Six stations along a salinity gradient of the Scheldt Estuary in Belgium and the Netherlands were sampled monthly during one year in 2005. Mesozooplankton, suspended matter (SPM) and water samples were collected from the water column.
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Mesozooplankton was determined up to family, genus or species level and analysed for 13C and fatty acid content. Suspended matter was analysed for polar lipid fatty acids (PLFA), 13C of PLFA and of bulk SPM. Water samples were analysed for 13C of dissolved inorganic and organic carbon. Group-specific PLFA were used to estimate isotope ratios of algal groups and of bacteria. Relative contributions of autochtonous and allochtonous organic carbon to the mesozooplankton biomass were estimated from the isotopic ratios. Total fatty acid content of mesozooplankton was also assessed to compare the results of fatty acid analysis with those of 13C analysis.
