Type of Document	Thesis
Author	Hanson, Chad W.
Author's Email Address	della.chad@mindspring.com
URN	etd-04092004-143453
Title	The Influence of Diet on Stable Carbon Isotopic Composition in Otoliths of Juvenile Red Drum (Sciaenops Ocellatus)
Degree	Master of Science
Department	Oceanography, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Jeffrey P. Chanton Committee Chair Christopher C. Koenig Committee Member Joel Kostka Committee Member Nancy Marcus Committee Member
Keywords	Otoliths Stable Carbon Isotope
Date of Defense	2004-02-27
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract To evaluate the influence of dietary carbon on fish otoliths, juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) were raised for 6 and 9 months in tanks with flow-through ambient seawater and fed diets differing by 2.12‰ (p < 0.001) in carbon isotope composition (del 13C). Muscle tissue from the two treatment groups also differed by 2.12‰ (p <0.001) at the end of the experiment and both were enriched by 1.51‰ in 13C relative to the respective diets. Otolith del 13C displayed similar isotopic distinction between the two groups and were enriched (~16-17‰) from their respective diets. The carbon isotope signatures of otoliths between the two treatment groups were significantly different (p < 0.001). There was a detectable difference in red drum otolith weights between the diet groups. Regression analysis between otolith weight and carbon isotope composition was not correlated. Overall red drum growth and growth rates were plotted against otolith d13C and no strong relationships emerged. Since both treatment groups were subjected to the same environmental conditions, while carbon consumption was manipulated, it is postulated that sources of carbon through diet control overall otolith del 13C in juvenile red drum. Results from this study indicate the potential of evaluating fish dietary patterns by analyzing carbon isotopic signatures recorded in otoliths.
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