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Spatiotemporal dynamics of C and N isotopic signature of zooplankton: a seasonal study on a man-made lake in the Mediterranean region

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 October 2014

Amedeo Fadda ,
Ruth Rawcliffe ,
Bachisio Mario Padedda ,
Antonella Lugliè ,
Nicola Sechi ,
Federica Camin ,
Luca Ziller  and
Marina Manca
Amedeo Fadda*
Affiliation:
Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources (DipNET) of the University of Sassari (Italy), 4 07100 Sassari (SS), Italy
Ruth Rawcliffe
Affiliation:
CNR Institute of Ecosystem Study (CNR-ISE), Largo Tonolli 50 28922 Verbania (VB), Italy
Bachisio Mario Padedda
Affiliation:
Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources (DipNET) of the University of Sassari (Italy), 4 07100 Sassari (SS), Italy
Antonella Lugliè
Affiliation:
Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources (DipNET) of the University of Sassari (Italy), 4 07100 Sassari (SS), Italy
Nicola Sechi
Affiliation:
Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources (DipNET) of the University of Sassari (Italy), 4 07100 Sassari (SS), Italy
Federica Camin
Affiliation:
IASMA, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, Via Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
Luca Ziller
Affiliation:
IASMA, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, Via Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
Marina Manca
Affiliation:
CNR Institute of Ecosystem Study (CNR-ISE), Largo Tonolli 50 28922 Verbania (VB), Italy
*
*Corresponding author: amedeo.fadda@gmail.com
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Abstract

Reservoirs are subject to severe fluctuations in the water level from seasonal and interannual climatic variations, as well as abstraction for irrigation, hydropower, and drinking water. This can affect the matter and energy transfer through the food web, of which zooplankton is of crucial importance. We traced seasonal changes in the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of suspended particulate matter and crustacean zooplankton from a small Mediterranean reservoir. The δ13C and δ15N isotopic baseline signature of the lake varied seasonally, becoming more 13C-depleted and 15N-enriched in winter and less 13C-depleted and 15N-enriched values in the drier summer months, when external water inputs were negligible. Seasonal changes in the δ13C and δ15N SPM isotopic signature were well reflected in the herbivorous cladocerans. δ15N of the calanoid and cyclopoid copepods were at least 3‰ greater than for the herbivorous cladocera, suggesting their potential use as a food resource. δ13C of predatory copepods were also consistent with seasonal fluctuations in the δ13C SPM baseline, except during the heavy rains in early spring, when they were observably rich in lipids with a higher C/N ratio, suggesting that they had entered dormancy and were not actively feeding in the water column. This indicates the importance of taking into account not only the seasonality, but the community dynamics and trophic level of zooplankton taxa when interpreting stable isotope studies.

Keywords

Reservoirwater-level fluctuationssuspended particulate matterzooplanktonstable isotope analysis
Type
Research Article
Information
Annales de Limnologie - International Journal of Limnology , Volume 50 , Issue 4 , 2014 , pp. 279 - 287
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2014

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