Warming Alters Food Web-Driven Changes in the CO2 Flux of Experimental Pond Ecosystems

Authors

T. B. Atwood, University of British Columbia
Edd Hammill, Utah State UniversityFollow
P. Kratina, Queen Mary University of London,
H. S. Greig, University of Maine
J. B. Shurin, University of California-San Diego
J. S. Richardson, University of British Columbia

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Biology Letters

Volume

11

Issue

12

Publisher

The Royal Society

Publication Date

11-8-2017

Keywords

trophic cascades, biosequestration, carbon cycling, climate change

First Page

20150785

Abstract

Evidence shows the important role biota play in the carbon cycle, and strategic management of plant and animal populations could enhance CO2 uptake in aquatic ecosystems. However, it is currently unknown how management-driven changes to community structure may interact with climate warming and other anthropogenic perturbations to alter CO2 fluxes. Here we showed that under ambient water temperatures, predators (three-spined stickleback) and nutrient enrichment synergistically increased primary producer biomass, resulting in increased CO2 uptake by mesocosms in early dawn. However, a 3°C increase in water temperatures counteracted positive effects of predators and nutrients, leading to reduced primary producer biomass and a switch from CO2 influx to efflux. This confounding effect of temperature demonstrates that climate scenarios must be accounted for when undertaking ecosystem management actions to increase biosequestration.

Recommended Citation

Atwood, T.B., Hammill, E., Kratina, P., Greig, H. G., Shurin, J. B., and Richardson, J.S. Warming alters food web-driven changes in the CO2 flux of experimental pond ecosystems. Biology Letters 11 (12) : 20150785.