The use of stable carbon isotopes as tracers of ecosystem functioning in contrasting wetland ecosystems of Lake Victoria, Kenya

• Published in: Hydrobiologia 2001-08, Vol.458 (1-3), p.91-97
• Main Authors: GICHUKI, J, TRIEST, L, DEHAIRS, F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic plants; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon; Carbon isotopes; Cyperus papyrus; Ecological function; Eichhornia crassipes; Fresh water ecosystems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Isotopes; Kenya, Victoria L; Lakes; Sediments; Synecology; Wetlands
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1013188229590

Aquatic macrophytes and sediments from two contrasting wetland ecosystems of Lake Victoria, Kenya (Lower Sondu Miriu and Kibos systems) were analyzed for their stable carbon isotopic composition in order to observe patterns in system functioning in these two ecosystems. The aquatic macrophytes had carbon isotope ratios ranging from -8.92 to -29.18 per mil (parts per thousand difference from the reference). For the dominant macrophytes, we observed most ^sup 13^C enriched values for Cyperus papyrus and most ^sup 13^C depleted values for Eichhornia crassipes. On transects from the river to the lake, Kibos sediments maintained lower carbon isotope signatures compared to the Lower Sondu Miriu sediments. The possible causes of the observed variation in the δ^sup 13^C signatures from sediments and aquatic macrophytes in the two-wetland ecosystems are outlined.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]