A1 Journal article (refereed)
Eutrophication effect on production and transfer of omega-3 fatty acids in boreal lake food webs (2023)

Calderini, M. L., Kahilainen, K. K., Estlander, S., Peltomaa, E., Piro, A. J., Rigaud, C., Ruuhijärvi, J., Salmi, P., Vesterinen, J., Vuorio, K., & Taipale, S. J. (2023). Eutrophication effect on production and transfer of omega-3 fatty acids in boreal lake food webs. Science of the Total Environment, 903, Article 166674. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166674

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Calderini, Marco L.; Kahilainen, Kimmo K.; Estlander, Satu; Peltomaa, Elina; Piro, Alexander J.; Rigaud, Cyril; Ruuhijärvi, Jukka; Salmi, Pauliina; Vesterinen, Jussi; Vuorio, Kristiina; et al.

Journal or series: Science of the Total Environment

ISSN: 0048-9697

eISSN: 1879-1026

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 28/08/2023

Volume: 903

Article number: 166674

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication country: Netherlands

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166674

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/89181

Abstract

Eutrophication, i.e. increasing level of nutrients and primary production, is a central environmental change of lakes globally with wide effects on food webs. However, how eutrophication affects the synthesis of physiologically essential biomolecules (omega-3 fatty acids) and their transfer to higher trophic levels at the whole food web level is not well understood. We assessed food web (phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish) biomass, community structure and fatty acid content (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]), together with fatty acid specific primary production in 12 Finnish boreal lakes covering the total nutrient gradient from oligotrophic to highly eutrophic lakes (4–140 μg TP l−1; 413–1814 μg TN l−1). Production was measured as the incorporation of 13C-NaHCO3 into phytoplankton fatty acids and differentiated into volumetric production (production per litre of water) and productivity (production per phytoplankton biomass). Increases in nutrients led to higher biomass of phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish communities while also affecting community composition. Eutrophication negatively influenced the contribution of phytoplankton biomass preferentially grazed by zooplankton (<35 μm). Total volumetric production saturated at high phytoplankton biomass while EPA volumetric production presented a logarithmic relationship with nutrient increase. Meanwhile, total and EPA productivity had unimodal responses to this change in nutrients. DHA volumetric production and productivity presented large variation with increases in total phosphorus, but a unimodal model best described DHA changes with eutrophication. Results showed that eutrophication impaired the transfer of EPA and DHA into zooplankton and fish, showing a clear negative impact in some species (e.g. perch) while having no effect in other species (e.g. roach, ruffe). Results show non-linear trends in fatty acid production and productivity peaking at nutrient concentrations 22–35 μg l−1 TP followed by a gradual decrease.

Keywords: eutrophication; environmental changes; lakes; boreal zone; food webs; fatty acids; omega fatty acids; fishes; plankton

Free keywords: boreal lakes; DHA; EPA; eutrophication; food webs; production; productivity

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023

JUFO rating: 2