Absorption characteristics, major elements and chl a content of samples from Pond 19 at Zackenberg, NE Greenland

  1. Shallow arctic lakes and ponds have simple and short food webs, but large uncertainties remain about benthic-pelagic links in these systems. We tested whether organic matter of benthic origin supports zooplankton biomass in a pond in NE Greenland, using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen in the pond itself and in a 13C-enrichment enclosure experiment. In the latter, we manipulated the carbon isotope signature of benthic algae to enhance its isotopic discrimination from other potential food sources for zooplankton.
  2. The cladoceran Daphnia middendorffiana responded to the 13C-enrichment of benthic mats with progressively increasing d13C values, suggesting benthic feeding. Stable isotope analysis also pointed towards a negligible contribution of terrestrial carbon to the diet of D. middendorffiana. This agreed with the apparent dominance of autochthonous dissolved organic matter in the pond revealed by analysis of coloured dissolved organic matter.
  3. Daily net production by phytoplankton in the pond (18 mg C/m2/day) could satisfy only up to half of the calculated minimum energy requirements of D. middendorffiana (35 mg C/m2/day), whereas benthic primary production alone (145 mg C/m**2/day) was more than sufficient.
  4. Our findings highlight benthic primary production as a major dietary source for D. middendorffiana in this system and suggest that benthic organic matter may play a key role in sustaining pelagic secondary production in such nutrient-limited high arctic ponds.

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Cite this as

Cazzanelli, Matteo, Forsström, Laura, Rautio, Milla, Michelsen, Anders, Christoffersen, Kirsten Seestern (2012). Dataset: Absorption characteristics, major elements and chl a content of samples from Pond 19 at Zackenberg, NE Greenland. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.808244

DOI retrieved: 2012

Additional Info

Field Value
Imported on November 29, 2024
Last update November 29, 2024
License CC-BY-3.0
Source https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.808244
Author Cazzanelli, Matteo
Given Name Matteo
Family Name Cazzanelli
More Authors
Forsström, Laura
Rautio, Milla
Michelsen, Anders
Christoffersen, Kirsten Seestern
Source Creation 2012
Publication Year 2012
Resource Type application/zip - filename: Cazzanelli_2012
Subject Areas
Name: LakesRivers

Related Identifiers
Title: Benthic resources are the key to Daphnia middendorffiana survival in a high arctic pond
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2011.02722.x
Type: DOI
Relation: IsSupplementTo
Year: 2012
Source: Freshwater Biology
Authors: Cazzanelli Matteo , Forsström Laura , Rautio Milla , Michelsen Anders , Christoffersen Kirsten Seestern .