Relative effects of local and landscape factors on wetland algal biomass over a salinity gradient

Abstract

Wetlands in south-eastern Australia and other arid regions of the world are experiencing increases in salinity due to dryland salinization and climate change. We investigated changes in wetland ecological function, measured as phytoplankton and benthic algal Chl a, over a large salinity gradient (0.047-226 mS cm -1 ) and in relation to several local water chemistry variables that may be important predictors of algal biomass. We investigated the relative importance of landscape variables that may affect input pollution and hydrology of wetlands at four spatial scales (100, 500, 1,000 and 5000 m). We explored the strength and form of the relationships between algal biomass and local and landscape predictors with emphasis on the effects of local and landscape salinity. We found local variables were more important than landscape variables in influencing algal biomass. We also found salinity of wetlands was not a good predictor of phytoplankton biomass but it did predict benthic algal biomass.

Salinity impacts on river ecosystem processes: a critical mini-review

“…Measures of biomass production are often restricted to specific components. Here, biomass from biofilms increased rather consistently, also in different environments [79,80] with some exceptions [43,51], and may be attributed to high salt tolerance of cyanobacteria and diatoms [47]. Total primary and secondary biomass production are, however, poorly investigated.…”

Substratum‐Associated Microbiota

“…A study on wetlands explored the relationships between algal biomass and local and landscape predictors with emphasis on the effects of salinity. It found local water chemistry variables were more important than landscape variables in influencing algal biomass and salinity did predict benthic algal biomass (Cant et al, 2010).…”