| Title |
Light increases energy transfer efficiency in a boreal stream |
| Authors |
Lesutienė, Jūratė ; Gorokhova, Elena ; Stankevičienė, Daiva ; Bergman, Eva ; Greenberg, Larry |
| DOI |
10.1371/journal.pone.0113675 |
| Full Text |
|
| Is Part of |
PLoS ONE.. San Francisco : Public Library of Science. 2014, vol. 9, iss. 11, art. no. e113675, p. 1-14.. eISSN 1932-6203 |
| Keywords [eng] |
Algae ; Analysis of variance |
| Abstract [eng] |
In the laboratory experiment, the grazer (caddisfly) effect on periphyton biomass specific 13C uptake and nutrient content was much stronger than the effects of light and nutrients. In particular, grazers significantly reduced periphyton biomass and increased biomass specific 13C uptake and C:nutrient ratios. The energy transfer efficiency, estimated as a ratio between 13C uptake by caddisfly and periphyton, was positively affected by light conditions, whereas the nutrient effect was not significant. We suggest that the observed effects on energy transfer were related to the increased diet contribution of highly palatable green algae, stimulated by higher light levels. Also, high heterotrophic microbial activity under low light levels would facilitate energy loss through respiration and decrease overall trophic transfer efficiency. These findings suggest that even a small increase in light intensity could result in community-wide effects on periphyton in boreal streams, with a subsequent increase in energy transfer and system productivity. |
| Published |
San Francisco : Public Library of Science |
| Type |
Journal article |
| Language |
English |
| Publication date |
2014 |
| CC license |
|
