We assembled data from a global network of automated lake observatories to test hypotheses regarding the drivers of ecosystem metabolism. We estimated daily rates of respiration and gross primary production (GPP) for up to a full year in each lake, via maximum likelihood fits of a free-water metabolism model to continuous highfrequency measurements of dissolved oxygen concentrations. Uncertainties were determined by a bootstrap analysis, allowing lake-days with poorly constrained rate estimates to be down-weighted in subsequent analyses. GPP and respiration varied considerably among lakes and at seasonal and daily timescales. Mean annual GPP and respiration ranged from 0.1 to 5.0 mg O 2 L 21 d 21 and were positively related to total phosphorus but not dissolved organic carbon concentration. Within lakes, significant day-to-day differences in respiration were common despite large uncertainties in estimated rates on some lake-days. Daily variation in GPP explained 5% to 85% of the daily variation in respiration after temperature correction. Respiration was tightly coupled to GPP at a daily scale in oligotrophic and dystrophic lakes, and more weakly coupled in mesotrophic and eutrophic lakes. Background respiration ranged from 0.017 to 2.1 mg O 2 L 21 d 21 and was positively related to indicators of recalcitrant allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter loads, but was not clearly related to an indicator of the quality of allochthonous organic matter inputs.Gross primary production (GPP) and respiration are perhaps the two most fundamental processes in ecosystems. At the cellular or organismal level, they describe biochemical pathways that make organic carbon molecules and energy available to cells. When these cellular processes are integrated across an entire ecosystem, the result-ecosystemlevel GPP, ecosystem respiration, or collectively ecosystem metabolism-describes biogeochemical and trophic processes occurring at the system level.There is substantial interest in understanding the controls on ecosystem metabolism in aquatic (Mulholland et al.
Recent technological developments have increased the number of variables being monitored in lakes and reservoirs using automatic high frequency monitoring (AHFM). However, design of AHFM systems and posterior data handling and interpretation are currently being developed on a site-by-site and issue-by-issue basis with minimal standardization of protocols or knowledge sharing. As a result, many deployments become short-lived or underutilized, and many new scientific developments that are potentially useful for water management and environmental legislation remain underexplored. This Critical Review bridges scientific uses of AHFM with their applications by providing an overview of the current AHFM capabilities, together with examples of successful applications. We review the use of AHFM for maximizing the provision of ecosystem services supplied by lakes and reservoirs (consumptive and non consumptive uses, food production, and recreation), and for reporting lake status in the EU Water Framework Directive. We also highlight critical issues to enhance the application of AHFM, and suggest the establishment of appropriate networks to facilitate knowledge sharing and technological transfer between potential users. Finally, we give advice on how modern sensor technology can successfully be applied on a larger scale to the management of lakes and reservoirs and maximize the ecosystem services they provide.
1. This study introduces delayed fluorescence (DF) excitation spectroscopy as an on-line tool for in situ monitoring of the composition and biomass of various colour classes of phytoplankton when they are photosynthetically active (cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, chromophytes and cryptophytes). The DF data are validated by comparison with those from conventional methods (weekly microscopic counts and the measurement of chlorophyll concentration). 2. The composition of phytoplankton as assessed by DF agreed reasonably well with the results from microscopic counts, particularly when differences in chlorophyll-specific DF integrals of the various colour classes were taken into account. 3. Integrals of DF spectra were converted into concentration of chlorophyll a using empirical factors derived from field data. The value of the conversion factor was nearly twice as high when the relative abundance of cyanobacteria was low (<15%) than when it was high. The converted DF-chl time series agreed well with chlorophyll measurements particularly when blooms were developing. As the DF method is inherently free of the interference caused by pigment degradation products, the discrepancy between the two data sets increased during the collapse of blooms and when sediment resuspension was intense. 4. Fourier spectrum analysis of the time series of DF-chl indicated that samples must be taken, at a minimum, every 2-3 days to capture the dynamics of phytoplankton. As a consequence, the dynamics of various algal blooms, including their timing, duration and net growth rate, could be estimated with greater confidence than by using conventional methods alone. 5. On-line DF spectroscopy is an advanced technique for monitoring daily the biomass and composition of the photosynthetically active phytoplankton in aquatic environments, including turbid shallow lakes. At present, the detection limit is around 1 mg DF-chl a m )3 in terms of total biomass but confidence in estimates of phytoplankton composition declines sharply below about 5 mg chl a m )3 . 6. On-line DF spectroscopy represents a promising approach for monitoring phytoplankton. It will be useful in water management where it can act as an early-warning system of declines in water quality. In basic ecological research it can supplement
1. As supported by field data, turbidity recorded by light scattering sensors could reliably be converted into concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) and coefficient of vertical light attenuation (K d ) in Lake Balaton. 2. Autocorrelation analysis revealed that proper determination of SPM concentration and K d required daily sampling. To approximate daily rate of resuspension, 15 min or more frequent measurements were needed. Thus, routine monitoring provides very little insight into environmental variability of shallow lakes as habitats for phytoplankton. 3. The internal P load was estimated from daily rate of resuspension and P desorption capacity of sediments. The latter was assumed to be proportionate to the potentially mobile inorganic P content of SPM. A comparison with net primary production and nutrient status of phytoplankton showed that the proposed method of estimating time series of internal P load captured seasonal trends. 4. The daily rate of resuspension was high whereas that of internal P load was low in Lake Balaton relative to other shallow lakes. The latter reflects favourable behaviour of the calcite-rich sediments. As a consequence, carrying capacity of Basin 1 of Lake Balaton was P-determined. 5. The timing of external and internal loads was radically different. While the former showed mostly seasonal changes, large pulses characterised the latter. As a consequence, internal load may supply more P to phytoplankton growth during the critical summer months than external load. However, the relative importance of these sources may show substantial interannual variability. 6. Large resuspension events often followed each other during periods of 10-15 days. It has been shown that disturbances in this frequency range are of key importance in maintaining the diversity of phytoplankton. We propose that resuspension can be perceived not only as a disturbance factor but also as a factor that periodically relaxes nutrient stress. The former feature may dominate the instantaneous effect, whereas the latter may determine the persistent effect of resuspension on succession of phytoplankton.
Large lowland rivers with sufficient hydrological storage capacity are capable of supporting primary production, but the dynamics of the advecting phytoplankton is poorly understood. Our study aimed at exploring how longitudinal versus lateral connectivity,
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