Input Of Allochthonous Organic Matter Research Articles

East Asian summer monsoon and early anthropogenic impacts on the lacustrine carbon cycle in the Otindag Sandy Land since the middle Holocene

Lake systems play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle, yet the biogeochemical processes in alkaline and saline lakes have received little attention. In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis of δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb records from Lake Chagan in the Otindag Sandy Land, located in North China, spanning approximately 7000 years. Our aim is to explore how the lacustrine inorganic carbon cycle responded to both climate change and human activity. The findings reveal a notable highstand in Lake Chagan around 6.9–6.0 cal kyr BP, followed by a gradual regression leading to an unstable status over the past 1.6 cal kyr BP. The hydroclimate variations inferred from Lake Chagan align with other regional records, suggesting that long-term East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) precipitation trends are influenced by decreasing insolation and variations in solar irradiance on a centennial timescale. The sources of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in lake water generally mirror regional hydroclimate changes since the middle Holocene. Our evidence indicates that during periods of strong EASM activity, more allochthonous organic matter is converted to lake water DIC, coinciding with high vegetation cover and intense soil erosion. While hydroclimatic changes significantly impact the lacustrine carbon cycle, the isotopic evidence also suggests substantial anthropogenic influences post-1.6 cal kyr BP, particularly in terms of the input of allochthonous organic matter into the lakes of the Otindag Sandy Land. These findings underscore the potential for anthropogenic-driven terrestrial carbon cycle feedback to global climate change over millennia.

Influence of the diagenetic oxidation and allochthonous organic matter input on geochemical and petrological results – Insights from the Upper/Middle Triassic strata, Polish Basin

Set of 24 Lower Keuperian (Upper Ladinian) and Grabfeld Formation (Lower Carnian) grey/black claystones core samples from the central part of the Polish Basin was examined by geochemical (Rock-Eval and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) and petrological analyses. The Rock-Eval and petrological analyses revealed that the analysed organic matter is mostly mature/overmature (1.0–2.5%Ro). A combination of biomarker maturity indicators and petrological analyses suggest that autochthonous organic matter did not reach 0.9%Ro, and the higher mature organic matter particles have an allochthonous origin. Most samples contain significant input of allochthonous organic matter, which influenced the results of some geochemical indicators describing the origin of organic matter and palaeoenvironmental conditions.Investigated strata contain mostly mixed planktonic-bacterial and terrigenous organic matter. A higher contribution of terrigenous organic matter was observed within the Grabfeld Fm., where geochemical traces of fluvial-deltaic palaeoenvironment was recorded. Deposition of both strata occurred mostly under anoxic bottom waters in brackish or normal-saline marine conditions. However, an elevated salinity level was observed within Grabfeld Fm. sample from Byczyna 1 borehole.All samples contain phenylnaphthalenes (PhN), phenylphenanthrenes (PhP), and aromatic ketones, widely used as diagenetic oxidation indicators. The juxtaposition of two ratios based on phenanthrene (P), methylphenanthrenes (MP), and PhP was proposed to define the degree of organic matter diagenetic oxidation. Combined results of ƩMP/(ƩMP + ƩPhP) and P/(P + ƩPhP) revealed that Grabfeld Fm. contains more oxidised organic matter than Lower Keuperian strata. Moreover, the distribution of the PhN isomers – 1-PhN and 2-PhN – is controlled mainly by maturity level only in the least oxidised samples, where P/(P + ƩPhP) values range from 0.8 to 1.0. In other samples, the PhN distribution is controlled by the diagenetic oxidation degree. For this reason, the distribution of 1-PhN versus 2-PhN should not be used as a maturity indicator within more oxidised samples.

