Absorption of dissolved amino-acid by aquatic vertebrates from environmental water

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26650152
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: KISHIDA Osamu 北海道大学, 北方生物圏フィールド科学センター, 准教授 (00545626)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KOBAYASHI Makoto 北海道大学, 北方生物圏フィールド科学センター, 助教 (60719798)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 水生動物 / 溶存有機窒素 / エネルギー流 / 栄養カスケード / アミノ酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aim of this study is to suggest a possibility of dissolved-amino-acid-usability for aquatic animals, by using larvae of Hynobius retardatus salamanders. As a result of multiple experiments, we show that the salamander larvae took in nitrogen from dissolved amino acids, and promoted their growth when they were kept in environmental water added to amino acids. Until now, aquatic prokaryotes such as bacteria are known to absorb dissolved amino acids directly from environmental water as an energy source for population growth. However, it has been assumed that aquatic vertebrates do not utilize them. The present finding may require the conventional view about energy flow in aquatic systems to be revised.

Free Research Field

動物生態学