Aquatic Primary Production Research Articles

Molecular Effects, Speciation, and Competition of Inorganic and Methyl Mercury in the Aquatic Plant Elodea nuttallii

Mercury (Hg) remains hazardous in aquatic environments because of its biomagnification in food webs. Nonetheless, Hg uptake and impact in primary producers is still poorly understood. Here, we compared the cellular toxicity of inorganic and methyl Hg (IHg and MeHg, respectively) in the aquatic plant Elodea nuttallii. IHg and MeHg regulated contigs involved in similar categories (e.g., energy metabolism, development, transport, secondary metabolism), but MeHg regulated more contigs, supporting a higher molecular impact than IHg. At the organism level, MeHg induced antioxidants, while IHg decreased chlorophyll content. The uptake of Hg and expression of a subset of contigs was subsequently studied in complex media. Measured uptake pointed to a contrasted impact of cell walls and copper (Cu) on IHg and MeHg. Using a speciation modeling, differences in uptake were attributed to the differences in affinities of IHg and MeHg to organic matter in relation to Cu speciation. We also identified a distinct gene expression signature for IHg, MeHg, and Cu, further supporting different molecular toxicity of these trace elements. Our data provided fundamental knowledge on IHg and MeHg uptake in a key aquatic primary producer and confirmed the potential of transcriptomics to assess Hg exposure in environmentally realistic systems.

Nutrient Limitation and the Stoichiometry of Nutrient Uptake in a Tropical Rain Forest Stream

AbstractNutrient limitation assessment is important to understand stream ecosystem functioning. Aquatic primary producers are often limited by nitrogen, phosphorus, or both, as assessed by nutrient diffusing substrata (NDS), a common method for assessing nutrient limitation in streams. But little is known regarding how this method relates to patterns of nutrient uptake at the whole‐stream scale. We combined two techniques to examine nutrient limitation in a tropical stream. First, we conducted two NDS experiments using ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate alone and combined, to determine nutrient limitation at substrata scale over several weeks. Second, we conducted whole‐stream nutrient addition experiments over the course of a year, using nutrients alone and in combination, to test theoretical predictions about uptake characteristics of limiting and nonlimiting nutrients. NDS results consistently indicated N limitation. Ambient uptake length (SW‐amb) suggested either P limitation (shorter SW‐amb for P than N) or colimitation (similar SW‐amb for both nutrients). The relationship between N uptake and concentration when added alone or with P suggested P limitation, colimitation, or neither, depending on the date. We speculate that the different conclusions arise from differences in the spatial and temporal scale assessed by these techniques and the microbial processes involved, and the potential for physical processes influencing whole‐stream uptake estimates. We conclude that nutrient limitation is not as categorical as NDS results often imply, rather habitat, resource, and biotic diversity result in nutrient uptake rates that do not necessarily conform to predictions drawn from fine scale, process‐specific bioassays such as chlorophyll‐a accrual on NDS.

Engineered nanoparticles interact with nutrients to intensify eutrophication in a wetland ecosystem experiment.

Despite the rapid rise in diversity and quantities of engineered nanomaterials produced, the impacts of these emerging contaminants on the structure and function of ecosystems have received little attention from ecologists. Moreover, little is known about how manufactured nanomaterials may interact with nutrient pollution in altering ecosystem productivity, despite the recognition that eutrophication is the primary water quality issue in freshwater ecosystems worldwide. In this study, we asked two main questions: (1) To what extent do manufactured nanoparticles affect the biomass and productivity of primary producers in wetland ecosystems? (2) How are these impacts mediated by nutrient pollution? To address these questions, we examined the impacts of a citrate-coated gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) and of a commercial pesticide containing Cu(OH)2 nanoparticles (CuNPs) on aquatic primary producers under both ambient and enriched nutrient conditions. Wetland mesocosms were exposed repeatedly with low concentrations of nanoparticles and nutrients over the course of a 9-month experiment in an effort to replicate realistic field exposure scenarios. In the absence of nutrient enrichment, there were no persistent effects of AuNPs or CuNPs on primary producers or ecosystem productivity. However, when combined with nutrient enrichment, both NPs intensified eutrophication. When either of these NPs were added in combination with nutrients, algal blooms persisted for >50d longer than in the nutrient-only treatment. In the AuNP treatment, this shift from clear waters to turbid waters led to large declines in both macrophyte growth and rates of ecosystem gross primary productivity (average reduction of 52%±6% and 92%±5%, respectively) during the summer. Our results suggest that nutrient status greatly influences the ecosystem-scale impact of two emerging contaminants and that synthetic chemicals may be playing an under-appreciated role in the global trends of increasing eutrophication. We provide evidence here that chronic exposure to Au and Cu(OH)2 nanoparticles at low concentrations can intensify eutrophication of wetlands and promote the occurrence of algal blooms.

