Stephen E. DeVilbiss, Brian D. Badgley, Erin R. Hotchkiss, Meredith K. Steele
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Human activity is increasing salt concentrations in freshwaters worldwide, but effects of freshwater salinity gradients on biogeochemical cycling are less understood than in saline, brackish, or marine environments. Using controlled microcosm experiments, we characterized (1) short-term (one to five days) biogeochemical responses and (2) water column metabolism along a freshwater salinity gradient of multiple salt types. After one day, microcosms were oxic (4.48–7.40 mg O2 L−1) but became hypoxic (1.20–3.31 mg L−1) by day five. After one day in oxic conditions, microbial respiration in magnesium-, sodium-, and sea salt-based salinity treatments showed a subsidy-stress response, with respiration increasing by over 100% as salinity increased from 30 to 350–800 µS cm−1. Conversely, respiration consistently increased along a calcium-based salinity gradient, peaking at 1500 µS cm−1. By day five, an inverse subsidy-stress response was observed with elevated respiration at upper or lower ends of the gradient except for the magnesium treatment, which had the lowest respiration at the highest salinity. Calcium- and magnesium-based salinity treatments also caused considerable changes in phosphorus concentrations and C:P and N:P. In a separate experiment, microbial respiration and water column primary production also displayed subsidy-stress responses, but imbalances in effect sizes caused consistently declining net community production with increasing salinity. Collectively, our results establish that short-term exposure to different salt ion concentrations can enhance freshwater biogeochemical cycling at relatively low concentrations and alter resource stoichiometry. Furthermore, the nature of effects of freshwater salinization may also change with oxygen availability.
期刊介绍:
Biogeochemistry publishes original and synthetic papers dealing with biotic controls on the chemistry of the environment, or with the geochemical control of the structure and function of ecosystems. Cycles are considered, either of individual elements or of specific classes of natural or anthropogenic compounds in ecosystems. Particular emphasis is given to coupled interactions of element cycles. The journal spans from the molecular to global scales to elucidate the mechanisms driving patterns in biogeochemical cycles through space and time. Studies on both natural and artificial ecosystems are published when they contribute to a general understanding of biogeochemistry.