Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Nov 1, 2012
Terrestrial organic material (t-OM) can subsidize lake food webs indirectly via incorporation of ... more Terrestrial organic material (t-OM) can subsidize lake food webs indirectly via incorporation of dissolved t-OM by bacteria and subsequent transfer to higher trophic levels or directly through metazoan consumption of particulate t-OM (t-POM). We tested the effects of peat layer t-POM on Daphnia galeata performance. A pure t-POM diet could not sustain survival, growth, and reproduction of D. galeata. Mixtures of heterotrophic bacteria (Pseudomonas sp.) and phytoplankton (Rhodomonas lacustris) gave higher survival, growth, and reproduction than mixtures of t-POM and Rhodomonas. Daphnids performed best when feeding on pure Rhodomonas diets. Quantification of phosphorus (P) and essential biochemicals (i.e., fatty acids) revealed that Rhodomonas had the highest amounts of all these components. Pseudomonas, while rich in P, contained few essential fatty acids, and t-POM had low concentrations of both P and fatty acids. We therefore suggest that the poor food quality of t-POM in our experiment was due to its suboptimal mineral and biochemical composition and that a substantial proportion of high-quality phytoplankton is necessary to sustain zooplankton biomass.
Most studies aiming to explore the response of algae and zooplankton trophic interactions to clim... more Most studies aiming to explore the response of algae and zooplankton trophic interactions to climate variability have only been focused on unidirectional and very short‐term trends in temperature changes. As a result, the non‐stationary aspect of climate change (warming and cooling periods, frequencies) remains completely unstudied. We studied elemental and stable isotope composition of sedimentary organic matter, photosynthetic pigments, and carbon stable isotope composition of Cladocera resting eggs in a sediment record covering the last c. 2,600 years. We examined how past climate change acting at different timescales affected algal biomass and community composition, and carbon assimilation by zooplankton in a boreal lake. Our study revealed major effects of both long‐term climate trends and shorter‐term fluctuations on algae–zooplankton interactions in a boreal lake. We found the main climate trends, in particular the Little Ice Age, induced algal biomass and community compositi...
We used data from whole-lake studies to assess how changes in food quantity (phytoplankton biomas... more We used data from whole-lake studies to assess how changes in food quantity (phytoplankton biomass) and quality (phytoplankton community composition, seston C:P and N:P) with N fertilization affect zooplankton biomass, community composition and C:N:P stoichiometry, and their N:P recycling ratio along a gradient in lake DOC concentrations. We found that despite major differences in phytoplankton biomass with DOC (unimodal distributions, especially with N fertilization), no major differences in zooplankton biomass were detectable. Instead, phytoplankton to zooplankton biomass ratios were high, especially at intermediate DOC and after N fertilization, implying low trophic transfer efficiencies. An explanation for the observed low phytoplankton resource use, and biomass responses in zooplankton, was dominance of colony forming chlorophytes of reduced edibility at intermediate lake DOC, combined with reduced phytoplankton mineral quality (enhanced seston N:P) with N fertilization. N fert...
Reconstructions of past food web dynamics are necessary for better understanding long-term impact... more Reconstructions of past food web dynamics are necessary for better understanding long-term impacts of climate change on subarctic lakes. We studied elemental and stable isotopic composition of sedimentary organic matter, photosynthetic pigments and carbon stable isotopic composition of Daphnia (Cladocera; Crustacea) resting eggs (δ13CClado) in a sediment record from a small subarctic lake. We examined how regional climate and landscape changes over the last 5800 years affected the relative importance of allochthonous and autochthonous carbon transfer to zooplankton. Overall, δ13CClado values were well in line with the range of theoretical values of aquatic primary producers, confirming that zooplankton consumers in subarctic lakes, even in the long-term perspective, are mainly fuelled by autochthonous primary production. Results also revealed greater incorporations of benthic algae into zooplankton biomass in periods that had a warmer and drier climate and clearer water, whereas a c...
Arctic and sub‐Arctic lakes in northern Europe are increasingly threatened by climate change, whi... more Arctic and sub‐Arctic lakes in northern Europe are increasingly threatened by climate change, which can affect their biodiversity directly by shifting thermal and hydrological regimes, and indirectly by altering landscape processes and catchment vegetation. Most previous studies of northern lake biodiversity responses to environmental changes have focused on only a single organismal group. Investigations at whole‐lake scales that integrate different habitats and trophic levels are currently rare, but highly necessary for future lake monitoring and management. We analysed spatial biodiversity patterns of 74 sub‐Arctic lakes in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Faroe Islands with monitoring data for at least three biological focal ecosystem components (FECs)—benthic diatoms, macrophytes, phytoplankton, littoral benthic macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, and fish—that covered both pelagic and benthic habitats and multiple trophic levels. We calculated the richnessrelative (i.e. taxon rich...
