1. Survival of juvenile northern quahogs during seasonal temperature decline likely a function of diet and NMI-fatty acid synthesis
- Author
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Brett F. Branco and Sixto E. Portilla
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Mercenaria ,Ecology ,biology ,business.industry ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Zoology ,Homeoviscous adaptation ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Aquatic Science ,biology.organism_classification ,01 natural sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,chemistry ,Aquaculture ,040102 fisheries ,0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries ,Juvenile ,business ,Overwintering ,Fatty acid synthesis - Abstract
Aquacultured northern quahogs, Mercenaria mercenaria, set in the environment for overwintering have experienced episodes of anomalous, highly variable and site-specific overwinter mortality. Prior research has revealed factors likely contributing to mortality during isothermal winter lows, when M. mercenaria do not feed, and the postwinter approach to spring. However, a synthesis of prior studies suggests juvenile M. mercenaria survival during the prewinter period of temperature may be subject to the timely dietary availability of two highly unsaturated fatty acids, 20:5n-3, eicosapentaneoic acid, and 22:6n-3, docosahexaneoic acid, and the biosynthesis of the nonmethylene interrupted fatty acids, 22:2Δ7,13 and 22:2Δ7,15.
- Published
- 2016
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