Influence of salinity on hydrogen isotope fractionation of n-alkanes in mangrove leaves and surface sediments: A comparison across various geomorphological settings

Increasing attention has recently been paid to hydrogen isotope ratios of mangrove lipids due to their potential for reconstructing past salinity and hydrology. This proxy is based on several observations that net 2H/1H fractionation, εn-alkane/water, between mangrove leaf waxes and surface water, increases with surface water salinity. However, the extent to which hydrogeomorphic conditions, on a regional scale, affect the hydrogen isotope fractionations of n-alkanes in mangrove trees and sediments is not yet understood. This study aimed to assess the robustness of negative εn-alkane/water – salinity for six mangrove species and adjacent surface sediments from the Zhanjiang mangrove across different hydrogeomorphic settings. The results indicated that a significant inverse relationship exists between εn-C31/water and εn-C33/water and salinity for all samples from the three fringe and basin/interior mangroves, with εn-C31/water decreasing by −2.57 ± 0.87 ‰ ppt−1 and εn-C33/water decreasing by −3.64 ± 1.14 ‰ ppt−1. These trends, as well as interspecific differences among mangrove species, could be attributed to biochemical changes in response to salt stress, such as using different proportions of amino acids and soluble carbohydrates as compatible solutes. In contrast, the relationship between sedimentary εn-alkane/water and salinity differed significantly across hydrogeomorphic conditions and land-use changes, possibly due to variations in hydrology and input of allochthonous organic matter. A comparison of fitted parameters of linear regressions among riverine, fringe, and interior mangroves suggests that the slop and intercept describing the linear relationship between sedimentary εC27–33/water of basin/interior mangroves and salinity are generally consistent with that of the corresponding mangrove trees. This suggests that the basin/interior mangroves and their sedimentary deposits may be better candidates for paleoenvironmental reconstruction using hydrogen isotope ratios of long-chain n-alkanes.

Quantification of blue carbon stocks associated with Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows in Corsica (NW Mediterranean).

In the last decades, the increasing necessity to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations has intensified interest in quantifying the capacity of coastal ecosystems to sequester carbon, referred to commonly as 'Blue Carbon' (BC). Among coastal habitats, seagrass meadows are considered as natural carbon sinks due to their capacity to store large amounts of carbon in their sediments over long periods of time. However, the spatial heterogeneity of carbon stocks in seagrass sediments needs to be better understood to improve the accuracy of BC assessments, particularly where there is high environmental variability. In the Mediterranean, Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile constitutes extensive meadows considered as long-term carbon sinks due to the development of an exceptional structure known as 'matte', reaching several meters in height, which can be preserved over millennia. In order to specify the role of P. oceanica meadows in climate change mitigation, an estimate of carbon stocks has been conducted along the eastern coast of Corsica (NW Mediterranean). The approach is mainly based on the biogeochemical analysis of 39 sediment cores. Organic carbon (Corg; 327 ± 150 t ha-1, mean ± SE) and inorganic carbon stocks (Cinorg; 245 ± 45 t ha-1) show a high variability related to water depth, matrix (sandy vs rocky substrate) or the depositional environment (coastal vs estuary). The isotopic signature (δ13C) revealed a substantial contribution of allochthonous inputs of organic matter (macroalgae and sestonic sources) mainly in estuarine environment and shallow areas. The carbon stocks in the first 250 cm of matte (average thickness) were estimated at 5.6-14.0 million t Corg (study site) and 14.6-36.9 million t Corg (Corsica), corresponding to 11.6-29.2 and 30.4-76.8 years of CO2 emissions from the population of Corsica.

The budget of carbon in the farming of the Amazon river prawn and tambaqui fish in earthen pond monoculture and integrated multitrophic systems

