Discrepancies between feeding ecology and trophic position based on nitrogen isotopic composition in endosymbiont-bearing benthic foraminifers
Ayumi Maeda·Hodaka Kawahata·Yuichi I. Naito·Yoshito Chikaraishi·Kazuhiko Fujita·Naohiko Ohkouchi·Masashi Tsuchiya
Abstract Symbiotic relationships of microorganisms including eukaryotic algae and prokaryotes affect holobiont nitrogen metabolism and provide survival advantages in extreme environments; however, the influences of different symbionts on nitrogen metabolism in host organisms remain unclear. By tracing the nitrogen isotopic composition (δ 15 N) of amino acids (AAs), it is possible to constrain the biosynthetic sources and trophic interactions. We targeted reef-dwelling large benthic foraminifers