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Influence of contrasting environmental variables on the fatty acid profile of the winged oyster Pteria colymbus

Abstract:

In the Caribbean Sea, the winged oyster Pteria colymbus represents a promising resource for food and pearl production. The goal of the present study was to determine the influence of environmental variables generated by the seasonal coastal upwelling on the fatty acid profile (FAP) of the winged oyster Pteria colymbus. Changes in fatty acid (FA) levels were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Chlorophyll a (Chl-a), temperature, seston (POM and TPM) and upwelling index (UI) were measured monthly and correlated with the FAPs. Statistical analysis (MDS-ANOSIM) revealed significant differences between FAPs of the soft tissues in the upwelling and non-upwelling seasons. The FAs that mainly explained the variance in the FAPs during the non-upwelling season were 14:0, 16:0, 18:0, 20:4n-6, 20:1n-11NMID, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3. During the upwelling season, the FAs that explained the variance were 18:3n-3, 18:4n-3 and 18:2n-6, in addition to those that varied during the non-upwelling season. PCA analysis between FAs and environmental variables in the upwelling season showed that UI presented a direct relationship with acids 16:0, 18:4n-3 and 14:0 and an inverse relationship with 22:6n-3 and temperature. In the second component, chlorophyll a and POM were directly correlated with 18:2n-6, 20:4n-6 and 20:5n-3, and inversely correlated with 18:0, 22:6n-3 and temperature. In the non-upwelling season, temperature showed a direct relationship with 22:6-3 and an inverse relationship with 20:5n-3 and 14:0. POM, Chl-a and UI showed a direct relationship with 16:0 FA and an inverse relationship with 22:6n.3, 20:1n-11NMID, 20:4n-6, 18:0 and temperature. This study shows how dominant oceanographic conditions in the upwelling and non-upwelling periods modulate FA levels in P. colymbus.