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Light limitation of nutrient-poor lake ecosystems

Author

Listed:
  • Jan Karlsson

    (Climate Impacts Research Centre (CIRC), Umeå University, Box 62, SE-981 07 Abisko, Sweden)

  • Pär Byström

    (Umeå University)

  • Jenny Ask

    (Umeå University)

  • Per Ask

    (Umeå University)

  • Lennart Persson

    (Umeå University)

  • Mats Jansson

    (Umeå University)

Abstract

Lake productivity limited by light, not nutrients The common assumption that lake ecosystem productivity is generally limited by nutrient availability is challenged by new findings from a study of twelve natural lakes in northern Sweden. In these lakes light supply is shown to be the limiting factor on biomass accumulation rather than nutrient supply. Many natural lakes, like these, are relatively small and nutrient-poor, so it seems likely that most lakes are limited by light and that nutrients control productivity mainly in lakes with atypically high input of nutrients.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Karlsson & Pär Byström & Jenny Ask & Per Ask & Lennart Persson & Mats Jansson, 2009. "Light limitation of nutrient-poor lake ecosystems," Nature, Nature, vol. 460(7254), pages 506-509, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:460:y:2009:i:7254:d:10.1038_nature08179
    DOI: 10.1038/nature08179
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    Cited by:

    1. Samuel G. Woodman & Sacha Khoury & Ronald E. Fournier & Erik J. S. Emilson & John M. Gunn & James A. Rusak & Andrew J. Tanentzap, 2021. "Forest defoliator outbreaks alter nutrient cycling in northern waters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Tejshree Tiwari & Ryan A. Sponseller & Hjalmar Laudon, 2022. "The emerging role of drought as a regulator of dissolved organic carbon in boreal landscapes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Zhang, Xiaoling & Liu, Yong & Guo, Huaicheng, 2016. "Cross-lake comparisons of physical and biological settling of phosphorus: A phosphorus budget model with Bayesian hierarchical approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 337(C), pages 231-240.
    4. Philipp Emanuel Hirsch & Moritz Schillinger & Katharina Appoloni & Patricia Burkhardt-Holm & Hannes Weigt, 2016. "Integrating Economic and Ecological Benchmarking for a Sustainable Development of Hydropower," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-20, August.
    5. Portalier, Sébastien M.J. & Cherif, Mehdi & Zhang, Lai & Fussmann, Gregor F. & Loreau, Michel, 2016. "Size-related effects of physical factors on phytoplankton communities," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 323(C), pages 41-50.
    6. McDonald, C.P. & Bennington, V. & Urban, N.R. & McKinley, G.A., 2012. "1-D test-bed calibration of a 3-D Lake Superior biogeochemical model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 115-126.
    7. Zhixu Wu & Yunlin Zhang & Yongqiang Zhou & Mingliang Liu & Kun Shi & Zuoming Yu, 2015. "Seasonal-Spatial Distribution and Long-Term Variation of Transparency in Xin’anjiang Reservoir: Implications for Reservoir Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-16, August.
    8. Monika Szymańska-Walkiewicz & Katarzyna Glińska-Lewczuk & Paweł Burandt & Krystian Obolewski, 2022. "Phytoplankton Sensitivity to Heavy Metals in Baltic Coastal Lakes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    9. Nobre, Regina & Boulêtreau, Stéphanie & Colas, Fanny & Azemar, Frederic & Tudesque, Loïc & Parthuisot, Nathalie & Favriou, Pierre & Cucherousset, Julien, 2023. "Potential ecological impacts of floating photovoltaics on lake biodiversity and ecosystem functioning," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    10. C Emi Fergus & Andrew O Finley & Patricia A Soranno & Tyler Wagner, 2016. "Spatial Variation in Nutrient and Water Color Effects on Lake Chlorophyll at Macroscales," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, October.

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