Krill: a potential vector for domoic acid in marine food webs

摘要: Over the past decade, blooms of domoic acid (DA) producing diatom Pseudo- nitzschia have been responsible for numerous deaths marine mammals and birds in Monterey Bay, California. Euphausiids (krill) are important members local zooplankton grazer community comprise primary diet squid, baleen whales, many seabirds. Krill thus a key potential vector transfer DA to higher trophic level organisms Bay. A better understand- ing quantitative interactions body burden krill is required predict whether they can act as an effective this neurotoxin. Here we report results toxin analy- ses gut content examinations Euphausia pacifica collected from Bay 2000. Corresponding counts toxic Pseudo-nitzschia species water their cellular concen- trations were also obtained at collection sites. Toxin analysis by receptor binding assay demon- strated that tissue varied between 0.1 44 µg equiv. g -1 (confirmed tandem mass spectrometry), with levels corresponding abundance present water. The occurrence australis frustules digestive tract E. verified was part impli- cated phytoplankter source DA. These findings provide compelling evidence role agent phycotoxin food web.