Tissue and fixative dependent shifts of delta 13C and delta 15N in preserved ecological material

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses are routinely used to investigate aquatic food webs, and have potential application in retrospective investigations using archived materials. However, such analyses assume that storage does not alter isotopic signatures of materials preserved, or that changes in isotopic composition during storage are predictable. Here we examine preservation shifts on cod (Gadus morhua) muscle, roe and liver tissue over 21 months following preservation in 80% ethanol, in 4% formaldehyde, and by freezing. Preservation shifts were not consistent among tissues. High protein tissues exhibited greater d15N shifts than low protein tissues in 4% formaldehyde, while greater d13C shifts occurred in relatively higher fat tissues when preserved in alcohol. Freezing did not change isotopic signatures. Responses of d15N and d13C are explained by differences in the preservative's isotopic signature and the reaction properties and biochemical composition of the tissues preserved. The results clarify some of the processes that lead to isotopic change during preservation.