Quantification of fish littoral carbon use and trophic position using stable isotopes: an empirical comparison of equations using freshwater lakes

Quantification of fish littoral carbon use and trophic position using stable isotopes: an empirical comparison of equations using freshwater lakes | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecology and Evolution This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 5 September 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Quantification of fish littoral carbon use and trophic position using stable isotopes: an empirical comparison of equations using freshwater lakes Authors : Alyssa Andersen 0009-0003-4496-7491 [email protected] , Cecilia Heuvel , Zach Jones , Paul Blanchfield , Bailey McMeans 0000-0002-9793-6811 , Neil Rooney , Yingming Zhao , and Aaron Fisk Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175707924.45128510/v1 Published Ecology and Evolution Version of record Peer review timeline 417 views 147 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Stable isotope analysis is a widely used to quantify the flow of energy, nutrients, and biomass through aquatic food webs, where values of carbon (13C) and nitrogen (15N) have been used to estimate littoral carbon use (LCU) and trophic position (TP) in lentic ecosystems, respectively. Standardizing stable isotope values with these metrics allows for comparison across different systems and time scales; however, several equations to quantify LCU and TP have been introduced with little guidance on the bias and limitations of each equation, or how and when different equations should be used. Here, we provide recommendations on the appropriate use of LCU and TP equations in freshwater ecosystems based on our analysis of case studies using five fish species common to the study lakes. We address three common challenges of ecosystem variability, namely (1) temporal, (2) spatial, and (3) differing rates of tissue turnover between study and baseline organisms. We begin with a relatively simple case study (Parry Sound) then explored challenges around spatial (Lake Erie) and temporal (Canoe Lake) variation, and the use of multiple fish tissue types (Canoe Lake). We found LCU and TP estimates to be highly variable and dependent on the equation used. High percentages of individual fish exhibited unrealistic LCU values, and the equation of LCU used had a large effect on calculated TP values. We found relative littoral carbon use (LCUR) produces the most consistent TP estimate, avoiding extreme values while reflecting the natural variability of the system. We propose a framework for calculating LCU and TP, allowing researchers to produce the least amount of bias relative to the known feeding ecology of study species while making estimates comparable across systems. Based on our case studies, we have developed a decision tree to guide researchers in estimating LCU and TP in freshwater ecosystems. Supplementary Material File (andersen_ee_manuscript.docx) Download 2.87 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 05 September 2025 Peer review timeline Published Ecology and Evolution Version of Record 7 Apr 2026 Published Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Collection Ecology and Evolution Keywords community ecology ecological experiment ecosystem freshwater vertebrate Authors Affiliations Alyssa Andersen 0009-0003-4496-7491 [email protected] University of Windsor View all articles by this author Cecilia Heuvel University of Windsor View all articles by this author Zach Jones University of Windsor View all articles by this author Paul Blanchfield Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic Region View all articles by this author Bailey McMeans 0000-0002-9793-6811 University of Toronto - Mississauga View all articles by this author Neil Rooney University of Guelph View all articles by this author Yingming Zhao Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources View all articles by this author Aaron Fisk University of Windsor View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 417 views 147 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Alyssa Andersen, Cecilia Heuvel, Zach Jones, et al. Quantification of fish littoral carbon use and trophic position using stable isotopes: an empirical comparison of equations using freshwater lakes. Authorea . 05 September 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175707924.45128510/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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