Abstract
The determination of the metabolic activity of organisms at various trophic levels is crucial for the proper assessment of the energy flow through the ecosystem, which is the basic process determining ecosystem functioning. We estimated the respiration rate in nine shallow, eutrophic lakes (macrophyte-dominated and phytoplankton-dominated) from north-eastern Poland. Respiratory carbon loss (RCL) through bottom microbial communities, macrophytes, plankton and macrozoobenthos was estimated by measuring the Electron Transport System activity. The shares of the particular ecosystem components in respiration processes differed among the lake types and seasons. The bottom microbial communities contributed most to the RCL (from 50% in the macrophyte-dominated lakes to 90% in the shallower phytoplankton-dominated lakes) except in macrophytes-dominated lakes in summer, where the macrophyte contribution prevailed (80%). The contribution of plankton was considerable only in the deeper phytoplankton-dominated lakes (20%). Macrozoobenthos was important (20%) only in the macrophyte-dominated lakes in spring and autumn. The RCL through bottom microbial communities was substantially higher in the shallow lakes (especially phytoplankton-dominated) than in deep, stratified eutrophic lakes. Shallow eutrophic lakes can be highly productive due to intensive organic matter mineralization at the bottom and rapid flow and cycling of carbon and nutrients resulting from their polymictic character.
Highlights
The determination of the metabolic activity of organisms at various trophic levels is crucial for the proper assessment of the energy flow through the ecosystem, which is the basic process determining ecosystem functioning
As most of the energy leaving the ecosystem is associated with respiration (Simcic, 2005; Kominoski et al, 2018), the determination of the metabolic activity of organisms at various trophic levels is crucial for the proper assessment of the energy flow through the ecosystem
In agreement with the findings of the previous studies (G.-Toth, 1992; den Heyer & Kalff, 1998; Tornblom & Pettersson, 1998; Simcic, 2005) our results showed high Respiratory carbon loss (RCL) through the microorganisms in the sediments, which constituted a significant part of the total metabolic activity in the shallow lakes in our study
Summary
The determination of the metabolic activity of organisms at various trophic levels is crucial for the proper assessment of the energy flow through the ecosystem, which is the basic process determining ecosystem functioning. As most of the energy leaving the ecosystem is associated with respiration (Simcic, 2005; Kominoski et al, 2018), the determination of the metabolic activity of organisms at various trophic levels is crucial for the proper assessment of the energy flow through the ecosystem. Knowledge of the intensity of metabolic processes occurring in the water column and bottom sediments is necessary for comprehensive understanding of the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems (Pace & Prairie, 2005; Simcic & Brancelj, 2009; Lischke et al, 2017). Our knowledge of this topic should be improved to gain better insight into the functioning of such lakes
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