed schools, these top predators displayed a specific physiology (e.g. partial endothermy, ram-ventilators) but various life history traits (e.g. maximal size, reproduction batches). The objective of this work is to contribute to a better understanding of energy allocation in these species. For this purpose, a monthly sampling was carry out throughout 2013 in Seychelles, to collect tunas on a large range size and environmental conditions. In a first methodological step, we studied the lipids influence on isotopic values in tropical tunas and showed that using mathematical correction of lipids content requires a specific adjustment. Then, using ecological tracers (stable isotope of carbon and nitrogen and fatty acids), a trophic comparison of the three species showed that they do not exploited exactly the same energetic resources, especially due to an ontogenic diet shift. This shift was illustrated by an increasing assimilation of mono-unsaturated fatty acids over 100 cm FL. Study of lipid and protein content in four tissues presenting different physiological function (white and red muscles, liver, gonads) showed these species make little energetic reserves, only in liver and red muscle. In addition, males invest less energy for germinal cells production than females. Furthermore, only the gonado-somatic index brought information concerning energetic variations, the others tested indices (Le Cren condition factor, hepato-somatic index, girth) were bad proxies of energetic content in tissues. Finally, study of membrane fatty acids indicates a specific incorporation of 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 that varies with ontogeny. A great intra-specific variability was also observed and could suggest a specific physiological plasticity in these species

Data for: Contribution of mussel fall-off from aquaculture to wild lobster Homarus americanus diets

Stable isotopes values of marcomolecules (proteins and lipids) for lobster Homarus americanus and its potential prey caught from the Havre-aux-Maisons lagoon, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Canada.All samples were collected by SCUBA diving on October 2017. See Material and Methods for details

Data for: Contribution of mussel fall-off from aquaculture to wild lobster Homarus americanus diets

Stable isotopes values of marcomolecules (proteins and lipids) for lobster Homarus americanus and its potential prey caught from the Havre-aux-Maisons lagoon, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Canada.All samples were collected by SCUBA diving on October 2017. See Material and Methods for details.THIS DATASET IS ARCHIVED AT DANS/EASY, BUT NOT ACCESSIBLE HERE. TO VIEW A LIST OF FILES AND ACCESS THE FILES IN THIS DATASET CLICK ON THE DOI-LINK ABOV

The key role of the Northern Mozambique Channel for Indian Ocean tropical tuna fisheries

The Northern Mozambique Channel (NMC) is a tropical area of similar to 1 million km(2) where pelagic fisheries supply proteins to more than 9 million people living in Comoros, Mayotte, and along the coasts of Mozambique, Tanzania and Madagascar. Although uncertain, statistics suggest that about 20,000 mt of tropical tuna and other pelagic fish are annually caught by artisanal fisheries in the area. The NMC is also a major seasonal fishing ground for high-seas fleets that export an annual average catch of more than 20,000 mt to tuna can and sashimi markets of high-income countries for a value estimated to be more than 100 million USD. The fisheries productivity of the NMC appears to be highly variable in relation to strong annual and seasonal variability in oceanographic conditions. Our review shows that the NMC is a key feeding area for tropical tunas and a major spawning area for skipjack tuna thanks to warm waters and strong mesoscale activity that results in the enrichment of surface waters and efficient energy transfers enabled by short food chains. Projections of climate models under future warming scenarios predict some strong changes in the oceanographic conditions of the NMC which has already experienced substantial warming over the last decades. Changes in the pelagic ecosystem of the NMC could have dramatic consequences on the coastal populations that are expected to increase towards 100 million people by 2100. Improving monitoring systems and collecting information on the socio-economics of coastal fisheries is crucial to assess the dependence of NMC populations on tuna resources and empower the countries to more involvement in the management of tuna stocks

Estimating growth of tropical tunas in the Indian Ocean using tag-recapture data and otolith-based age estimates

International audienceA growth model from which the expected age of a fish can be estimated based on its length is a key component to most stock assessments. For the three tropical tuna species in the Indian Ocean – yellowfin (YFT; Thunnus albacares), bigeye (BET; T. obesus) and skipjack (SKJ; Katsuwonus pelamis) – information about growth has been very limited until recently, when data from a large-scale Indian Ocean tuna tagging program became available. In this paper, parametric growth models were fit to tag-recapture data for all three species using a maximum likelihood method that models the joint density of release and recapture lengths as a function of age by treating age at tagging as a random variable. The method allows for individual variability in growth by modelling the asymptotic length parameter as a random effect. Direct age and length data from otolith readings were also included in the analysis for YFT and BET. The results support two-stanza growth models for all three species; however, the growth patterns for YFT and BET differ from SKJ. YFT and BET exhibit a transition in growth between age 2 and 3, with faster growth in the second stanza than the first, whereas SKJ exhibit a transition in growth around age 1, with much faster growth in the first stanza than the second. Most likely, YFT and BET also experience a phase of rapid growth directly following hatching, but lack of data for fish less than 50 cm for these species precludes its estimation. Differences in growth between sexes were found for YFT and BET, with males growing to a larger size; information on sex was not available for SKJ

