LIPID AND ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SPRAT (SPRATTUS-SPRATTUS) LARVAE AT MIXED AND STRATIFIED SITES IN THE GERMAN BIGHT OF THE NORTH-SEA

Larvae of sprat (Sprattus sprattus) from mixed and stratified water co lumn sites in the German Bight of the North Sea were assessed for nutr itional condition by analysis of total carbon and nitrogen and the lip id fractions triacylglycerol (TAG), cholesterol, and polar lipids. The re was no indication of any significant variation in condition index r elated to diel sampling periodicity, based either on percentage carbon composition or TAG/cholesterol ratio. Inclusion of growth data from o tolith ring counts with the carbon and lipid results identified larvae at 9-10 mm in length as being in relatively poor condition. There was some evidence from carbon analysis to suggest that larvae in poor con dition were more prevalent at the stratified site than the mixed; howe ver, microzooplankton analysis showed mean food abundance for larvae w as slightly higher at the mixed site. The results from the condition a nalyses and the validity of the methods is discussed in relation to st udies of survival of fish larvae.