Suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) forms the base of the pelagic food web, providing vital biomolecules for higher trophic levels. SPOM from the surface, oxygen maximum and minimum zones were collected from the upwelling center south of Dakar, Senegal in December 2022 to study the evolution of fatty acids, which are critical nutritional components in marine food webs. Using Lagrangian methodology, six stations were realized to assess the evolution of essential long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and to aid in characterizing the aging of a water mass by fatty acid biomarkers. This experiment found patterns of diel changes in total fatty acids between night and day time stations at the surface, and a marked increase in the middle of the experiment at the O2 max, showing characteristics of a small upwelling event. 16 carbon LC-PUFAs - assumed markers of diatoms - showed variability, generally decreasing by station at the surface and O2 max. In contrast, nutritional quality increased throughout the experiment at all depths, while bacterial FA markers decreased. Novel data on fatty acid concentrations in this upwelling center are provided, demonstrating spatial and temporal variability and modest proportions of essential fatty acids available for consumption by zooplankton.
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