
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Fry, B 
A1  - Scalan, RS 
A1  - Parker, PL 
T1  - <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios in marine food webs of the Torres Strait, Queensland
JF  - Marine and Freshwater Research
JO  - Mar. Freshwater Res.
Y1  - 1983
VL  - 34
IS  - 5
SP  - 707
EP  - 715
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/MF9830707 
N2  - During a research cruise in 1979 to the area between New Guinea and northern Australia, 250 samples were collected for measurement of 13C/12C (&#948;13C) to analyse carbon flow in tropical marine food webs. Plants at the base of food webs could be divided into two groups on the basis of their mean &#948;13C values: benthic seagrasses (-8.8&#8240;), macroalgae (-12.5&#8240;) and epiphytic algae (-13.3&#8240;) were enriched in 13C (had less-negative &#948;13C values) when compared to planktonic samples (-21.8&#8240;). Animals collected offshore were enriched in 13C by up to 9.1&#8240; relative to planktonic samples and seemed to show an increasing 13C enrichment with increasing trophic level. Relative to these offshore specimens, animals collected in intertidal seagrass meadows were usually enriched in 13C by 2-8&#8240;, indicating that 13C-enriched benthic plants are important food sources in grassflats. Unusual 13C- enriched values of -3 to -7&#8240; among benthic chitons, gastropods and holothurians at one grassbed site suggest that unsampled benthic microalgae are also important sources of food-web carbon in the Torres Strait. 
ER  -

