Arctic and Sub-Arctic shallow lakes in a multiple-stressor world: a paleoecological perspective

Smol, John P.

doi:10.1007/s10750-015-2543-3

Cited by 31 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 116 publications

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“…Another factor causing nutrient enrichment of Arctic lakes and their catchments is influence of climate on bird populations, as seabirds increasingly transport nutrients Aquatic Sciences * Tomi P. Luoto tomi.luoto@helsinki.fi from the marine environment to their terrestrial nesting areas (Côté et al 2010;Hargan et al 2017), a phenomenon known as ornithogenic drainage (Smol 2016). Climate-mediated physical disturbances, such as changes in underwater light availability and thermal stability due to increased loading of organic or minerogenic matter from the terrestrial environment, may also lead to major disruptions to aquatic community structures (Vincent and Pienitz 1996;Nevalainen et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since observational records in the Arctic are scarce and short, indirect paleolimnological methods are required to reveal long-term environmental dynamics in high latitude lakes and their surroundings (Smol 2016). The paleolimnological record in surface and downcore lake sediments is based primarily on various physical and biogeochemical proxies and biological indicators, such as diatoms (Bacillariophyta) (Rühland et al 2003;Rantala et al 2017), chironomids (Diptera) (Quinlan et al 2005;Luoto et al 2019) and cladocerans (Crustacea) (Sweetman et al 2008;Thienpont et al 2015;Nevalainen et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biogeochemical cycling and ecological thresholds in a High Arctic lake (Svalbard)

et al. 2019

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Lakes are a dominant feature of the Arctic landscape and a focal point of regional and global biogeochemical cycling. We collected a sediment core from a High Arctic Lake in southwestern Svalbard for multiproxy paleolimnological analysis. The aim was to find linkages between the terrestrial and aquatic environments in the context of climate change to understand centennial-long Arctic biogeochemical cycling and environmental dynamics. Two significant thresholds in elemental cycling were found based on sediment physical and biogeochemical proxies that were associated with the end of the cold Little Ice Age and the recent warming. We found major shifts in diatom, chironomid and cladoceran communities and their functionality that coincided with increased summer temperatures since the 1950s. We also discovered paleoecological evidence that point toward expanded bird (Little Auk) colonies in the catchment alongside climate warming. Apparently, climate-driven increase in glacier melt water delivery as well as a prolonged snow-and ice-free period have increased the transport of mineral matter from the catchment, causing significant water turbidity and disappearance of several planktonic diatoms and clear-water chironomids. We also found sedimentary accumulation of microplastic particles following the increase in Little Auk populations suggesting that seabirds potentially act as biovectors for plastic contamination. Our study demonstrates the diverse nature of climate-driven changes in the Arctic lacustrine environment with increased inorganic input from the more exposed catchment, larger nutrient delivery from the increased bird colonies at the surrounding mountain summits and subsequent alterations in aquatic communities.Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeochemical cycling and ecological thresholds in a High Arctic lake (Svalbard)

et al. 2019

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“…Elucidating high latitude lake functioning and aquatic responses across the circumpolar regions under global change are significant as these ecosystems are sentinels for environmental changes (Smol, 2016) and globally significant in the sequestration of organic carbon (Tranvik et al, 2009). They are additionally ecologically important in acting as one of the final refugia for cold-water biodiversity, which is at high risk of being extirpated through rapidly increasing temperatures (R€ uhland, Paterson, Keller, Michelutti, & Smol, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatio‐temporal cladoceran (Branchiopoda) responses to climate change and UV radiation in subarctic ecotonal lakes

Nevalainen

Rantala

Rautio

et al. 2018

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim To understand modern and past aquatic community responses to climate‐induced shifts in productivity and ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure. Location Tree line ecotone from north boreal forest to subarctic tundra in northeastern Finnish Lapland. Taxon Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda). Methods Thirty‐one small and shallow lakes were examined for summer epilimnetic communities (SEC) and surface sediment fossil integrative communities (FIC) of Cladocera for species distribution and their environmental correlations. A 700‐year down‐core sediment sequence from a tree line lake (Námmájávri) was analysed for FICs and cladoceran‐inferred UV absorbance (ABSUV, indicative of melanin pigmentation) for evidence of long‐term community and photoprotective responses and compared with records of palaeotemperature, solar intensity, and composite sediment biogeochemistry by variance partitioning analysis. Results The SECs were primarily correlated with specific UV absorbance (indicative of UV exposure) and total phosphorus and FICs by mean July air temperature and total nitrogen. The Námmájávri FICs showed subtle changes with a directional shift between the 19th and 21st centuries and were mostly explained by solar intensity. ABSUV exhibited increases during the 18th and 20th centuries, being related to variation in sediment biogeochemistry, which was indicative of changes in auto‐ versus allochthonous production. Main conclusions The ecotonal distribution of cladocerans is sensitive to temperature, nutrients, and allochthonous carbon, which is closely linked with UV exposure. The long‐term community shifts and photoprotection have been governed by solar intensity and biogeochemical shifts through lake water optics, attributable to direct UV impact or climate‐mediated intensification in photodegradation of allochthonous carbon. Estimations of the dual effects and mechanisms of increasing temperatures and UV on subarctic lakes and their biota remain challenging as their individual impacts on key species were partly contradictory.

