@article{fdi:010048327,
  title = {{N}itrogen and carbon isotope values of individual amino acids : a tool to study foraging ecology of penguins in the {S}outhern {O}cean},
  author = {{L}orrain, {A}nne and {G}raham, {B}. and {M}{\'e}nard, {F}r{\'e}d{\'e}ric and {P}opp, {B}. and {B}ouillon, {S}. and van {B}reugel, {P}. and {C}herel, {Y}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{W}e determined the delta {N}-15 and delta {C}-13 values of individual amino acids ({AA}s) isolated from chick blood of 4 penguin species that forage in different oceanic regions (from the subtropics of the {I}ndian {O}cean to {A}ntarctica) to test if: (1) the delta {N}-15 values of phenylalanine (delta {N}-15(phe)) revealed different foraging areas among the species; (2) the difference between glutamic acid and phenylalanine delta {N}-15 values ({D}elta delta {N}-15(glu-phe)) accurately predicted trophic levels; and (3) the delta {C}-13 value of {AA}s could resolve species foraging locations, similar to bulk delta {C}-13 values. {T}he delta {C}-13 values of all {AA}s decreased with latitude, were positively correlated with bulk delta {C}-13 data, and, therefore, tracked the isotopic baseline. {H}owever, we were not able to discern additional ecological information from these delta {C}-13 values. {I}n contrast, the delta {N}-15 values of {AA}s distinguished the isotopic value of the nitrogen at the base of the food web from the trophic level of the consumer, providing new insight for the study of the trophic ecology of seabirds. {T}he difference in the bulk delta {N}-15 values of northern and southern rockhopper penguins {E}udyptes chrysocome ssp. was due to both a difference in their foraging location (different delta {N}-15(phe)) and their trophic levels (different {D}elta delta {N}-15(glu-phe)). {T}he delta {N}-15(phe) values of king {A}ptenodytes patagonicus and {A}delie penguins {P}ygoscelis adeliae were higher than those of rockhoppers, which could reflect a foraging on mesopelagic prey for king penguins and, in the highly productive {A}ntarctic shelf waters, for {A}delie penguins. {T}he {D}elta delta {N}-15(glu-phc) accurately reflected the relative trophic level of penguins, but further work is required to determine the trophic enrichment factors for compound-specific isotope analysis.},
  keywords = {delta {N}-15 ; delta {C}-13 ; {C}ompound specific ; {I}sotopic niche ; {T}rophic level},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{M}arine {E}cology - {P}rogress {S}eries},
  volume = {391},
  numero = {},
  pages = {293--306},
  ISSN = {0171-8630},
  year = {2009},
  DOI = {10.3354/meps08215},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010048327},
}