From Greenland to green lakes: Cultural eutrophication and the loss of benthic pathways in lakes

• Published in: Limnology and Oceanography
• Main Authors: Vadeboncoeur, Yvonne, Jeppesen, Erik, Zanden, M. Jake Vander, Schierup, Hans‐Henrik, Christoffersen, Kirsten, Lodge, David M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2003
• Subjects: Greenland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.4319/lo.2003.48.4.1408; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.4319%2Flo.2003.48.4.1408; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.4319/lo.2003.48.4.1408; https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.4319/lo.2003.48.4.1408

Benthic community responses to lake eutrophication are poorly understood relative to pelagic responses. We compared phytoplankton and periphyton productivity along a eutrophication gradient in Greenland, U.S., and Danish lakes. Phytoplankton productivity increased along the phosphorus gradient (total phosphorus [TP] = 2–430 mg m −3 ), but whole‐lake benthic algal productivity decreased, substantially depressing increases in primary productivity at the whole‐lake scale. In shallow, oligotrophic Greenland lakes, periphyton was responsible for 80–98% of primary production, whereas in Danish lakes with TP > 100 mg m −3 , phytoplankton were responsible for nearly 100% of primary production. Benthic contributions ranged from 5 to 80% depending on morphometry and littoral habitat composition in lakes with intermediate phosphorus concentrations. Thus, eutrophication was characterized by a switch from benthic to pelagic dominance of primary productivity. Carbon stable isotope analysis showed that the redistribution of primary production entailed a similar shift from periphyton to phytoplankton in the diets of zoobenthos. Benthic and pelagic habitats were energetically linked through food web interactions, but eutrophication eroded the benthic primary production pathway.