BIO

Hello, my name is Sadie Mack and I am from Jacksonville Florida. I am currently a second year student at Florida State University majoring in IMS-Clinical Professions. I am on the Pre-Med track and am interested in almost any STEM based research.However, I am most looking forward to getting involved in clinical research.

A Comparison of Stable Isotope Dynamics in Black Sea Bass(Centropristis striata) and Southern Stingrays (Hypanus Americans)

Abstract

Stable-isotope analysis (SIA) measures the amount of non-radioactive isotopes which can be used in determining the flow of nutrients throughout food webs, and among the trophic levels. The goals of this experiment were to 1) identify the time taken for a change in trophic level to be reflected in the tissues of elasmobranchs using nitrogen- and carbon-based SIA and 2) compare isotopic signatures of teleosts and elasmobranchs feeding at the same trophic levels. The diet of Hypanus americanus (Southern stingray) and Centropristis striata (black sea bass) were controlled. They were fed a primary consumer diet (shrimp) for 11 weeks, then switched to a secondary consumer diet (squid) for 11 more weeks. Blood and muscle samples were taken weekly for the Southern stingrays and every 2-3 weeks for black sea bass. These samples were then prepped and sent for stable isotope analysis. It has been assumed that teleosts and elasmobranchs have the same isotopic signatures across trophic levels, however, due to their vastly different physiologies, we expect to see a different result. This will aid ecological studies, as researchers will be able to better interpret isotopic signatures of tissues by gaining knowledge regarding the time frame in which trophic shifts will be reflected.

Keywords: Marine, Biology, Stingray, Sea Bass.