Autochthony, allochthony and the role of consumers in influencing the sensitivity of aquatic systems to nutrient enrichment

Wood, Joseph D.; Elliott, David; Garman, Greg C.; Hopler, David; Lee, William; McIninch, Stephen P.; Porter, Aaron J.; Bukaveckas, Paul A.

doi:10.1016/j.fooweb.2016.03.001

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…As many of these are species of management concern, it is important to assess threats that may arise from the presence of toxins in their prey. Our results are from a system with relatively low cyanobacteria abundance and toxin concentrations; riparian communities adjacent to cyanobacteria–dominated waters are likely to be at greater risk. These findings support recent studies documenting biotransport of contaminants via emerging aquatic insects. , There are however a number of considerations in extending the “dark side of subsidies” concept to algal toxins.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Biotransport of Algal Toxins to Riparian Food Webs

Moy

Dodson

Tassone

et al. 2016

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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The occurrence of harmful algal blooms has resulted in growing worldwide concern about threats to aquatic life and human health. Microcystin (MC), a cyanotoxin, is the most widely reported algal toxin in freshwaters. Prior studies have documented its presence in aquatic food webs including commercially important fish and shellfish. In this paper we present the first evidence that algal toxins propagate into riparian food webs. We show that MC is present in emerging aquatic insects (Hexagenia mayflies) from the James River Estuary and their consumers (Tetragnathidae spiders and Prothonotary Warblers, Protonotaria citrea). MC levels in Prothonotary Warblers varied by age class, with nestlings having the highest levels. At the site where nestlings received a higher proportion of aquatic prey (i.e., mayflies) in their diet, we observed higher MC concentrations in liver tissue and fecal matter. Warbler body condition and growth rate were not related to liver MC levels, suggesting that aquatic prey may provide dietary benefits that offset potential deleterious effects of the toxin. This study provides evidence that threats posed by algal toxins extend beyond the aquatic environments in which blooms occur.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Biotransport of Algal Toxins to Riparian Food Webs

Moy

Dodson

Tassone

et al. 2016

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…Stable isotope data indicate that catfish in the James tidal fresh obtain 9% of their C from autochthonous sources and 81% from allochthonous sources (Wood et al 2016). Applying these values suggests that 2% of GPP and 41% of allochthonous inputs are required to sustain current levels of catfish biomass removal from the James tidal fresh.…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on GPP, the estimated turnover time of the POC pool was 1.5 d in summer. Taking into account that 60% of POC in the James is algal (Wood et al 2016), the estimated phytoplankton turnover time was 0.9 d. The high rates of internal biological processing relative to through-puts of C places the James toward the lake-end, rather than the stream-river end, on the metabolism and residence time spectrum (Hotchkiss et al 2018). This is likely a consequence of tidal conditions, which allow for longer water residence compared to non-tidal rivers.…”

Section: Metabolism and Carbonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of studies have suggested that autochthonous sources account for a disproportionately large fraction of C assimilation due to the higher nutritional quality of algae over partially decomposed terrestrial plant matter (Brett et al 2009;Thorp and Bowes 2017). Stable isotope analysis of the James food web has shown that the dominant metazoans by biomass, which are benthic omnivores (catfish, adult gizzard shad), carry a predominantly terrestrial C signature, whereas zooplankton and planktivorous fish (juvenile gizzard shad and threadfin shad) were dependent on autochthonous C sources (Wood et al 2016). These patterns were consistent with analysis of basal resources showing that the sediments in the estuary were largely (90%) comprised of terrestrial C, whereas seston contained a greater fraction of autochthonous C (60% in summer).…”

Section: Sources and Consumer Energeticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbon dynamics at the river-estuarine transition: a comparison among tributaries of Chesapeake Bay