Large zooplankton has an important role for the functioning of the ecosystem in many lakes. Most ... more Large zooplankton has an important role for the functioning of the ecosystem in many lakes. Most are predatory, which makes them both competitors as well as food for many planktivorous fish species. In general, it has been elusive to measure the abundance of this group of zooplankton with traditional sampling methods, particularly in large volumes of water. In this study we tested the potential and adequacy of multi-frequency hydroacoustics as a method to map the spatial patterns in abundance of the large zooplankton in Lake Vänern, Lake Vättern and Lake Mälaren. In addition, we used a plankton net to groundtruth biovolume estimates vertically, and a Tucker trawl for the horizontal distribution. Two frequencies were used to separate the acoustic backscattering from fish, mysids and plankton. The main target species were Leptodora kindtii, Bythotrephes longimanus and Limnocalanus macrurus. The plankton communities were very heterogeneous both within and among the lakes. Lake Vänern a...
Northern ecosystems are experiencing some of the most dramatic impacts of global change on Earth.... more Northern ecosystems are experiencing some of the most dramatic impacts of global change on Earth. Rising temperatures, hydrological intensification, changes in atmospheric acid deposition and associated acidification recovery, and changes in vegetative cover are resulting in fundamental changes in terrestrial–aquatic biogeochemical linkages. The effects of global change are readily observed in alterations in the supply of dissolved organic matter (DOM)—the messenger between terrestrial and lake ecosystems—with potentially profound effects on the structure and function of lakes. Northern terrestrial ecosystems contain substantial stores of organic matter and filter or funnel DOM, affecting the timing and magnitude of DOM delivery to surface waters. This terrestrial DOM is processed in streams, rivers, and lakes, ultimately shifting its composition, stoichiometry, and bioavailability. Here, we explore the potential consequences of these global change‐driven effects for lake food webs ...
Unproductive lakes are often characterized by high inputs of allochthonous dissolved and particul... more Unproductive lakes are often characterized by high inputs of allochthonous dissolved and particulate organic carbon compared to autochthonous carbon, resulting in low phytoplankton abundances and h ...
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Nov 1, 2012
Terrestrial organic material (t-OM) can subsidize lake food webs indirectly via incorporation of ... more Terrestrial organic material (t-OM) can subsidize lake food webs indirectly via incorporation of dissolved t-OM by bacteria and subsequent transfer to higher trophic levels or directly through metazoan consumption of particulate t-OM (t-POM). We tested the effects of peat layer t-POM on Daphnia galeata performance. A pure t-POM diet could not sustain survival, growth, and reproduction of D. galeata. Mixtures of heterotrophic bacteria (Pseudomonas sp.) and phytoplankton (Rhodomonas lacustris) gave higher survival, growth, and reproduction than mixtures of t-POM and Rhodomonas. Daphnids performed best when feeding on pure Rhodomonas diets. Quantification of phosphorus (P) and essential biochemicals (i.e., fatty acids) revealed that Rhodomonas had the highest amounts of all these components. Pseudomonas, while rich in P, contained few essential fatty acids, and t-POM had low concentrations of both P and fatty acids. We therefore suggest that the poor food quality of t-POM in our experiment was due to its suboptimal mineral and biochemical composition and that a substantial proportion of high-quality phytoplankton is necessary to sustain zooplankton biomass.
Most studies aiming to explore the response of algae and zooplankton trophic interactions to clim... more Most studies aiming to explore the response of algae and zooplankton trophic interactions to climate variability have only been focused on unidirectional and very short‐term trends in temperature changes. As a result, the non‐stationary aspect of climate change (warming and cooling periods, frequencies) remains completely unstudied. We studied elemental and stable isotope composition of sedimentary organic matter, photosynthetic pigments, and carbon stable isotope composition of Cladocera resting eggs in a sediment record covering the last c. 2,600 years. We examined how past climate change acting at different timescales affected algal biomass and community composition, and carbon assimilation by zooplankton in a boreal lake. Our study revealed major effects of both long‐term climate trends and shorter‐term fluctuations on algae–zooplankton interactions in a boreal lake. We found the main climate trends, in particular the Little Ice Age, induced algal biomass and community compositi...