The present study analyzed the inputs, outputs, and accumulation of carbon in ecological compartments of earthen ponds for the grow-out of Amazon river prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum) and tambaqui fish (Colossoma macropomum) reared in monoculture and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems, using recycled hypereutrophic water. A completely randomized experiment was designed with four treatments and three replications: PM- monoculture with 30 prawn m−2, FM- monoculture with 3 fish m−2, IMTA- fish-prawn polyculture with 30 prawn m−2 and 3 fish m−2 reared free-swimming, POLY-CAGE- fish-prawn IMTA with 30 prawn m−2 reared free-swimming and 40 fish m−3 in net-cages. Animals, rain, water, feed, soil, gases, total suspended solids, settleable solids, and accumulated sludge were collected throughout the experiment to determine their total organic and total inorganic carbon contents and to calculate the carbon budget. Results showed that much of the carbon accumulated as solid organic material (∼55 – 84%) and animal biomass (∼4 – 18%). The remaining carbon was discharged to receiving water bodies in the outlet water during harvesting (∼6 – 8%) or emitted as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) (∼1 – 5%). Feed management appeared to influence the major biological processes in the aquatic carbon cycle, such as photosynthesis and aerobic decomposition. All systems showed absorption of atmospheric CO2 (∼529 – 782 kg C-CO2 ha−1) that was higher than the emissions (∼35 – 93 kg C-CO2 ha−1) and CH4 (∼14 – 123 kg C-CH4 ha−1). Furthermore, all of the culture processes in the present study removed ∼1,000 to 2,000 kg Total Carbon ha−1 from the inlet water, and thus, these systems can provide important ecosystem services. The high accumulation of carbon in the settleable solids (∼69% of outputs) and the adequate water quality maintained in the IMTA demonstrate the resilience of this grow-out system to high allochthonous inputs of organic matter as feed. An increased prawn density or the addition of a mud-feeder species to the culture may enhance the incorporation of carbon from settleable solids into harvested biomass, improving the efficiency of the systems.

Plant species invasion effects on litter dynamics in subtropical streams

Abstract Aim We evaluated the effect of the presence of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. (Rhamnaceae) in riparian zones on the organic matter dynamics of small subtropical streams. Methods We conducted this study in three subtropical Atlantic Forest streams with different densities of H. dulcis in riparian vegetation located in southern Brazil. In each stream, we quantified the input of allochthonous organic matter for one year using buckets (area: 0.04 m2/bucket) suspended about 1 m from the streambed in three different sections (15 buckets/stretch = 45 buckets/stream). Monthly, the plant material retained in the buckets was collected individually, dried (40±5 °C/72 h), identified (native litter together and H. dulcis litter alone) and weighed. Results The largest input of native organic matter occurred during the winter months (~55 g.m-2), ranging from ~31 g.m-2 (summer) to ~46 g.m-2 (spring) over the year. The input of H. dulcis organic matter was concentrated in the autumn (~56 g.m-2) and summer (~28 g.m-2), being scarce in the other seasons (~3 g.m-2 in the spring and winter). Only the contribution of native organic matter was associated with precipitation. Contrary to that observed with native vegetation (input of organic matter related with rainfall), H. dulcis input was related to the phenology of the species, which is deciduous, with leaf fall strongly marked, occurring especially during the autumn. Conclusions When present at high densities (dominant), the presence of H. dulcis in riparian stream vegetation makes the supply of allochthonous plant resources scarce at some periods of the year, altering the energy availability in these ecosystems and, potentially, the functioning of subtropical streams.

Temporal dynamics of organic matter, hyphomycetes and invertebrate communities in a Brazilian savanna stream

Abstract Leaf litter breakdown is an important process in riparian ecosystems, regulated by the concomitant fluctuations of allochthonous organic matter input (quality and quantity), the environmental conditions, and the decomposer community. Our objective was to assess the effects of temporal variability of litter quantity and quality over the stream's decomposer community. We hypothesized that the litter effects over the decomposer community would be overruled by Cerrado's harsh environmental conditions. Precipitation fluctuations, especially during dry and rain seasons, did modify the litterfall periodicity, but not the average organic matter entering the system or the litterfall triggers. Fifteen riparian species were identified contributing with organic matter into the stream, however, Richeria grandis contributed with 48% of litter biomass, helping explain the nutritional intra-annual balance given by the litter chemistry, that would be determinant for ecosystem stability. Higher aquatic hyphomycetes sporulation rates and invertebrate density during the dry season suggest that the decomposer community required a more stable environment (consistent low current) in order to colonize and exploit leaf litter. Our results point out that physical fragmentation was the predominant driver of litter breakdown for our system, due to high decomposition rates, litter remaining mass correlated negatively with precipitation, and low decomposer abundance and activity. Invertebrate collectors' abundance was negatively correlated with litter remaining mass and showed no temporal variation, suggesting that this functional group may have benefited from the particulate organic matter produced by physical fragmentation. Therefore, annual temporal variations on Brazilian savanna stream systems may drive the functioning of the ecosystem.

