Zooplankton production in the Bay of Quinte 1975–2008: relationships with primary production, habitat, planktivory, and aquatic invasive species (Dreissena spp. and Cercopagis pengoi)

The Bay of Quinte, a long, shallow, high-phosphorus system in Lake Ontario, spans a trophic range from eutrophic (upper Bay) to meso-oligotrophic (mouth). Phosphorus control (PC) and the invasion of dreissenid mussels and Cercopagis pengoi have influenced its biology and environment. We elucidated the principal drivers behind zooplankton production in the Bay from pre-PC times to the present (1975–2008). Production of abundant species was calculated using the egg-ratio method. Production estimates were improved by determining system-specific production/biomass (P/B) relationships for rarer species. Planktivory governed zooplankton production initially, likely preventing a response to PC. With changes in the fish community, zooplankton production increased. Thereafter, the principal drivers were the structure and size of the fish community, shifts in the predatory arena associated with changing light penetration, temperature, and addition of C. pengoi — all within a general context of nutrient availability. Dreissenid impacts were indirect. Interactive variables combining measures of predation, nutrient level, light, and temperature were the best at accounting for variability in zooplankton production.

Empirical study of cyanobacterial toxicity along a trophic gradient of lakes

A series of 22 lakes in southern Quebec spanning a wide trophic range were sampled to develop models of changes in cyanobacterial abundance and toxicity. All lakes contained toxic cyanobacteria, and epilimnetic toxin content, expressed as microcystin equivalents, was best predicted by total nitrogen concentration and total phosphorus concentration (TP). Although phytoplankton biomass increased linearly with increases in TP among lakes, toxigenic biomass increased as greater than the squared power of TP. The only potentially toxigenic genera whose biomass was correlated with microcystin concentration were Microcystis and Anabaena. Surprisingly, the best model for toxic-species biomass was based on epilimnetic nitrogen. The level of the hepatotoxin microcystin per unit biomass in these organisms did not vary markedly among lakes, supporting the idea that environmental factors control the occurrence, but have only a limited effect on the toxicity, of potentially toxic species.

Balance between Phytoplankton Production and Plankton Respiration in Lakes

We analyzed published rates of algal photosynthesis and plankton community respiration to test the hypothesis that the ratio of planktonic primary production to community (P/R) varies systematically with lake trophy. Regression analyses show that algal production and plankton respiration are closely related to chlorophyll concentrations for lakes spanning a wide trophic range. More surprisingly, plankton respiration exceeds algal photosynthesis in oligotrophic lakes, and P/R rises above unity only when chlorophyll concentrations are above 17 mg∙m−3. A simple allometric model based on the predicted biomasses of the different planktonic component yield rates of community respiration that are in good agreement with measured values. Moreover, the model suggest that in oligotrophic lakes, microbial respiration may greatly exceed the current estimates based on bacterial production data and that heterotrophs contribute proportionately more to total plankton metabolism than they do in eutrophic lakes. Because such high respiration rates require external energy subsidies, these results; challenge the view that pelagial communities of most lakes are even approximately self-supporting.