Energy density of two forage species in the northwestern Atlantic: Silver Hake (Merluccius bilinearis) and Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) by Katherine King

Energy density of two forage species in the northwestern Atlantic: Silver Hake (Merluccius bilinearis) and Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) by Katherine King

Biology

Understanding forage species’ energy density is important for mapping energy flow in an ecosystem. Bioenergetic models are used to determine which species play important roles and how changes may influence the ecosystem in which they reside. In the Northwest Atlantic ecosystem, energy flow is largely controlled by forage species. The current study aims to 1) compare two forage species’ energy content and 2) find a size measurement which can be used to predict energy content. Using a Soxhlet apparatus and muffle furnace, the lipid and protein values of two forage species, Alewife and Silver Hake, were collected. Alewife are 3-4 times as lipid rich as Silver Hake, depending on the size measurement. Dry weight measurements can be used to predict energy in Alewife, however, Silver Hake did not have a size measurement which could be used to confidently predict energy content. Why species vary in which measurements can be used to predict energy and how to effectively use the energy data that can be collected is a direction for future research.

King, Katherine

Senior Showcase Poster presentation

Ripon College

April 23, 2019

The author reserves all rights.

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Major: Biology
Minor: Chemisty, Psychology

Farmington, Minnesota

poster