Tracing the isotopic signal of a cyanobacteria bloom through the food web of a Baltic Sea coastal lagoon

Lesutienė, Jūratė; Bukaveckas, Paul A.; Gasiūnaitė, Zita Rasuolė; Pilkaitytė, Renata; Razinkovas-Baziukas, Artūras

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2013.12.017

Cited by 49 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…This means that in hypertrophic shallow system as the Curonian Lagoon they may contribute to control pelagic primary production. In a recent paper, Lesutiene, Bukaveckas, Gasiunaite, Pilkaityte, and Razinkovas‐Baziukas () demonstrated that chironomid flesh displays a drop in 15 N signature after a cyanobacterial bloom, due to active incorporation of algal biomass with low 15 N and rapid turnover. In the same work, this effect was not evident in zebra mussel flesh, even of small individuals, suggesting much slower biomass turnover of these bivalves (Lesutiene et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a recent paper, Lesutiene, Bukaveckas, Gasiunaite, Pilkaityte, and Razinkovas‐Baziukas () demonstrated that chironomid flesh displays a drop in 15 N signature after a cyanobacterial bloom, due to active incorporation of algal biomass with low 15 N and rapid turnover. In the same work, this effect was not evident in zebra mussel flesh, even of small individuals, suggesting much slower biomass turnover of these bivalves (Lesutiene et al., ). Moreover, our study suggested that the combined action of chironomids and algae may retain regenerated nutrients within the sediments, with Si as only exception.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microphytobenthos and chironomid larvae attenuate nutrient recycling in shallow‐water sediments

et al. 2017

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In shallow‐water sediments, the combined action of microphytobenthos and bioturbating fauna may differentially affect benthic nutrient fluxes and exert a bottom‐up control of pelagic primary production. In many cases, the effects of microphytobenthos and macrofauna on nutrient cycling were studied separately, ignoring potential synergistic effects. We measured the combined effects of microphytobenthos and chironomid larvae on sediment–water fluxes of gas (O2, TCO2 and N2) and nutrients (NH4+, NO3−, NO2−, PO43− and SiO2) in shallow‐water sediments of a hypertrophic freshwater lagoon. Fluxes were measured in the light and in the dark in reconstructed sediments with low (L = 600 ind/m2), high (H = 1,800 ind/m2) and no (C) addition of chironomid larvae, after 3 weeks of pre‐incubation under light/dark regime to allow for microalgal growth. Besides flux measurements, pore water nutrient (NH4+, PO43− and SiO2) and dissolved metal concentrations (Fe2+ and Mn2+) were analysed and diffusive fluxes were calculated. Chironomid larvae increased sediment heterotrophy, by augmenting benthic O2 demand and TCO2 and N2 dark production. However, on a daily basis, treatments C and L were net O2 producing and N2 sinks while treatment H was net O2 consuming and N2 producing. All treatments were net C sink regardless of chironomid density. Microphytobenthos always affected benthic nutrient exchange, as significantly higher uptake or lower efflux was measured in the light compared with dark incubations. Theoretical inorganic N, P and Si demand by benthic microalgae largely exceeded both dark effluxes of NH4+, PO43− and SiO2 and their net uptake in the light, suggesting the relevance of N‐fixation, water column NO3− and solid‐phase associated P and Si as nutrient sources to benthic algae. Chironomid larvae had a minor effect on inorganic N and P fluxes while they significantly stimulated inorganic Si regeneration. Their bioturbation activity significantly altered pore water chemistry, with a major reduction in nutrient (highest for NH4+ and lowest for SiO2) and metal concentration. Underlying mechanisms are combinations of burrow ventilation and bioirrigation with stimulation of element‐specific processes as coupled nitrification–denitrification, co‐precipitation and inhibition of anaerobic paths such as Fe3+ or Mn4+ reduction or re‐oxidation of their end products. The combined activity of benthic algae and chironomid larvae may significantly attenuate internal nutrient recycling in shallow eutrophic ecosystems, and contribute to the control of pelagic primary production.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microphytobenthos and chironomid larvae attenuate nutrient recycling in shallow‐water sediments

et al. 2017

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“…Experimental studies as well as nitrogen budgets have suggested that N 2 -fixing cyanobacteria leak a substantial fraction of their fixed nitrogen that is subsequently assimilated by picoplankton in the Baltic Sea (Ohlendieck et al, 2000;Larsson et al, 2001;Stal et al, 2003). Various routes by which diazotrophic nitrogen may enter the pelagic food web have been investigated indirectly through experimental studies and by using the natural abundance (δ 15 N) signature of N 2 -fixation in field studies (Wannicke et al, 2013;Woodland et al, 2013;Lesutiene et al, 2014;Karlson et al, 2015). Direct measurements of the routes and overall significance of N release by N 2 -fixing cyanobacteria and subsequent N uptake within the phytoplankton community are missing, largely owing to technical and methodological limitations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

