Variations in carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes and in heavy metal contents of mariculture kelp Undaria pinnatifida in Gijang, southeastern Korea

Korean mariculture Undaria pinnatifida was collected during the months of January, February, March, and December of 2010, as well as from January of 2011 to investigate the changes in the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (delta C-13 and delta N-15) and heavy metal with respect to it growth and to identify the factors that influence such changes. The blades of U. pinnatifida showed delta C-13 and delta N-15 in the range (mean) of -13.11 to -19.42 parts per thousand (-16.93 parts per thousand) and 2.99 to 7.57 parts per thousand (4.71 parts per thousand), respectively. Among samples with the same grow-out period, those that weighed more tended to have higher delta C-13 suggesting a close association between the carbon isotope ratio and growth rate of U. pinnatifida. Indeed, we found a very high positive linear correlation between the monthly average delta C-13 and the absolute growth rate in weight (r(2) = 0.89). Nitrogen isotope ratio tended to be relatively lower when nitrogen content in the blade was higher, probably due to the strengthening of isotope fractionation stemming from plenty of nitrogen in the surrounding environment. In fact, a negative linear correlation was observed with the nitrate concentration in the nearby seawaters (r(2) = 0.83). Concentrations of Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, Hg, and Fe in the blades showed a rapid decrease in their concentration per unit weight in the more mature U. pinnatifida. Specifically, compared to adult samples, Cu, Hg, and Pb were concentrated by 30, 55, and 73 folds, respectively, in the young blades. Therefore, U. pinnatifida tissue delta C-13 is as an indirect indicator of its growth rate, while delta N-15 values and heavy metal concentrations serve as tracers that reflect the environmental characteristics.