Limnological effects of a large Amazonian run-of-river dam on the main river and drowned tributary valleys

Run-of-river dams are often considered to have lower environmental impacts than storage dams due to their smaller reservoirs and low potential for flow alteration. However, this has been questioned for projects recently built on large rivers around the world. Two of the world’s largest run-of-river dams—Santo Antônio and Jirau—were recently constructed on the Madeira River, a major tributary to the Amazon River in Brazil. Here we evaluate the effects of the creation of the Santo Antônio dam on the water chemistry and thermal structure of the Madeira River mainstem and back-flooded valleys of tributaries within the reservoir inundated area. In contrast to the mainstem river, some back-flooded tributaries periodically developed thermal stratification, which is associated with higher water residence times. Additionally, biochemical oxygen demand, partial pressure of CO2, and organic carbon all increased in the tributary valleys inundated by the reservoir, possibly due to increased input of allochthonous organic matter and its subsequent mineralization upon back-flooding—a common feature of newly flooded impoundments. The mainstem did not show detectable dam-related changes in water chemistry and thermal structure. Although the majority of the reservoir area maintained riverine conditions, the lateral valleys formed upon back-flooding—corresponding to ~30% of the Santo Antônio reservoir area—developed lake-like conditions akin to a typical reservoir of a storage dam.

Stable isotopes reveal independent carbon pools across an Arctic hydro‐climatic gradient: Implications for the fate of carbon in warmer and drier conditions

AbstractArctic lakes are poised for substantial changes to their carbon (C) cycles in the near future. Autochthonous processes in lakes which consume inorganic C and create biomass that can be sequestered in sediments are accompanied by allochthonous inputs of organic matter from the surrounding watershed. Both C sources can be mineralized and degassed as CO2, but also become recalcitrant and accumulate in pelagic waters. Using stable carbon isotope (δ13C) values and elemental ratios as geochemical proxies, we investigated diverse organic matter sources to lakes located across a hydro‐climatic gradient in Southwest Greenland. Particulate organic matter (POM) and sediments were clearly of autochthonous algal origin, while dissolved organic matter (DOM) was a mix between autochthonous macrophytes and allochthonous watershed sources. Our results imply that a warmer and drier Arctic will lead to decoupled C pools: a water column dominated by increasingly autochthonous, macrophytic DOM, and sediments dominated by autochthonous algal POM.

Evaluating the habitat integrity index as a potential surrogate for monitoring the water quality of streams in the cerrado-caatinga ecotone in northern Brazil.

Human activities have long been altering the natural conditions of streams, including the quality of their water, throughout most of Brazil. This problem is even worse in regions with low rainfall levels, such as the Brazilian Northeast, where water quality needs to be monitored more carefully. In this context, the present study investigated the effects of environmental integrity on the physicochemical characteristics of the streams of the basin of the Itapecuru River in northeastern Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that streams with lower habitat integrity would have higher conductivity, pH, and temperature, due to the reduced input of allochthonous organic matter and the greater washout of sediments to the stream bed. A total of 15 streams, of a sedimentary basin, were evaluated in the municipality of Caxias, in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, between June 2015, and July 2016; each stream was sampled once a month during the drought period in the region, where physicochemical measurements were taken to determine the environmental integrity of the stream through the application of a habitat integrity index. Streams with greater habitat integrity had lower conductivity, pH, and temperature and had higher discharge rates. The index proved to be not an effective tool for the evaluation of water quality, but was found to be important for the management of hydrographic basins by indicating important changes in environmental variables. In this case, the index can be used primarily for the management of hydrographic basins, given that it can be applied straightforwardly, it can be interpreted easily by decision-makers, and it can quantify alterations to the structure of the system with precision.