Species extinctions strengthen the relationship between biodiversity and resource use efficiency

Evidence from terrestrial ecosystems indicates that biodiversity relates to ecosystem functions (BEF), but this relationship varies in its strength, in part, as a function of habitat connectivity and fragmentation. In primary producers, common proxies of ecosystem function include productivity and resource use efficiency. In aquatic primary producers, macroecological studies have observed BEF variance, where ecosystems with lower richness show stronger BEF relationships. However, aquatic ecosystems are less affected by habitat fragmentation than terrestrial systems and the mechanism underlying this BEF variance has been largely overlooked. Here, we provide a mechanistic explanation of BEF variance using a trait-based, numerical model parameterized for phytoplankton. Resource supply in our model fluctuates recurrently, similar to many coastal systems. Our findings show that following an extinction event, the BEF relationship can be driven by the species that are the most efficient resource users. Specifically, in species-rich assemblages, increased redundancy of efficient resource users minimizes the risk of losing function following an extinction event. On the other hand, in species-poor assemblages, low redundancy of efficient resource users increases the risk of losing ecosystem function following extinctions. Furthermore, we corroborate our findings with what has been observed from large-scale field studies on phytoplankton.

Distribution patterns of marine planktonic cyanobacterial assemblages in transitional marine habitats using 16S rRNA phylogeny

SUMMARYThe community composition of marine planktonic cyanobacteria in transitional marine habitats can influence its overall contribution to aquatic primary production. To understand distribution patterns of marine planktonic cyanobacterial assemblages, phylogenetic and statistical analyses were undertaken on planktonic cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences from four transitional marine habitats [Baltic Sea (BL), Monterey Bay (MB), South China Sea (SCS) and Sundarbans (SB)]. Out of 3255 sequences analyzed, only 546 sequences were found to be planktonic cyanobacteria and were considered in this study. Among these, 338 sequences representative of Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove were generated based on Sanger and Illumina sequencing approaches. Based on 16S rRNA phylogeny, four major taxonomic orders of marine planktonic cyanobacteria were recovered in varying proportions with several novel 16S rRNA sequences in each of the four targeted sites. Members of the order Synechococcales were dominant in all the sites (−94% sequences) while the orders Chroococcales and Oscillatoriales were only detected in SB and SCS sites, respectively. In the phylogenetic tree, sequences representing the major marine picocyanobacterial genus Synechococcus showed overwhelming dominance in SB and they were found in three other sites. Prochlorococcus‐like sequences were found in sizeable number in MB and SCS but were absent in SB and coastal BL. Synechococcus‐like sequences were represented by three major marine clusters (5.1, 5.2, and 5.3). Three novel clades as part of Synechococcus cluster were detected only in SB and one novel clade in BL. The majority of OTUs were found to be exclusive to each site, whereas some were shared by two or more sites as revealed by beta‐diversity analysis.

A transition to white LED increases ecological impacts of nocturnal illumination on aquatic primary producers in a lowland agricultural drainage ditch

