Spatial differences in the trace element concentrations of Irish Sea plaice Pleuronectes platessa and whiting Merlangius merlangus otoliths
Geffen, A.J.; Jarvis, K.; Thorpe, J.P.; Leah, R.T.; Nash, R.D.M. (2003). Spatial differences in the trace element concentrations of Irish Sea plaice Pleuronectes platessa and whiting Merlangius merlangus otoliths. J. Sea Res. 50(2-3): 245-254. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seares.2003.06.001
In: Journal of Sea Research. Elsevier/Netherlands Institute for Sea Research: Amsterdam; Den Burg. ISSN 1385-1101; e-ISSN 1873-1414, more
Also appears in:Geffen, A.J.; Nash, R.D.M.; van der Veer, H.W. (Ed.) (2003). Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Flatfish Ecology, Part I. Port Erin, Isle of Man, 3-7 November 2002. Journal of Sea Research, 50(2-3). Elsevier: Amsterdam. 87-270 pp., more
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| Keywords |
Indicators > Pollution indicators
Otoliths
Population characteristics > Population number
Spatial variations
Trace elements
Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758) [WoRMS]; Pleuronectes platessa Linnaeus, 1758 [WoRMS]
ANE, Irish Sea [Marine Regions]
Marine/Coastal |
| Author keywords |
elemental composition; ICPMS; otolith microchemistry; metapopulation |
| Authors | | Top |
- Geffen, A.J.
- Jarvis, K.
- Thorpe, J.P.
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| Abstract |
Otoliths of plaice Pleuronectes platessa L. from five sites in the eastern Irish Sea and of whiting Merlangius merlangus (L.) from the eastern and western Irish Sea were analysed by inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the concentrations of 13 trace elements B, Mg, Al, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Ba, and Pb. The most abundant of the elements measured in all plaice otoliths were Sr (1112 ng g-l), Mg (16 ng g-l), B (15 ng g-l) and Al (12 ng g-l). The most abundant otolith elements measured in all the whiting otoliths at the two sites were Ni (20 ng g-l), Al (14 ng g-l ), Zn (10 ng g-l), Cr (6 ng g-l), and Mn (4 ng g-l). In both species significant differences in otolith composition were found between sampling sites. Discriminant analysis revealed separation between groups of plaice in the eastern Irish Sea indicative of metapopulation structure associated with known spawning grounds. The otolith composition differences also appeared related to the contamination history of the locations. For example, the otoliths of plaice from sewage sludge dumping grounds and the mouth of the River Mersey had significantly higher concentrations of B, Al, Sc, Ti, Mn, Ni, Sr and Ba than the otoliths of plaice from sites further north and west. The concentrations of Cu in plaice otoliths and Ba in whiting otoliths were positively correlated with the concentration of mercury in fish muscle. |
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