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“…In particular, recent studies have focused on widespread biotic turnovers related to warming‐induced changes in water column mixing and thermal structure, often displayed as a shift from small benthic and heavy tychoplanktonic diatom flora to small planktonic cyclotelloids (Boeff, Strock, & Saros, ; Rühland, Paterson, & Smol, ; Sorvari, Korhola, & Thompson, ). In shallow unproductive lakes, widely distributed across northern high latitudes (Rautio et al., ; Smol, ), planktonic growth is often inhibited and thus different responses may be expected. The autotrophic communities of shallow lakes are dominated by benthic life forms (Lim, Kwan, & Douglas, ; Rautio et al., ; Vadeboncoeur, Vander Zanden, & Lodge, ) that are particularly responsive to changes in underwater light climate (Karlsson et al., ; Vadeboncoeur, Peterson, Vander Zanden, & Kalff, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate drivers of diatom distribution in shallow subarctic lakes

et al. 2017

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Global warming can induce profound changes to the functioning of northern freshwater ecosystems. Diatom (Bacillariophyceae) communities often provide early warning signs of associated ecological regime shifts, responding sensitively to alterations in underwater light climate, nutrient regimes, habitat availability and lake water acid–base balance. The underlying mechanisms are manifold and may be mediated via direct climate impact on the physical and chemical properties of lakes or via changes in the terrestrial environment and catchment‐lake coupling. To address catchment‐mediated climate effects on diatom community composition, spatial diatom distribution in the surface sediments of 31 subarctic treeline lakes displaying a broad gradient in terrestrial dissolved organic matter (tDOM) was contrasted with limnological indices of light climate, nutrient availability and lake water pH. To evaluate direct and indirect climate impacts on the long‐term development of benthic phototrophic communities at the subarctic treeline, fossil diatom assemblages in the sediments of a shallow oligotrophic lake were examined against established temperature variability and inferences of terrestrial influence over the past 600 years. The regional lake set was used to test local calibration models for reconstructing dissolved organic carbon as well as lake water pH that is a fundamental environmental determinant for diatom distribution and may echo temperature variability in dilute lakes. Across the treeline, lake water pH imposed primary control over the benthic‐dominated surface sediment diatom communities. The pH influence was connected to catchment geomorphology, soils and vegetation cover and, together with habitat controls, largely superseded tDOM impact on underwater light attenuation and nutrient levels. Similarly, temporal changes in diatom distribution in the sediment core appeared to be relatively little affected by tDOM variability. The species shifts were subtle yet occurred in distinct synchrony with centennial temperature fluctuations, attributed to changing length of the ice cover period and associated effects on lake water chemistry, nutrient regimes and physical habitats. Our results suggest that diatom flora in shallow lakes at the subarctic Fennoscandian treeline may be comparatively resilient towards climate‐driven changes in terrestrial carbon and nutrient fluxes. Diatom communities in poorly buffered lakes may, however, be susceptible to catchment greening and changes in hydrology through effects on lake water acid–base balance. While diatom responses in the sediment sequence were subtle, the palaeolimnological record indicates that periphytic diatom communities in shallow oligotrophic subarctic lakes may be sensitive to the effects of global warming.

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Arctic and Sub-Arctic shallow lakes in a multiple-stressor world: a paleoecological perspective

Cited by 31 publications

References 116 publications

Biogeochemical cycling and ecological thresholds in a High Arctic lake (Svalbard)

Biogeochemical cycling and ecological thresholds in a High Arctic lake (Svalbard)

Spatio‐temporal cladoceran (Branchiopoda) responses to climate change and UV radiation in subarctic ecotonal lakes

Climate drivers of diatom distribution in shallow subarctic lakes

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