Effects of Riparian Invasive Nonindigenous Plants on Freshwater Quantity and Ecological Functioning in Mesic Temperate Landscapes

As invasive nonindigenous plants colonize streamside ecosystems, they can transform ecological functioning by replacing native species, altering interspecific interactions, and reducing biodiversity. As a result of the intimate relationship between the riparian areas and their associated freshwater ecosystems, alteration of the riparian community may be reflected in the freshwater ecosystem. Research conducted in arid climates repeatedly has demonstrated that invasive nonindigenous plants can reduce water quantity, but far fewer studies have investigated the effects on water quantity and aquatic ecosystem functions when nonindigenous plants invade mesic temperate riparian areas. We identified 35 studies published since 1981 documenting impacts to freshwater ecosystems in mesic temperate climates attributable to invasions of riparian areas by nonindigenous plants. These studies revealed impacts on water quantity and on ecosystem function related to water temperature, edaphic characteristics, and physical and chemical alteration in allochthonous inputs. However, our assessment of the results found great variability in hydrological and ecological responses, with the strongest evidence for changes to (1) the timing of allochthonous organic matter inputs, (2) organic matter decomposition rates in aquatic ecosystems, and (3) aquatic community structure. In addition, in watersheds densely colonized by nitrogen-fixing invasive species, stream eutrophication is likely to occur. Because of the variability in the existing research results, more studies need to be focused specifically on invaded mesic temperate riparian ecosystems. Furthermore, more research is needed to consider the impact of additional problematic plant species that have yet to be studied, the correlation between invasive plant density and aquatic ecosystem response, the relationship between the length of time a plant community has been invaded and the aquatic community's reaction, and if invasive plant management and native species reintroduction can help restore the aquatic ecosystem.

Holocene shifts in the primary producer community of large, shallow European Lake Peipsi, inferred from sediment pigment analysis

We used HPLC to identify and quantify pigments in a Holocene sediment record from large, shallow Lake Peipsi, Estonia. The aim of our study was to track the influence of long-term climate change (i.e. temperature fluctuations) on past dynamics of aquatic primary producers. Sedimentary pigments were separated and quantified in 182 samples that span the last ca. 10,000 years. There was an increasing trend in sedimentary pigment concentrations from basal to upper sediment layers, suggesting a gradual increase in lake trophic status through time. Using additive models, our results suggested that primary producer dynamics in Lake Peipsi were closely related to temperature fluctuations. We, however, identified two periods (early Holocene and after ca. 2.5 cal ka BP) when the relationship between primary producer composition and temperature was weak, suggesting the influence of additional drivers on the primary producer community. We postulate that: (a) the increase of primary producer biomass in the early Holocene could have been caused by input of allochthonous organic matter and nutrients from the flooded areas when water level in Lake Peipsi was increasing, and (b) changes in the abundance and structure of primary producer assemblages since ca. 2.5 cal ka BP was related to widespread agricultural activities in the Lake Peipsi catchment. These results suggest that human activities can disrupt the relationship between the primary producer community and temperature in large, shallow lakes.

Environmental controls on benthic food web functions and carbon resource use in subarctic lakes

Abstract Climate warming and consequent greening of subarctic landscapes increase the availability of organic carbon to the detrital food webs in aquatic ecosystems. This may cause important shifts in ecosystem functioning through the functional feeding patterns of benthic organisms that rely differently on climatically altered carbon resources. Twenty‐five subarctic lakes in Finnish Lapland across a tree line ecotone were analysed for limnological and optical variables, carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope (SI) composition of surface sediment organic matter (OM) and fossil Chironomidae (Diptera) remains to examine environmental controls behind chironomid functional feeding group (FFG) structure and their isotopic associations for assessing ecosystem functioning and carbon utilisation. We hypothesise that the chironomid SI signatures reflect increased allochthony with increasing allochthonous input, but the resource use may be altered by the functional characteristics of the assemblage. Multivariate analyses indicated that carbon geochemistry in the sediments (δ13C, δ15N, C/N), nutrients, indices of productivity (chlorophyll‐a) and lake water optical properties, related to increasing presence of OM, played a key role in defining the chironomid FFG composition and isotopic signatures. Response modelling was used to examine how individual FFGs respond to environmental gradients. They showed divergent responses for OM quantity, dissolved organic carbon and nutrients between feeding strategies, suggesting that detritivores and filter feeders prefer contrasting carbon and nutrient conditions, and may thus hold paleoecological indicator potential to identify changes between different carbon fluxes. Benthic production was the primary carbon source for the chironomid assemblages according to a three‐source SI mixing model, whereas pelagic and terrestrial components contributed less. Between‐lake variability in source utilisation was high and controlled primarily by allochthonous OM inputs. Combination of biogeochemical modelling and functional classification is useful to widen our understanding of subarctic lake ecosystem functions and responses to climate‐driven changes in limnology and catchment characteristics for long‐term environmental change assessments and functional paleoecology.

