Changes in mixing depth reduce phytoplankton biomass in an Arctic lake: Results from a whole-lake experiment

Research has revealed contradictory responses of primary producers in Arctic lakes to increasing temperatures, making it unclear how future warming and climate change will alter lake productivity. We conducted a whole-lake manipulation to examine the effect of altered thermal structure on phytoplank...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arctic, antarctic, and alpine research antarctic, and alpine research, 2019-01, Vol.51 (1), p.533-548
Main Authors: Northington, Robert M., Saros, Jasmine E., Burpee, Benjamin T., McCue, Joan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algae
Aquatic ecosystems
Arctic lakes
Attenuation
Biomass
Climate change
Community structure
Epilimnion
Global warming
Greenland
Lakes
Light attenuation
Organic chemistry
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton biomass
Plankton
Surface water
Water depth
whole-lake manipulation
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Summary:Research has revealed contradictory responses of primary producers in Arctic lakes to increasing temperatures, making it unclear how future warming and climate change will alter lake productivity. We conducted a whole-lake manipulation to examine the effect of altered thermal structure on phytoplankton biomass in a lake in Greenland, one of the most rapidly warming regions of the world. Deepened lake mixing (from 4 to 8 m) in the experimental lake led to significant declines in phytoplankton biomass in the sediment traps despite warmer surface waters, indicating that changes in mixing depth may negate a positive, direct effect of warming on primary producer biomass. Light limitation (induced by deeper mixing) of phytoplankton played a greater role than temperature in structuring these Arctic lake phytoplankton communities. To put the manipulation in context, we surveyed twenty-four lakes across western Greenland to determine the strongest regional predictors of phytoplankton density. Across the landscape, lake chemistry and light attenuation in the epilimnion were the most important predictors of algal assemblages in the survey lakes. Though temperature can directly influence lake ecosystems, multiple factors will affect mixing depths of Arctic lakes, potentially leading to variable effects of warming on phytoplankton biomass and community structure.
ISSN:1523-0430
1938-4246
DOI:10.1080/15230430.2019.1692412