文摘
We explored the extent to which 未13C and 未D values of freshwater bryozoan statoblasts can provide information about the isotopic composition of zooids, bryozoan food and surrounding water. Bryozoan samples were collected from 23 sites and encompassed ranges of nearly 30鈥?for 未13C and 100鈥?for 未D values. 未13C offsets between zooids and statoblasts generally ranged from 鈭? to +4.5鈥? with larger offsets observed in four samples. However, a laboratory study with Plumatella emarginata and Lophopus crystallinus demonstrated that, in controlled settings, zooids had only 0鈥?.2鈥?higher 未13C values than statoblasts, and 1.7鈥?higher values than their food. At our field sites, we observed a strong positive correlation between median 未13C values of zooids and median 未13C values of corresponding statoblasts. We also observed a positive correlation between median 未D values of zooids and statoblasts for Plumatella, and a positive correlation between median 未D values of statoblasts and 未D values of lake water for Plumatella and when all bryozoan taxa were examined together. Our results suggest that isotope measurements on statoblasts collected from flotsam or sediment samples can provide information on the feeding ecology of bryozoans and the H isotopic composition of lake water. Keywords Freshwater Bryozoa Stable isotopes Statoblasts Lakes Feeding ecology Palaeoecology