We used data from whole-lake studies to assess how changes in food quantity (phytoplankton biomas... more We used data from whole-lake studies to assess how changes in food quantity (phytoplankton biomass) and quality (phytoplankton community composition, seston C:P and N:P) with N fertilization affect zooplankton biomass, community composition and C:N:P stoichiometry, and their N:P recycling ratio along a gradient in lake DOC concentrations. We found that despite major differences in phytoplankton biomass with DOC (unimodal distributions, especially with N fertilization), no major differences in zooplankton biomass were detectable. Instead, phytoplankton to zooplankton biomass ratios were high, especially at intermediate DOC and after N fertilization, implying low trophic transfer efficiencies. An explanation for the observed low phytoplankton resource use, and biomass responses in zooplankton, was dominance of colony forming chlorophytes of reduced edibility at intermediate lake DOC, combined with reduced phytoplankton mineral quality (enhanced seston N:P) with N fertilization. N fert...
Reconstructions of past food web dynamics are necessary for better understanding long-term impact... more Reconstructions of past food web dynamics are necessary for better understanding long-term impacts of climate change on subarctic lakes. We studied elemental and stable isotopic composition of sedimentary organic matter, photosynthetic pigments and carbon stable isotopic composition of Daphnia (Cladocera; Crustacea) resting eggs (δ13CClado) in a sediment record from a small subarctic lake. We examined how regional climate and landscape changes over the last 5800 years affected the relative importance of allochthonous and autochthonous carbon transfer to zooplankton. Overall, δ13CClado values were well in line with the range of theoretical values of aquatic primary producers, confirming that zooplankton consumers in subarctic lakes, even in the long-term perspective, are mainly fuelled by autochthonous primary production. Results also revealed greater incorporations of benthic algae into zooplankton biomass in periods that had a warmer and drier climate and clearer water, whereas a c...
Arctic and sub‐Arctic lakes in northern Europe are increasingly threatened by climate change, whi... more Arctic and sub‐Arctic lakes in northern Europe are increasingly threatened by climate change, which can affect their biodiversity directly by shifting thermal and hydrological regimes, and indirectly by altering landscape processes and catchment vegetation. Most previous studies of northern lake biodiversity responses to environmental changes have focused on only a single organismal group. Investigations at whole‐lake scales that integrate different habitats and trophic levels are currently rare, but highly necessary for future lake monitoring and management. We analysed spatial biodiversity patterns of 74 sub‐Arctic lakes in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Faroe Islands with monitoring data for at least three biological focal ecosystem components (FECs)—benthic diatoms, macrophytes, phytoplankton, littoral benthic macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, and fish—that covered both pelagic and benthic habitats and multiple trophic levels. We calculated the richnessrelative (i.e. taxon rich...
Large zooplankton has an important role for the functioning of the ecosystem in many lakes. Most ... more Large zooplankton has an important role for the functioning of the ecosystem in many lakes. Most are predatory, which makes them both competitors as well as food for many planktivorous fish species. In general, it has been elusive to measure the abundance of this group of zooplankton with traditional sampling methods, particularly in large volumes of water. In this study we tested the potential and adequacy of multi-frequency hydroacoustics as a method to map the spatial patterns in abundance of the large zooplankton in Lake Vänern, Lake Vättern and Lake Mälaren. In addition, we used a plankton net to groundtruth biovolume estimates vertically, and a Tucker trawl for the horizontal distribution. Two frequencies were used to separate the acoustic backscattering from fish, mysids and plankton. The main target species were Leptodora kindtii, Bythotrephes longimanus and Limnocalanus macrurus. The plankton communities were very heterogeneous both within and among the lakes. Lake Vänern a...
Northern ecosystems are experiencing some of the most dramatic impacts of global change on Earth.... more Northern ecosystems are experiencing some of the most dramatic impacts of global change on Earth. Rising temperatures, hydrological intensification, changes in atmospheric acid deposition and associated acidification recovery, and changes in vegetative cover are resulting in fundamental changes in terrestrial–aquatic biogeochemical linkages. The effects of global change are readily observed in alterations in the supply of dissolved organic matter (DOM)—the messenger between terrestrial and lake ecosystems—with potentially profound effects on the structure and function of lakes. Northern terrestrial ecosystems contain substantial stores of organic matter and filter or funnel DOM, affecting the timing and magnitude of DOM delivery to surface waters. This terrestrial DOM is processed in streams, rivers, and lakes, ultimately shifting its composition, stoichiometry, and bioavailability. Here, we explore the potential consequences of these global change‐driven effects for lake food webs ...
Unproductive lakes are often characterized by high inputs of allochthonous dissolved and particul... more Unproductive lakes are often characterized by high inputs of allochthonous dissolved and particulate organic carbon compared to autochthonous carbon, resulting in low phytoplankton abundances and h ...
Uploads