Plankon and fatty acids composition of different size classes along Merang waters

Abstract

In natural environment, the primary food chain mainly dominated by phytoplankton which was the main photosynthetic producers as a food source for the higher trophic level followed by zooplankton as consumer. The studies of fatty acid content in plankton have been studied worldwide with different condition and climate especially in marine ecology. This method is very useful to trace the basic sources background in marine organisms. Fatty acid is important in as a source of energy in higher trophic level. The importance in this study was to determine the dominant plankton and to trace the fatty acid biomarkers in the natural plankton community with different mesh sizes.