What is it about?

This article focuses on the biochemical composition and the role of phytoplankton (primary producer) as a basic nutritional source in diets of fish.

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Why is it important?

An aquatic classical food web comprises phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish (planktivorous and predatory ones) as predominant elements, which in turn define the linear direction of an energy-flow pathway and nutritional transfer. Phytoplankton provides many valuable phytonutrients and biologically active ingredients, especially fatty acids, amino acids, sterols, organic minerals, enzymes, carotenoids, chlorophyll, trace elements, and vitamins, which are directly available for the first larval/juvenile stages of fish or indirectly (through trophic chains) for the more mature forms.

Perspectives

Regarding the biochemical composition of phytoplankton, the most nutritional ones are lipids, which affect the growth, health and reproduction of aquatic animals, especially fish species. Consequently, such nutritional transfer of healthy phytonutirents concerns humans, which consume "healthy" fish.

Dr Agnieszka Napiórkowska-Krzebietke
Inland Fisheries Institute

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Phytoplankton as a basic nutritional source in diets of fish, Journal of Elementology, September 2012, Polish Society for Magnesium Research,
DOI: 10.5601/jelem.2016.21.4.1375.
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