TY - JOUR
T1 - Mineralogy of the otoliths of naked carp Gymnocypris przewalskii (Kessler) from Lake Qinghai and its Sr/Ca potential implications for migratory pattern
AU - Zhou, Ling
AU - Jin, Zhang Dong
AU - Li, Fu Chun
AU - Chen-Feng, You
AU - Chia-Hui, Wang
AU - Huilun, Miss Chen
AU - Zhijie, Xu
AU - Yoshiyuki, Iizuka
AU - Fei, Zhang
AU - Yu-an, Jin
AU - Maoyong, He
AU - Yuewei, Shi
AU - Xinning, Qiu
N1 - Funding Information:
We especially thank Prof. You Chen-Feng, Dr. Wang Chia-Hui, Miss Chen Huilun and Dr. Xu Zhijie at the Taiwan Cheng Kung University and Dr. Iizuka Yoshiyuki for their technical assistance on otolith pretreatments and EPMA analysis. Thanks are extended to Zhang Fei, Jin Yu-an and Dr. He Maoyong at the Institute of Earth Environment of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Miss Shi Hongbin in Nanjing Agriculture University, and Mr. Shi Yuewei and Qiu Xinning at the Bureau of Hydrology and Water Resources of Qinghai Province for their kind help with sample collection. Thoughtful comments from two anonymous reviewers and the editor improved the manuscript. This study was supported by National Basic Research Pro- gram of China (Grant No. 2010CB833400) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40873082).
PY - 2012/6/1
Y1 - 2012/6/1
N2 - Otoliths are biogenic carbonate minerals whose microstructure and microchemistry have been used for age determination, stock identification, life history and environmental tracing. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, we have determined the mineral types and crystalline characteristics of three pairs of otoliths from naked carp Gymnocypris przewalskii, the predominant fish in Lake Qinghai. The results indicate that the mineral of both lapillus and sagitta of the naked carp is aragonite, and that of asteriscus is vaterite. The aragonite of lapillus has prefect crystallization. Given the shape of lapillus and the sensitivity of its aragonite to water chemistry, lapillus was used to analyze temporal Sr/Ca ratios along the maximal growth axis by an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). Consistent variations of Sr/Ca ratios with a range of 1. 0×10-3-5. 0×10{combining triple dot above} on the long and short radii indicate that Sr/Ca ratios of lapillus potentially respond to the chemical compositions of the host waters during the period of the naked carp's growth and migration. Discontinuous (dark) zones of lapillus were formed during fall and winter when the naked carp grows slowly in Lake Qinghai, resulting in similar low Sr/Ca ratios to lake water, whereas incremental zones with higher Sr/Ca ratios respond to its migratory river waters during spring and summer. Various Sr/Ca ratios of incremental zones suggest that the migratory pattern of the naked carp may be much more flexible, rather than in a single river. Therefore, high-resolution otolith microchemistry of the naked carp can be used to trace its migratory behavior, which is of significance for determining its migratory pattern and life history of this precious species inhabiting the Tibetan Plateau.
AB - Otoliths are biogenic carbonate minerals whose microstructure and microchemistry have been used for age determination, stock identification, life history and environmental tracing. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, we have determined the mineral types and crystalline characteristics of three pairs of otoliths from naked carp Gymnocypris przewalskii, the predominant fish in Lake Qinghai. The results indicate that the mineral of both lapillus and sagitta of the naked carp is aragonite, and that of asteriscus is vaterite. The aragonite of lapillus has prefect crystallization. Given the shape of lapillus and the sensitivity of its aragonite to water chemistry, lapillus was used to analyze temporal Sr/Ca ratios along the maximal growth axis by an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). Consistent variations of Sr/Ca ratios with a range of 1. 0×10-3-5. 0×10{combining triple dot above} on the long and short radii indicate that Sr/Ca ratios of lapillus potentially respond to the chemical compositions of the host waters during the period of the naked carp's growth and migration. Discontinuous (dark) zones of lapillus were formed during fall and winter when the naked carp grows slowly in Lake Qinghai, resulting in similar low Sr/Ca ratios to lake water, whereas incremental zones with higher Sr/Ca ratios respond to its migratory river waters during spring and summer. Various Sr/Ca ratios of incremental zones suggest that the migratory pattern of the naked carp may be much more flexible, rather than in a single river. Therefore, high-resolution otolith microchemistry of the naked carp can be used to trace its migratory behavior, which is of significance for determining its migratory pattern and life history of this precious species inhabiting the Tibetan Plateau.
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U2 - 10.1007/s11430-012-4403-6
DO - 10.1007/s11430-012-4403-6
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84861666591
SN - 1674-7313
VL - 55
SP - 983
EP - 990
JO - Science China Earth Sciences
JF - Science China Earth Sciences
IS - 6
ER -