The analysis method and model of benthic food web on Baiyangdian Lake of China

Abstract

Abstract Human activities and natural disturbances often result in significant shifts in both trophic and energy pathways, which then translate into changes in the benthic food web structure. Unfortunately, little is known about the trophic levels and energy pathways within the benthic food web. In order to describe the benthic food web, the objective of this study was to find a better method to research the benthic food web of Baiyangdian Lake. So we reviewed the array of usages and advances in research methods within the context of aquatic food webs. We summarized the methods of gut content, stable isotope, fatty acid and compound specific isotope analysis techniques, since these analysis methods have been widely used in the research of the trophic dynamics in aquatic food webs, although each of these analysis methods have limitations. Therefore, a two-dimensional approach, for example combining stable isotope and fatty acids analysis, was the most useful tool to distinguish the energy pathways and materials transfer in food web. We then collected information about the aquatic organisms in Baiyangdian Lake according to different functional groups to establish a qualitative food web model of the whole lake. From this model we demonstrated the importance of the benthic food web. In the future, we want to expand these two/multi-dimensional approaches to describe the trophic levels and energy pathways within the benthic organism community in Baiyangdian.