Comparing delta13C among littoral foodwebs using lake DOC
France, R.L. (2000). Comparing delta13C among littoral foodwebs using lake DOC. Aquat. Ecol. 34(4): 445-448
In: Aquatic Ecology. Springer: Dordrecht; London; Boston. ISSN 1386-2588; e-ISSN 1573-5125, more
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| Abstract |
Compared to marine research, there have been few attempts to search for general predictive patterns in stable isotope ratios across lakes. Previous work has determined, however, that delta13C values of both littoral epilithon and pelagic zooplankton decrease with increasing concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in boreal forest lakes. Despite a substantial contribution of allochthonous carbon to fuelling littoral foodwebs in northwestern Ontario, a survey of 12 lakes showed that enough autochthonous carbon must be assimilated by leeches (Macrodella decora, Percymoorensis mannoratis) to demonstrate inverse relationships between leech delta 13 and lake DOC. Establishing such baseline empirical relationships between limnological variables and organism delta 13 will enable inter-lake comparisons, and is a maturing direction in freshwater isotope ecology. |
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