The increasing use of artificial light at night (ALAN) has led to exposure of freshwater ecosystems to light pollution worldwide. Simultaneously, the spectral composition of nocturnal illumination is changing, following the current shift in outdoor lighting technologies from traditional light sources to light emitting diodes (LED). LEDs emit broad-spectrum white light, with a significant amount of photosynthetically active radiation, and typically a high content of blue light that regulates circadian rhythms in many organisms. While effects of the shift to LED have been investigated in nocturnal animals, its impact on primary producers is unknown. We performed three field experiments in a lowland agricultural drainage ditch to assess the impacts of a transition from high-pressure sodium (HPS) to white LED illumination (color temperature 4000 K) on primary producers in periphyton. In all experiments, we compared biomass and pigment composition of periphyton grown under a natural light regime to that of periphyton exposed to nocturnal HPS or, consecutively, LED light of intensities commonly found in urban waters (approximately 20 lux). Periphyton was collected in time series (1–13 weeks). We found no effect of HPS light on periphyton biomass; however, following a shift to LED the biomass decreased up to 62%. Neither light source had a substantial effect on pigment composition. The contrasting effects of the two light sources on biomass may be explained by differences in their spectral composition, and in particular the blue content. Our results suggest that spectral composition of the light source plays a role in determining the impacts of ALAN on periphyton and that the ongoing transition to LED may increase the ecological impacts of artificial lighting on aquatic primary producers. Reduced biomass in the base of the food web can impact ecosystem functions such as productivity and food supply for higher trophic levels in nocturnally-lit ecosystems.

An assessment of assumptions and uncertainty in deuterium-based estimates of terrestrial subsidies to aquatic consumers.

The deuterium ratio (2 H/1 H) in tissue is often used to estimate terrestrial subsidies to aquatic consumers because of strongly differentiated values between terrestrial and aquatic primary producers. However, quantitative deuterium-based analyses of terrestrial resource assimilation are highly dependent on several poorly defined assumptions. We explored the sensitivity of these estimates to assumptions regarding environmental water contributions to consumer deuterium content (ω) and algal photosynthetic hydrogen discrimination (εH ). We also tested whether 13 C/12 C and 2 H/1 H-based estimates of terrestrial resource assimilation give similar outcomes. The average of the 12 experiments that have directly estimated proportional contributions of environmental water to consumer tissue 2 H/1 H was 0.27±0.11 (mean ± SD), with similar values for invertebrates and fish. Conversely, of the 28 field studies that have used 2 H/1 H to characterize aquatic food webs, all but one assume a value that is less than our current best estimate, usually substantially less. A reanalysis of the raw data from four recent case studies indicates the calculated terrestrial contribution to aquatic consumers is extremely sensitive to this assumption. When the authors' original assumptions were used (i.e., ω=0.16±0.05), the estimated proportional contribution of terrestrial resources to aquatic consumers (θT ) averaged 29±17%, and when ω=0.27 was used the average estimated assimilation of allochthonous resources was ≈0.00. A compilation of published photosynthetic hydrogen discrimination values for microalgae averaged εH =-150±27‰ (SD, n=99), and a sensitivity analysis showed the outcomes of these calculations were also strongly influenced by uncertainty in εH . There was no statistical association between 13 C/12 C and 2 H/1 H-based estimates of terrestrial subsidies (r=-0.12, n=274). This analysis indicates that the assumptions in deuterium-based estimates of terrestrial resource assimilation are highly influential but poorly constrained; therefore, the impact of these assumptions on calculated outputs must be carefully assessed and thoroughly reported. Due to the highly uncertain assumptions inherent in deuterium-based analyses, we urge much more caution when using this approach to estimate terrestrial subsidies to consumers in aquatic ecosystems.

A high-resolution pigment and productivity record from the varved Ponte Tresa basin (Lake Lugano, Switzerland) since 1919: insight from an approach that combines hyperspectral imaging and high-performance liquid chromatography

