Predicting nutrient content of ray-finned fishes using phylogenetic information.

ABSTRACT: Human food and nutrition security is dependent on marine ecosystems threatened by overfishing, climate change, and other processes. The consequences on human nutritional status are uncertain, in part because current methods of analyzing fish nutrient content are expensive. Here, we evaluate the possibility of predicting nutrient content of ray-finned fishes using existing phylogenetic and life history information. We focus on nutrients for which fish are important sources: protein, total fat, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Our results show that life history traits are weak predictors of species nutrient content, but phylogenetic relatedness is associated with similar nutrient profiles. Further, we develop a method for predicting the nutr

SUBMITTER: Vaitla B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6156416 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature