MEPS 550:207-218 (2016)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11716

ABSTRACT: Food is an important route of metal uptake in marine organisms, and assimilation efficiency (AE) is a key physiological parameter that can be used to systematically compare the bioavailability of different metals from food. This parameter may be influenced by various factors, including diet. The present study aimed to examine the influence of diet on the AEs of 3 essential metals (Co, Mn, and Zn) in the turbot Scophthalmus maximus. The pulse-chase feeding method was used with 3 radiolabelled natural prey: fish, shrimp, and ragworm. AE was strongly influenced by the prey and the metal considered. However, the influence of these parameters on AE was variable, and no general trend was observed. The AEs ranged between 5-43% for Co, 23-44% for Mn, and 17-32% for Zn. Results suggest that relationships between metal distribution in the prey (at tissue and subcellular levels) and bioavailability to predator fish is not as obvious as previously assumed based on marine organisms feeding on unicellular or simple pluricellular organisms. Finally, we modelled how S. maximus accesses foodborne essential elements, using experimentally derived parameters, the concentration of these elements in prey, and different data on stomach contents from wild turbot. The results emphasised the importance of crustaceans in the nutrition of turbot and showed that crustaceans are generally the most important source of essential metals for turbot, although in some cases, polychaetes can make a large contribution to dietary Co and Mn uptake.

KEY WORDS: Marine fish · Assimilation efficiencies · Natural prey · Depuration · Metals · Nutrition