N2-fixation, ammonium release and N-transfer to the microbial and classical food web within a plankton community

et al. 2015

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We investigated the role of N 2 -fixation by the colony-forming cyanobacterium, Aphanizomenon spp., for the plankton community and N-budget of the N-limited Baltic Sea during summer by using stable isotope tracers combined with novel secondary ion mass spectrometry, conventional mass spectrometry and nutrient analysis. + fluxes to Aphanizomenon colonies at low bulk concentrations (o250 nM) as compared with N 2 -fixation within colonies. No N 2 -fixation was detected in autotrophic microorganisms o5 μm, which relied on NH 4 + uptake from the surrounding water. Aphanizomenon released about 50% of its newly fixed N 2 as NH 4 + . However, NH 4 + did not accumulate in the water but was transferred to heterotrophic and autotrophic microorganisms as well as to diatoms (Chaetoceros sp.) and copepods with a turnover time of 5 h. We provide direct quantitative evidence that colony-forming Aphanizomenon releases about half of its recently fixed N 2 as NH 4 + , which is transferred to the prokaryotic and eukaryotic plankton forming the basis of the food web in the plankton community. Transfer of newly fixed nitrogen to diatoms and copepods furthermore implies a fast export to shallow sediments via fast-sinking fecal pellets and aggregates. Hence, N 2 -fixing colony-forming cyanobacteria can have profound impact on ecosystem productivity and biogeochemical processes at shorter time scales (hours to days) than previously thought.

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“…Several studies carried out in marine (Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico) and lacustrine (Lake Lugano) systems have shown that δ 15 N-PN varied between −2 and +1 ‰ when N 2 -fixing cyanobacteria were dominating the phytoplankton assemblage (Wada and Hattori, 1976;Macko et al, 1987;Lehmann et al, 2004). Moreover, a good relationship between the δ 15 N-PN and the abundance of N 2 -fixing cyanobacteria has already been reported for others systems, such as coastal lagoons (Lesutienė et al, 2014). In Lake Victoria, biological N 2 fixation has been identified as having the largest input of N, exceeding atmospheric deposition and river inputs, and N 2 fixation has been found to increase with light availability (Mugidde et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Biogeochemistry of a large and deep tropical lake (Lake Kivu, East Africa: insights from a stable isotope study covering an annual cycle

Morana

Darchambeau²,

Roland³

et al. 2015

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. During this study, we investigated the seasonal variability of the concentration and the stable isotope composition of several inorganic and organic matter (OM) reservoirs in the large, oligotrophic and deep tropical Lake Kivu (East Africa). Data were acquired over 1 year at a fortnightly temporal resolution. The δ 13 C signature of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) increased linearly with time during the rainy season, then suddenly decreased during the dry season due to vertical mixing with 13 C-depleted DIC waters. The δ 13 C signature of the particulate organic carbon pool (POC) revealed the presence of a consistently abundant methanotrophic biomass in the oxycline throughout the year. We also noticed a seasonal shift during the dry season toward higher values in the δ 15 N of particulate nitrogen (PN) in the mixed layer and δ 15 N-PN was significantly related to the contribution of cyanobacteria to the phytoplankton assemblage, suggesting that rainy season conditions could be more favourable to atmospheric nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. Finally, zooplankton were slightly enriched in 13 C compared to the autochthonous POC pool, and the δ 15 N signature of zooplankton followed well the seasonal variability in δ 15 N-PN, consistently 3.0 ± 1.1 ‰ heavier than the PN pool. Together, δ 13 C and δ 15 N analysis suggests that zooplankton directly incorporate algal-derived OM in their biomass, and that they rely almost exclusively on this source of OM throughout the year in general agreement with the very low allochthonous OM inputs from rivers in Lake Kivu.

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Tracing the isotopic signal of a cyanobacteria bloom through the food web of a Baltic Sea coastal lagoon

Cited by 49 publications

References 65 publications

Microphytobenthos and chironomid larvae attenuate nutrient recycling in shallow‐water sediments

Microphytobenthos and chironomid larvae attenuate nutrient recycling in shallow‐water sediments

N2-fixation, ammonium release and N-transfer to the microbial and classical food web within a plankton community

Biogeochemistry of a large and deep tropical lake (Lake Kivu, East Africa: insights from a stable isotope study covering an annual cycle

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