Trophic structures in tropical marine ecosystems: a comparative investigation using three different ecological tracers

We looked at how three ecological tracers may influence the characterization and interpretation of trophic structures in a tropical marine system, with a view to informing tracer(s) selection in future trophic ecology studies. We compared the trophic structures described by stable isotope compositions (carbon and nitrogen), the total mercury concentration (THg) and levels of essential fatty acids (EFA) at both the individual and species level. Analyses were undertaken on muscle tissue samples from fish and crustacean species caught in the waters surrounding the Seychelles. The carbon isotope composition (delta C-13) correlated to the proportion of arachidonic acid (ARA), whereas the nitrogen isotope composition (delta N-15) correlated to the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and THg. At the individual level, trophic position obtained with these three last tracers are similar. In ' contrast, the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was not clearly correlated to any of the tracers. At the species level, the use of EFA (ARA and DHA), as compared to stable isotopes, resulted in slight structural modifications, mainly in the middle trophic levels. For example, the EFA overestimated the trophic positions of Thunnus alalunga and Etelis coruscans but underestimated the trophic positions of other snappers and groupers. While ARA mainly originates from coastal/benthic areas, DHA is conserved throughout the food web and may be used as a proxy indicator of trophic position. However, metabolic disparities can affect ecological tracers and in turn, distort the trophic structures derived from their results. This is especially true for species with close trophic ecologies. Despite these caveats, we think that analysing at the individual level the wealth of ARA, DHA and THg data that has already been obtained through earlier nutrition or food security studies would enhance our understanding of trophic structures

Are condition factors powerful proxies of energy content in wild tropical tunas?

The "condition" is used as an indicator of fish health and is generally equated with the quantity of energy reserves. Biometric condition factors have been widely used and preferred over costly and time-consuming biochemical condition. Here, we investigated the relevance of four common condition factors based on biometric measurements (Le Cren's index, girth -length index, gonado-somatic index and hepato-somatic index) and of size- and weight -based empirical models to describe the physiological condition of tropical tunas. Biometric condition factors of bigeye (Thunnus obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) tunas sampled throughout 2013 in the western Indian Ocean region were assessed against benchmark biochemical indices (lipid content, protein content, triacylglycerol:sterol ratio and energy density) estimated in tissues with different physiological functions, i.e. red muscle, white muscle, liver, and gonads. Our findings suggest that tropical tunas do not store lipids in white muscle and that protein content is less variable than lipid content, which largely varies with ontogeny and the seasons according to tissue and species. This variability induced inconsistency between biometric factors, including the empirically adjusted ones, and biochemical indices, with the exception of the gonado-somatic index that fitted well to the composition of the gonads in the three species, and especially in females. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Omega-3 Pathways in Upwelling Systems: The Link to Nitrogen Supply

International audienceOmega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (hereafter, omega-3), including eicosapentaenoic-acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic-acid (DHA), are essential nutritional compounds for humans, providing several benefits related to cardiovascular and neural health. Human intake of omega-3 occurs mostly via seafood, particularly fish. The primary source of omega-3 in aquatic systems is represented by primary producers, from which omega-3 are transferred throughout the food web. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for primary producers and can be supplied to surface waters as nitrate upwelled from below, or as ammonium and other regenerated nitrogen forms recycled in situ . Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS) are the most productive marine systems on Earth, together covering only 2% of the ocean’s surface area but supporting 25% of the global fish catch, thereby providing food for humans. In EBUS, nitrate and other nutrients are advected to the surface to support the proliferation of a phytoplankton community dominated by known omega-3 producers (i.e., diatoms). Given current climate change-related projections of ocean warming, acidification, deoxygenation, and increased upwelling intensity, phytoplankton community composition in EBUS may change. Additionally, the global production of EPA + DHA is expected to decrease by up to 30%, rendering its supply for human consumption insufficient by 2050. Here we discuss the state of knowledge related to omega-3 transfer from phytoplankton to small pelagic fish in EBUS, including factors that can influence omega-3 production, links to nitrogen cycling, climate change implications for the omega-3 supply to humans, and suggestions for future research directions to improve our understanding of omega-3 in the ocean