Elemental composition and stoichiometry of krill and salps

Abstract

Krill and salps play a pivotal role in marine food webs and ocean biogeochemistry, yet little is known about their stoichiometry, which is crucial for our understanding of the consequences of key grazer population shifts for ecosystem functioning. To assess differences in stoichiometric requirements, we compared the elemental composition of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in body tissue and gut content of Euphausia superba and Salpa thompsoni collected along the Northern Antarctic Peninsula and conducted a systematic literature review on the stoichiometry of 33 euphausiid and 19 salp species. Our data revealed significantly lower body C:P and N:P ratios but higher gut content N:P in S. thompsoni compared with E. superba, suggesting higher P uptake. In contrast, literature data showed higher C:N, C:P and N:P ratios in salps, potentially indicating lower nutrient demand compared with krill. However, literature data exhibited high intra- and interspecific variability potentially driven by organism size, seasonal or latitudinal variations, emphasizing that nutritional requirements are not only related to the target species, but also to its habitat. Our study provides valuable stoichiometric information for future experimental and modeling studies, fostering our ability to predict the future role of krill and salps for ocean biogeochemistry.