Effects of nitrogen on benthic diatom assemblages in high-elevation central and eastern alpine lakes

• Published in: Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research
• Main Authors: Fabio Lepori, Monica Tolotti
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2023
• Subjects: Atmospheric deposition; critical load; mountain lake; nutrient enrichment; diatoms; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Ecology; QH540-549.5; Antarctic and Alpine Research; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2023.2270821; https://doaj.org/article/5926d08af1c6464cb036a4593a34888b

ABSTRACTWe explored patterns of benthic diatom composition across sixty-two high-elevation alpine lakes spanning a wide range of nitrogen (N) concentrations due to atmospheric deposition and background variation in lake and watershed characteristics. Our goals were to (1) assess the effect of lake water N concentration on benthic diatom composition during late summer or fall conditions and (2) identify policy-relevant response thresholds. The analyses were carried out on a large set of diatom and water chemistry data, integrated with new data. Multivariate and correlation analyses revealed associations between pH, N concentration, and benthic diatom composition, but the effects of pH and N were confounded. However, partial correlation analysis allowed us to identify “N-responsive diatoms”; that is, diatom taxa with nonspurious associations with N. Focusing on these taxa, we detected a decline in the abundance of taxa preferring low N concentrations and an increase in the abundance of taxa preferring high N concentrations starting at NO3 concentrations of approximately 5 µmol L−1. We interpreted this shift as an effect of watershed N saturation due to atmospheric deposition. Based on the results, we suggest a late-summer or fall concentration threshold of 5 µmol NO3 L−1 to prevent change in benthic diatoms in high-elevation alpine lakes.