Eutrophication, prompted by anthropogenic activities and climate change has led to multiple adverse effects in freshwater systems across the world. As instrumental measurements are typically short, lake sediment proxies of aquatic primary productivity (PP) are often used to extend the observational record of eutrophication back in time. Sedimentary pigments provide specific information on PP and major algal communities, but the records are often limited in the temporal resolution. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) data, in contrast, provide very high seasonal (sub-varve-scale) resolution, but the pigment speciation is limited. Here, we explore a combined approach on varved sediments from the Ponte Tresa basin, southern Switzerland, taking the advantages of both methods (HSI and high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC) with the goal to reconstruct the recent eutrophication history at seasonal to interannual resolution. We propose a modified scheme for the calibration of HSI data (here: Relative Absorption Band Depth between 590 and 730 nm RABD590–730) and HPLC-inferred pigment concentrations (here: ‘green pigments’ {chlorophyll a and pheophytin a}) and present a calibration model (R2 = 0.82; RMSEP ~ 12%). The calibration range covers > 98% of the spectral index values of all individual pixels (68 µm × 68 µm) in the sediment core. This allows us to identify and quantify extreme pigment concentrations related to individual major algal blooms, to identify multiple algal blooms within one season, and to assess interannual variability of PP. Prior to the 1930s, ‘green pigment’ concentrations and fluxes (~ 50 µg g−1; ~ 2 µg cm−2a−1, chlorophyll a and pheophytin a) and interannual variability was very low. From the 1930s to 1964, chlorophyll a and pheophytin a increased by a factor of ~ 4, and ββ-carotene appeared in substantial amounts (~ 0.4 µg cm−2a−1). Interannual variability increased markedly and a first strong algal bloom with ‘green pigment’ concentrations as high as 700 µg g−1 is observed in 1958. Peak eutrophication (~ 12 µg cm−2a−1 chlorophyll a and pheophytin a) and very high interannual variability with extreme algal blooms (‘green pigment’ concentrations up to 1400 µg g−1) is observed until ca. 1990, when eutrophication decreases slightly. Maximum PP values after 2009 are likely the result of internal nutrient cycling related to repeated deep mixing of the lake.

Do the ecological impacts of dam removal extend across the aquatic–terrestrial boundary?

AbstractThe longitudinal influences of dam removal on river ecosystems are increasingly well described, but impacts to aquatic–terrestrial connectivity are largely unknown. Before and four successive years after dam removal, we quantified density and trophic metrics of nearshore tetragnathid spiders and riparian swallows and their potential emergent‐aquatic insect prey at two experimental reaches located within the former impoundment (one unrestored, one with channel restoration) and one control reach above an intact lowhead dam. We observed substantial annual variability in response variables; however, few patterns appear to be strongly linked to dam removal. We found negligible changes in emergent‐insect biomass or community structure, although there were slight changes in the relative abundance of feeding modes (e.g., increased predators, decreased collector‐gatherers). The most pronounced response was a ~9.9 times average decline in spider densities after dam removal at the restored reach. Stable‐isotope analysis (13C, 15N) indicated that changes in aquatically‐derived energy (i.e., nutritional subsidies derived from aquatic primary producers) to riparian consumers generally showed comparable patterns system‐wide; swallow aquatically‐derived energy declined more in the restored vs. control reach by the final year of the study. Trophic position (TP) of spiders showed little change post‐dam removal, while swallow TP converged slightly between control and experimental reaches after dam removal. Collectively, we interpret our results as evidence that lowhead dam removal can prompt relatively nuanced shifts in aquatic–terrestrial trophic dynamics, regardless of intensive channel‐restoration activities. In contrast, we found that broader‐scale forcings (e.g., discharge, regional temperature) may be more influential in governing cross‐boundary trophic interactions than the perturbations related to lowhead dam removal. This study furthers current understanding of the effects of dam removal on integrative, food‐web metrics of ecosystem structure and function.

Effects of water browning on freshwater biodiversity: the case of the predatory phantom midge Chaoborus nyblaei

Water browning, due to increased runoff of terrestrial dissolved organic carbon (DOC), has recently gained considerable attention. While it is well settled how browning affects light regime and thereby aquatic primary production, other impacts on the aquatic biota is less explored. Water browning shelters against UV radiation, and may thus benefit range expansion of UV sensitive organisms, such as midges. We mapped occurrence of Chaoborids in 148 subalpine and alpine ponds in Norway, and identified an apparent threshold for their presence around 3 mg total organic carbon (TOC) l−1. The field study was complemented with laboratory experiments on Chaoborus nyblaei (Zetterstedt, 1838), to test if this species is able to identify and select water colour (concentrations of DOC) for oviposition. Number of egg rafts on brown water tanks was significantly higher than in clear water tanks, indicating that C. nyblaei performs oviposition habitat selection. Chaoborids are effective predators in planktonic habitats, and our findings support the hypothesis that climate change may cascade through the ecosystem and promote range shifts of species due to alternated habitat frame conditions.

