1. Tipping points of nitrogen use efficiency in freshwater phytoplankton along trophic state gradient.
- Author
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Jin, Lei, Chen, Huihuang, Matsuzaki, Shin-Ichiro S., Shinohara, Ryuichiro, Wilkinson, David M., and Yang, Jun
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ECOLOGICAL regime shifts , *FRESHWATER phytoplankton , *AQUATIC ecology , *ALGAL blooms , *TROPHIC state index , *WATER quality , *FOOD chains - Abstract
• We first report regime shifts in phytoplankton RUE along TSI gradient across space and time. • Tipping point values of TSI were lower in subtropical than temperate waterbodies. • Regime shifts regulated trophic transfer efficiency from phytoplankton to zooplankton. • Nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacteria can drive eutrophication under mesotrophic state. • Early management practices for algal bloom prevention and control were latitude-dependent. Eutrophication and harmful algal blooms have severe effects on water quality and biodiversity in lakes and reservoirs. Ecological regime shifts of phytoplankton blooms are generally thought to be driven by the rapidly rising nutrient use efficiency of bloom-forming species over short periods, and often exhibit nonlinear dynamics. Regime shifts of trophic state, eutrophication, stratification, and clear or turbid waters are well-studied topics in aquatic ecology. However, information on the prevalence of regime shifts in relationships between trophic states and phytoplankton resource transfer efficiencies in ecosystems is still lacking. Here, we provided a first insight into regime shifts in nitrogen use efficiency of phytoplankton along the trophic state gradient. We explored the regime shifts of phytoplankton resource use efficiency and detected the tipping points by combining four temporal or spatial datasets from tropical to temperate zones in Asia and Europe. We first observed significant abrupt transitions (abruptness > 1) in phytoplankton nitrogen use efficiency along the trophic state gradient. The tipping point values were lower in subtropical/tropical waterbodies (mesotrophic states; TSIc: around 50) than those in temperate zones (eutrophic states; TSIc: 60–70). The regime shifts significantly reduced the primary production transfer efficiency via zooplankton (from 0.15 ± 0.03 to 0.03 ± 0.01; mean ± standard error) in the aquatic food web. Nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacteria can drive eutrophication under mesotrophic state. Our findings imply that the time-window of opportunity for harmful algae prevention and control in lakes and reservoirs is earlier in subtropical/tropical regions. Conceptual scheme showing the trophic state index-dependent trend of nitrogen use efficiency of phytoplankton in the subtropical (red) and temperate (blue) zones. Tipping points were lower in the subtropical zones. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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