Chemical signatures in fin spine edge of Atlantic bluefin tuna () can serve as habitat markers of geographically distinct marine environments.

Chemical fingerprints in otoliths are commonly used as natural habitat markers in fishes. Alternatively, the first dorsal fin spine can provide valuable chemical information and may be more suitable for studying (i) endangered fish species that cannot be sacrificed for their otoliths or (ii) fishes for which otoliths might not be available because of management or commercial reasons. Here, we studied multi-element chemistry of fin spine edges collected from Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT; ) (Linnaeus, 1758) to investigate the utility of the fin spine edge as a natural habitat marker.

Population structure of blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) in the western Atlantic Ocean inferred from microsatellite loci.

The blackfin tuna, Thunnus atlanticus, is a small tropical tuna exploited by recreational and commercial fisheries in various parts of its range. Information on stock structure is needed to develop management plans for this species but is currently lacking. In this work, 470 blackfin tuna from nine geographic populations were assayed at 13 homologous microsatellite markers to provide a first assessment of stock structure across the species range.

Characterization of carbonate fraction of the Atlantic bluefin tuna fin spine bone matrix for stable isotope analysis.

The mineral component of fish otoliths (), which is aragonitic calcium carbonate (CaCO), makes this structure the preferred sample choice for measuring biological carbon and oxygen-stable isotopes in order to address fundamental questions in fish ecology and fisheries science. The main drawback is that the removal of otoliths requires sacrificing the specimen, which is particularly impractical for endangered and commercially valuable species such as Atlantic bluefin tuna () (ABFT). This study explores the suitability of using the first dorsal fin spine bone of ABFT as a non-lethal alternative to otolith analysis or as a complementary hard structure.

Sorption and interaction of the flavonoid naringenin on tomato fruit cuticles.

The flavonoid naringenin accumulates in tomato fruit epidermis during ripening. The sorption of this flavonoid to enzymatically isolated cuticles of Solanum lycopersicum was studied as a function of the temperature and naringenin concentration at two stages of fruit growth. The selected stages were mature green, without flavonoids in the cuticle, and ripe tomato, with significant amounts of flavonoids in the cuticle.

Species effects on ecosystem processes are modified by faunal responses to habitat composition.

Heterogeneity is a well-recognized feature of natural environments, and the spatial distribution and movement of individual species is primarily driven by resource requirements. In laboratory experiments designed to explore how different species drive ecosystem processes, such as nutrient release, habitat heterogeneity is often seen as something which must be rigorously controlled for. Most small experimental systems are therefore spatially homogeneous, and the link between environmental heterogeneity and its effects on the redistribution of individuals and species, and on ecosystem processes, has not been fully explored.

A study of the hydration process of isolated cuticular membranes.

Water sorption by isolated tomato fruit cuticular membranes was measured over the whole range of relative humidities. Using the water sorption isotherm, the strength of water binding and the number of binding sites were estimated. Water clustering was predicted from the isotherm analysis and data obtained by differential scanning calorimetry suggested that the water does not plasticize the tomato fruit cuticle.