Effects of Terrestrial Organic Matter on Aquatic Primary Production as Mediated by Pelagic\u2013Benthic Resource Fluxes

Flows of energy and matter across habitat boundaries can be major determinants of the functioning of recipient ecosystems. It is currently debated whether terrestrial dissolved organic matter (tDOM) is a resource subsidy or a resource subtraction in recipient lakes. We present data from a long-term field experiment in which pelagic phosphorus concentration and whole-ecosystem primary production increased with increasing tDOM input, suggesting that tDOM acted primarily as a direct nutrient subsidy. Piecewise structural equation modeling supports, however, a substantial contribution of a second mechanism: colored tDOM acted also as a resource subtraction by shading benthic algae, preventing them from intercepting nutrients released across the sediment–water interface. Inhibition of benthic algae by colored tDOM thus indirectly promoted pelagic algae and whole-ecosystem primary production. We conclude that cross-ecosystem terrestrial DOM inputs can modify light and nutrient flows between aquatic habitats and alter the relative contributions of benthic and pelagic habitats to total primary production. These results are particularly relevant for shallow northern lakes, which are projected to receive increased tDOM runoff.

Use of flow cytometry and stable isotope analysis to determine phytoplankton uptake of wastewater derived ammonium in a nutrient-rich river

Abstract. Anthropogenic alteration of the form and concentration of nitrogen (N) in aquatic ecosystems is widespread. Understanding availability and uptake of different N sources at the base of aquatic food webs is critical to establishment of effective nutrient management programs. Stable isotopes of N (14N, 15N) are often used to trace the sources of N fueling aquatic primary production, but effective use of this approach requires obtaining a reliable isotopic ratio for phytoplankton. In this study, we tested the use of flow cytometry to isolate phytoplankton from bulk particulate organic matter (POM) in a portion of the Sacramento River, California, during river-scale nutrient manipulation experiments that involved halting wastewater discharges high in ammonium (NH4+). Field samples were collected using a Lagrangian approach, allowing us to measure changes in phytoplankton N source in the presence and absence of wastewater-derived NH4+. Comparison of δ15N-POM and δ15N-phytoplankton (δ15N-PHY) revealed that their δ15N values followed broadly similar trends. However, after 3 days of downstream travel in the presence of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, δ15N-POM and δ15N-PHY in the Sacramento River differed by as much as 7 ‰. Using a stable isotope mixing model approach, we estimated that in the presence of effluent between 40 and 90 % of phytoplankton N was derived from NH4+ after 3 days of downstream transport. An apparent gradual increase over time in the proportion of NH4+ in the phytoplankton N pool suggests that either very low phytoplankton growth rates resulted in an N turnover time that exceeded the travel time sampled during this study, or a portion of the phytoplankton community continued to access nitrate even in the presence of elevated NH4+ concentrations.

Glacier dynamics influenced carbon flows through lake food webs: evidence from a\xa0chironomid \u03b413C-based reconstruction in the Nepalese Himalayas

Using a sediment core covering the last 3,500 years, we analysed photosynthetic pigments’ concentrations in lake sediments and carbon stable isotopic composition of chironomid (Diptera, Chironomidae) remains (δ13CHC). We aimed to reconstruct temporal changes in aquatic primary productivity and carbon resources sustaining chironomid larvae in a high mountain lake (Lake Pyramid Inferior; 5,067 m a.s.l.) located in the Nepalese Himalayas. Both pigments and δ13CHC trends followed a similar fluctuating pattern over time, and we found significant positive relationships between these proxies, suggesting the strong reliance of benthic consumers on the aquatic primary production. Temporal trends matched well with main known climatic phases in the Eastern part of the Himalayan Mountains. Past glacier dynamics and associated in-lake solute concentrations appeared to be the main driver of autochthonous primary productivity, suggesting then the indirect impact of climate change on carbon processing in the benthic food web. During warm periods, the glacier retreat induced a rise in in-lake solute concentrations leading to an increasing primary productivity. Complementary investigations are still needed to strengthen our understanding about the response of past aquatic carbon cycling in CO2-limiting environments.

Exposure to a cyanobacterial toxin increases larval amphibian susceptibility to parasitism.