Fewer blue lakes and more murky lakes across the continental U.S.: Implications for planktonic food webs.

Elevated allochthonous inputs of organic matter are increasingly recognized as a driver of ecosystem change in lakes, particularly when concurrent with eutrophication. Evaluation of lakes in a nutrient-color paradigm (i.e., based on total phosphorus and true color) enables a more robust approach to research and management. To assess temporal and spatial patterns in nutrient-color status for U.S. lakes and associated food web attributes, we analyzed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Lakes Assessment (NLA) data. With 1000+ lakes sampled in 2007 and 2012 in a stratified random sampling design, the NLA enables rigorous assessment of lake condition across the continental U.S. We demonstrate that many U.S. lakes are simultaneously experiencing eutrophication and brownification to produce an abundance of “murky” lakes. Overall, “blue” lakes decreased by ~ 18% (46% of lakes in 2007 to 28% in 2012) while “murky” lakes increased by almost 12% (24% of lakes in 2007 to 35.4% in 2012). No statistical differences were observed in the proportions of “green” or “brown” lakes. Regionally, murky lakes significantly increased in the Northern Appalachian, Southern Plains, and Xeric ecoregions. Murky lakes exhibited the highest epilimnetic chlorophyll a concentrations, cyanobacterial densities, and microcystin concentrations. Total zooplankton biomass was also highest in murky lakes, primarily due to increased rotifer and copepod biomass. However, zooplankton : phytoplankton biomass ratios were low, suggesting reduced energy transfer to higher trophic levels. These results emphasize that many lakes in the U.S. are simultaneously “greening” and “browning”, with potentially negative consequences for water quality and food web structure.

Restoration of a shady urban pond – The pros and cons

The Bzura-7 pond (Łódź, Poland) is a typical shallow and shady urban reservoir situated on the Bzura River that is exposed to pollutants introduced mainly by internal loads and the supply from the catchment. In 2010–2012, the following characteristics were observed in the pond: a high allochthonous input of organic matter, high concentration of ammonium, low concentration of dissolved oxygen and low diversity of zooplankton, dominated mainly by Daphnia spp. From January to June 2013, restoration measures were performed, including sediment removal, increasing light access to the pond and construction of a sequential sedimentation-biofiltration system (SSBS). The aim of the present study was to investigate how the water quality in the Bzura-7 pond was affected by the restoration process, which included reducing pollutant inflows and enhancing habitat potential, thus increasing the diversity of this ecosystem. Restoration efforts improved the chemical and physical parameters of the water. The oxygen concentration increased, and the concentrations of TN and ammonium significantly decreased. Despite the increase in pond lighting, the growth of cyanobacteria was limited. However, we observed increased abundance of green algae and diatoms but less than adequate changes in the zooplankton community structures. Although we observed a significant increase in the zooplankton species richness after restoration, this increase was related to the small-bodied groups of zooplankton, rotifers and bosminiids, characteristic of eutrophic ecosystems. In addition, a planktivorous fish – sunbleak (Leucaspius delineatus) – was identified as an unintended side effect of the restoration effort. Further conservation efforts in the Bzura-7 pond and monitoring of results are still needed.

