ISSN:
1432-1793
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract The naturally occurring radionuclide 210Po is useful as a tracer of diets of marine organisms. Data for 210Pb, the grandparent of 210Po, are less abundant: we therefore report here 210Pb concentrations in a substantial collection of marine biota obtained from the Antarctic Ocean during the SIBEX II cruise in 1985. The general levels of 210Pb are within the range of previously published data but, as in the case of 210Po, there are differences which can be associated with variations in the diet of the organism. The levels of 210Pb in the krill Euphausia superba show seasonal changes which can be interpreted in terms of changing diet. In a simple classification of the pelagic food chain, the levels of 210Pb tend to increase from omnivores to filter-feeders to predators.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00349398
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