Anthropogenic activities are promoting the proliferation of aquatic primary producers in freshwater habitats, including cyanobacteria. Among various problems stemming from eutrophication, cyanobacterial blooms can be toxic due to the production of secondary compounds, including microcystins such as microcystin-LR (MC-LR); however, it is unknown whether cyanotoxins can affect the susceptibility of aquatic vertebrates such as fish and larval amphibians to parasites or pathogens even though infectious diseases can significantly affect natural populations. Here, we examined how exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of MC-LRs affected the resistance of larval amphibians (northern leopard frog, Rana pipiens) to infection by a helminth parasite (the trematode Echinostoma sp.), and whether this was manifested by reductions in host anti-parasite behavior. Exposure to a relatively high (82μgL-1) concentration of MC-LR caused over 70% mortality, and tadpoles that survived exposure to the low MC-LR (11μgL-1) treatment had significantly higher infection intensities than those in the control; however, anti-parasite behavior was not affected by treatment. Our results indicate that MC-LR can have both direct and indirect negative effects on larval amphibians by increasing their mortality and susceptibility to parasitism, which may have implications for other aquatic vertebrates in eutrophic habitats dominated by cyanobacteria as well.

A pigment composition analysis reveals community changes in pre-established stream periphyton under low-level artificial light at night

Freshwaters are increasingly exposed to artificial light at night (ALAN), yet the consequences for aquatic primary producers remain largely unknown. We used stream-side flumes to expose three-week-old periphyton to LED light. Pigment composition was used to infer community changes in LED-lit and control periphyton before and after three weeks of treatment. The proportion of diatoms/chrysophytes decreased (14%) and cyanobacteria increased (17%) in lit periphyton in spring. This may reduce periphyton nutritional quality in artificially-lit waters.

The potential of Earth Observation in modelling nutrient loading and water quality in lakes of southern Québec, Canada

Phosphorus and nitrogen are key nutrients that affect abundance and growth of aquatic primary producers but cannot be directly remotely sensed as their dissolved or organic forms do not interact with the remote sensing signal. In addition, other lake water quality variables such as chlorophyll a and Secchi disk depth, have been previously successfully estimated with remote sensing, but the retrieval algorithms are site-, season-, and/or scene-specific. Such algorithms do not take into account lake typological features, which can affect the sensitivity of lake to change, or catchment characteristics, for example, land cover that is a major driver of lake water quality change. Here we propose a novel approach that utilises remotely sensed land cover information in the catchment to estimate phosphorus, nitrogen and chlorophyll a concentrations in lake waters. We use land cover type-specific nutrient export coefficients and the NASA MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Land Cover Type product showing that nutrient loading based on remote sensing can explain up to 75% of variability in lake nutrient concentrations and 58% of variability in lake chlorophyll a concentrations. In addition, we show that land cover information, supplemented by satellite measurements and lake morphometry data are good predictors of chlorophyll a (R2 = 0.77) and Secchi disk depth (R2 = 0.87) in lakes with different trophic statuses and in different months and years.

Global warming interacts with ocean acidification to alter PSII function and protection in the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii

Diatoms, as important contributors to aquatic primary production, are critical to the global carbon cycle. They tend to dominate phytoplankton communities experiencing rapid changes of underwater light. However, little is known regarding how climate change impacts diatoms’ capacity in coping with variable light environments. Here we grew a globally abundant diatom T. weissflogii, under two levels of temperature (18, 24°C) and pCO2 (400, 1000μatm), and then treated it with a light challenge to understand the combined effects of ocean warming and acidification on its exploitation of variable light environments. The higher temperature increased the photoinactivation rate at 400μatm pCO2 and the higher pCO2 alleviated the negative effect of the higher temperature on PSII photoinactivation. Temperature did not affect the PsbA removal rate, but higher pCO2 stimulated PsbA removal. Photoinactivation outran repair, leading to decreased maximum photochemical yield in PSII. The higher pCO2 induced high sustained phase of nonphotochemical quenching when cells were less photoinhibited. The high light exposure induced the activity of both superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and the higher temperature stimulated them further, with insignificant effect of pCO2. Our findings suggest that ocean warming, ocean acidification and high light exposure would interact on PSII function and protection, and combination of these three environmental factors would lead to a reduced PSII activity in T. weissflogii. This study provides helpful insight into how climate change variables combined with local stressor impact diatoms’ photosynthetic physiology.