Aliphatic hydrocarbon biomarkers as indicators of organic matter source and composition in surface sediments from shallow lakes along the lower Yangtze River, Eastern China

Aliphatic hydrocarbon biomarkers from the surface sediments of lakes along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River (Eastern China) were analyzed in order to determine the origin and composition of organic matter (OM) in the sediment. This is necessary to understand how anthropogenic environmental change in the region is impacting on OM dynamics and carbon cycles. The results indicate that OM in lake sediments is derived from biogenic sources, including phytoplankton, aquatic macrophytes, bacteria and terrestrial plants and abiotic sources of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. The significance of each source varies greatly between lakes. Inputs of autochthonous OM to sediments were closely dependent on nutrient levels and the organisms present in the lake water column. Cyanobacterial OM input, signified by the distribution of short-chain n-alkanes, was most abundant in sediments from the most severely polluted lake, West Lake Chaohu. OM derived from diatoms, indicated by C25 highly branched isoprenoids (HBIs), was relatively abundant in sediments from lakes Gucheng and Shijiu, the two studied lakes with the lowest nutrient levels. Growth of macrophytes in lakes Gucheng, Shijiu, Gehu and Yangcheng resulted in a significant accumulation of OM from these organisms in the sediments. In contrast, the input of allochthonous OM was controlled mainly by natural and anthropogenic activities around the lakes. For example, terrestrial plant OM input, deduced from the abundance and proportion of long-chain n-alkanes, was exceptionally high in the sediment of Lake Nanyi, perhaps stemmed from frequent severe flooding in the catchment. Input of fossil fuel OM reflected direct petroleum contamination of the water or anthropogenic petroleum burning in the catchment. In addition, the allochthonous refractory OM tended to be enriched in sediments of lakes with strong hydrodynamic process. The results of this study provided a lot of detail in explaining the variation of terrestrial OM dynamics and carbon cycle in response to anthropogenic activities.

Allochthonous Organic Matter Supports Benthic but Not Pelagic Food Webs in Shallow Coastal Ecosystems

Rivers transport large amounts of allochthonous organic matter (OM) to the ocean every year, but there are still fundamental gaps in how allochthonous OM is processed in the marine environment. Here, we estimated the relative contribution of allochthonous OM (allochthony) to the biomass of benthic and pelagic consumers in a shallow coastal ecosystem in the northern Baltic Sea. We used deuterium as a tracer of allochthony and assessed both temporal variation (monthly from May to August) and spatial variation (within and outside river plume). We found variability in allochthony in space and time and across species, with overall higher values for zoobenthos (26.2 ± 20.9%) than for zooplankton (0.8 ± 0.3%). Zooplankton allochthony was highest in May and very low during the other months, likely as a result of high inputs of allochthonous OM during the spring flood that fueled the pelagic food chain for a short period. In contrast, zoobenthos allochthony was only lower in June and remained high during the other months. Allochthony of zoobenthos was generally higher close to the river mouth than outside of the river plume, whereas it did not vary spatially for zooplankton. Last, zoobenthos allochthony was higher in deeper than in shallower areas, indicating that allochthonous OM might be more important when autochthonous resources are limited. Our results suggest that climate change predictions of increasing inputs of allochthonous OM to coastal ecosystems may affect basal energy sources supporting coastal food webs.

Temporal Variability of Dark Carbon Fixation and Bacterial Production and Their Relation with Environmental Factors in a Tropical Estuarine System