Bukaveckas

2021

Preprint

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Abstract. Sources and transformation of C were quantified using mass balance and ecosystem metabolism data for the upper segments of the James, Pamunkey and Mattaponi Estuaries. The goal was to assess the role of external (river inputs & tidal exchange) vs. internal (metabolism) drivers in influencing the forms and fluxes of C. C forms and their response to river discharge differed among the estuaries based on their physiographic setting. The James, which receives the bulk of inputs from upland areas (Piedmont and Mountain), exhibited a higher ratio of inorganic to organic C, and larger inputs of POC. The Pamunkey and Mattaponi receive a greater proportion of inputs from lowland (Coastal Plain) areas, which were characterized by low DIC and POC, and elevated DOC. We anticipated that transport processes would dominate during colder months when discharge is elevated and metabolism is low, and that biological processes would predominate in summer, leading to attenuation of C through-puts via de-gassing of CO2. Contrary to expectations, highest retention of OC occurred during periods of high through-put, as elevated discharge resulted in greater loading and retention of POC. In summer, internal cycling of C via production and respiration was large in comparison to external forcing despite the large riverine influence in these upper estuarine segments. The estuaries were found to be net heterotrophic based on retention of OC, export of DIC, low GPP relative to ER, and a net flux of CO2 to the atmosphere. In the James, greater contributions from phytoplankton production resulted in a closer balance between GPP and ER, with autochthonous production exceeding allochthonous inputs. Combining the mass balance and metabolism data with bioenergetics provided a basis for estimating the proportion of C inputs utilized by the dominant metazoan. The findings suggest that invasive catfish utilize 15 % of total OM inputs and up to 40 % of allochthonous inputs to the James.

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“…Based on GPP, the estimated turnover time of the POC pool was 1.5 d in summer. Taking into account that 60 % of POC in the James is algal (Wood et al, 2016), the estimated phytoplankton turnover time was 0.9 d. The high rates of internal biological processing relative to throughputs of C places the James toward the lake end, rather than the stream-river end, on the metabolism and residence time spectrum (Hotchkiss et al, 2018). This is likely a consequence of tidal conditions, which allow for longer water residence time compared to non-tidal rivers.…”

Section: Metabolism and Carbonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon dynamics at the river–estuarine transition: a comparison among tributaries of Chesapeake Bay

Bukaveckas

2022

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. Sources and transformation of carbon (C) were quantified using mass balance and ecosystem metabolism data for the upper segments of the James, Pamunkey and Mattaponi estuaries. The goal was to assess the role of external (river inputs and tidal exchange) vs. internal (metabolism) drivers in influencing the forms and fluxes of C. C forms and their response to river discharge differed among the estuaries based on their physiographic setting. The James, which receives the bulk of inputs from upland areas (Piedmont and Mountain), exhibited a higher ratio of inorganic to organic C and larger inputs of particulate organic C (POC). The Pamunkey and Mattaponi receive a greater proportion of inputs from lowland (Coastal Plain) areas, which were characterized by low dissolved inorganic C (DIC) and POC and elevated dissolved organic C (DOC). I anticipated that transport processes would dominate during colder months when discharge is elevated and metabolism is low and that biological processes would predominate in summer, leading to attenuation of C throughputs via degassing of CO2. Contrary to expectations, the highest retention of organic C occurred during periods of high throughput, as elevated discharge resulted in greater loading and retention of POC. In summer, internal cycling of C via production and respiration was large in comparison to external forcing despite the large riverine influence in these upper-estuarine segments. The estuaries were found to be net heterotrophic based on retention of organic C, export of DIC, low primary production relative to respiration and a net flux of CO2 to the atmosphere. In the James, greater contributions from phytoplankton production resulted in a closer balance between production and respiration, with autochthonous production exceeding allochthonous inputs. Combining the mass balance and metabolism data with bioenergetics provided a basis for estimating the proportion of C inputs utilized by the dominant metazoan. The findings suggest that invasive catfish utilize 15 % of total organic C inputs and up to 40 % of allochthonous inputs to the James.

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Autochthony, allochthony and the role of consumers in influencing the sensitivity of aquatic systems to nutrient enrichment

Cited by 13 publications

References 63 publications

Biotransport of Algal Toxins to Riparian Food Webs

Biotransport of Algal Toxins to Riparian Food Webs

Carbon dynamics at the river-estuarine transition: a comparison among tributaries of Chesapeake Bay

Carbon dynamics at the river–estuarine transition: a comparison among tributaries of Chesapeake Bay

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