Photochemical degradation of dissolved organic matter reduces the availability of phosphorus for aquatic primary producers

In situ experiments were done to determine the effects of the photochemical degradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and subsequent formation of particulate matter on dissolved phosphorus (P) concentrations in surface waters. Filtered (1.2 or 0.4 μm) headwaters (DOM of 8.1–26 mg L−1; P of 22–43 μg L−1) were exposed to solar radiation in quartz bottles located 5 cm below the water surface for 7–10 days. Dark controls were wrapped in aluminum foil. After incubation, particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate phosphorus (PP) were determined in both the filtrate and newly formed particles. The results revealed increasing concentrations of PP and POC in exposed samples with increasing exposure time (cumulative irradiation energy). At the end of experiments, PP concentrations were from 5 to 20 μg L−1 in the exposed samples. Based on an enumeration of bacteria in the samples, we estimated the contribution of biotic and abiotic processes to the PP production. The abiotic PP formation ranged from 56 to 83% and 50–95% of the total PP in the exposed and control samples, respectively. The remainder was assumed to be bacterial P uptake. Despite the overlapping intervals, biotic and abiotic PP productions were usually higher in exposed samples than in controls. The PP and POC production was affected by the properties of DOM, such as its humic content and freshness index. We hypothesize that the observed immobilization of dissolved P in bacteria and on photochemically-formed particles can contribute to a P limitation of primary production in headwater environments that receive waters rich in soil DOM.

Increased resource use efficiency amplifies positive response of aquatic primary production to experimental warming.

Climate warming is affecting the structure and function of river ecosystems, including their role in transforming and transporting carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). Predicting how river ecosystems respond to warming has been hindered by a dearth of information about how otherwise well-studied physiological responses to temperature scale from organismal to ecosystem levels. We conducted an ecosystem-level temperature manipulation to quantify how coupling of stream ecosystem metabolism and nutrient uptake responded to a realistic warming scenario. A ~3.3°C increase in mean water temperature altered coupling of C, N, and P fluxes in ways inconsistent with single-species laboratory experiments. Net primary production tripled during the year of experimental warming, while whole-stream N and P uptake rates did not change, resulting in 289% and 281% increases in autotrophic dissolved inorganic N and P use efficiency (UE), respectively. Increased ecosystem production was a product of unexpectedly large increases in mass-specific net primary production and autotroph biomass, supported by (i) combined increases in resource availability (via N mineralization and N2 fixation) and (ii) elevated resource use efficiency, the latter associated with changes in community structure. These large changes in C and nutrient cycling could not have been predicted from the physiological effects of temperature alone. Our experiment provides clear ecosystem-level evidence that warming can shift the balance between C and nutrient cycling in rivers, demonstrating that warming will alter the important role of in-stream processes in C, N, and P transformations. Moreover, our results reveal a key role for nutrient supply and use efficiency in mediating responses of primary producers to climate warming.

Climate as a driver of increasing algal production in Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACTPaterson AM, Rühland KM, Anstey CV, Smol JP. 2017. Climate as a driver of increasing algal production in Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada. Lake Reserv Manag. 33:403–414.Lake of the Woods (LOW) is a large, transboundary lake that straddles the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, and the state of Minnesota. Although algal blooms have been reported in the lake since the early 1800s, monitoring data and anecdotal evidence suggest that toxic, cyanobacterial blooms have increased in frequency and intensity in recent years. However, total phosphorus inputs from the lake's primary tributary, the Rainy River, have declined significantly since the late 1960s. We explore this disconnect by examining spectrally-inferred determinations of chlorophyll a (Chl-a) in lake sediment cores, as a measure of past changes in aquatic primary production. Beginning in the late 1970s to early 1980s, inferred Chl-a increased at 5 impact sites in the north end of LOW that currently experience cyanobacterial blooms in late summer and autumn. In contrast, no change in Chl-a was observed at an oligotrophic reference site with much lower cyanobacteria biomass. At the impact sites, Chl-a generally showed no significant relationship to long-term trends in diatom-inferred total phosphorus concentrations, but was significantly and positively correlated to climatic variables, including mean annual air temperature at all sites and total annual precipitation at 4 sites. These data suggest that climate change may exacerbate algal blooms in this moderately-enriched lake. The results also show that the effects of climate change on aquatic production may be enhanced at sites with higher nutrient concentrations, likely because of positive feedbacks between cyanobacteria biomass, water temperature and nutrient availability. The impact of climate change should be considered carefully in future management initiatives.