Dark carbon fixation (DCF) is considered an important energy source in aquatic environments, although it has been neglected for a long time. DCF is known to be relevant in ecosystems associated with redoxclines, shallow-water sulfide-rich habitats, deep-sea vents, cold seeps, and even in coastal waters associated with upwelling events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative importance of DCF in relation to heterotrophic bacterial production (BP), as well as how these rates affect each other, and how they are influenced by the environmental factors. This study was conducted monthly during 2 years in a tropical eutrophic bay (Guanabara Bay), where two stations were sampled and compared. DCF and BP were measured by 14C-bicarbonate and 3H-leucine incorporation, respectively, and incubations in the dark. Our results showed that DCF is not a quantitatively relevant process in this estuarine system, when compared to heterotrophic BP, and possibly occurred via anaplerotic reactions. Relatively higher DCF rates were associated with less oxygenated waters at the more polluted station and during the wet summer-spring, when the water column is more stratified. BP rates presented clear spatial patterns, according to pollution and depth gradients, with higher rates in more polluted areas, and also at surface waters. The hydrodynamics combined with other environmental conditions (precipitation, temperature, dissolved organic carbon, and nutrients) may control the distribution of DCF and BP over space and time. The allochthonous inputs of organic matter are more important than DCF-derived organic carbon to bacterioplankton in this polluted and eutrophic bay, where the heterotrophic metabolism prevails.

Anthropogenic and climatic factors enhancing hypolimnetic anoxia in a temperate mountain lake

Oxygen depletion (temporal or permanent) in freshwater ecosystems is a widespread and globally important environmental problem. However, the factors behind increased hypolimnetic anoxia in lakes and reservoirs are often diverse and may involve processes at different spatial and temporal scales. Here, we evaluate the combined effects of different anthropogenic pressures on the oxygen dynamics and water chemistry of Lake Enol, an emblematic mountain lake in Picos de Europa National Park (NW Spain). A multidisciplinary study conducted over a period of four years (2013–2016) indicates that the extent and duration of hypolimnetic anoxia has increased dramatically in recent years. The extent and duration of hypolimnetic anoxia is typical of meso-eutrophic systems, in contrast with the internal productivity of the lake, which remains oligo-mesotrophic and phosphorus-limited. This apparent contradiction is ascribed to the combination of different external pressures in the catchment, which have increased the input of allochthonous organic matter in recent times through enhanced erosion and sediment transport. The most important among these pressures appears to be cattle grazing, which affects not only the import of carbon and nutrients, but also the lake microbiology. The contribution of clear-cutting, runoff channelling, and tourism is comparatively less significant. The cumulative effects of these local human impacts are not only affecting the lake metabolism, but also the import of sulfate, nitrate- and ammonium-nitrogen, and metals (Zn). However, these local factors alone cannot explain entirely the observed oxygen deficit. Climatic factors (e.g., warmer and drier spring and autumn seasons) are also reducing oxygen levels in deep waters through a longer and increasingly steep thermal stratification. Global warming may indirectly increase anoxia in many other mountain lakes in the near future.

Mid- to late-Holocene paleoenvironmental changes inferred from organic geochemical proxies in Lake Tangra Yumco, Central Tibetan Plateau

Investigations of the paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental changes in the Tibetan Plateau in recent years have led to many significant achievements. However, high-resolution lake records from the mid- to late-Holocene have not been determined for the Central Tibetan Plateau, which is in the transition zone between the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) system and the westerlies. In this study, we analyzed the distribution and compound-specific carbon isotope compositions ( δ13C) of sedimentary n-alkanes and the bulk sediment total organic matter (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and C/N ratios to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental changes over the past 6 cal. ka BP using a 376-cm sediment core from the southern basin of Tangra Yumco, Central Tibetan Plateau. Our results indicated that clear stepwise decreases in lake productivity and lake level occurred during the mid- to late-Holocene based on decreases in δ13C values of mid-chain n-alkanes and Paq (an n-alkane-based proxy). Additionally, the variations in the TOC, TN, and C/N ratios revealed generally increased inputs of allochthonous organic matter over the past 6 cal. ka BP. When our findings at Tangra Yumco were compared with records from the Central Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions, we found generally consistent patterns of lake environmental changes over the past 6 cal. ka BP, suggesting that the climate of the Central Tibetan Plateau was primarily influenced by the ISM system at the millennial time scale. Therefore, our results depict the evolution of the ISM over the past 6 cal. ka BP in the Central Tibetan Plateau, which corresponds to summer solar insolation and the migrations of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). We also propose that the climate of the North Atlantics influenced the climate of the Central Tibetan Plateau through some indirect climatic mechanisms.