Benthic-Pelagic Microbial Interactions and Carbon Cycling in Clearwater Lakes

This thesis focuses on the interactions among microbiota in clearwater lakes. Field sampling and field experiments were performed to evaluate interactions among microbiota and the importance of benthic versus pelagic microbiota in terms of biomass and production. In addition, carbon cycling in an oligotrophic clearwater lake was calculated. Biomass and production of microbiota was clearly focused to the benthic habitat. During natural nutrient concentrations growth of heterotrophic bacteria (benthic and pelagic) was coupled to production of microphytobenthos in Lake Eckarfjärden, indicating interactions between autotrophic and heterotrophic microbiota in, as well as between, habitats. At increased nutrient concentrations, growth of heterotrophic bacteria was not correlated to microphytobenthos production. This was explained by less release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from microphytobenthos when they got access to more nutrients. Further investigations showed different scenarios in oligotrophic clearwater lakes following increased nutrient concentrations. The interactions between microbiota may be altered following increased nutrient concentrations and the microbial mat either positively or negatively affect the pelagic microbiota. The most striking result was that the expected shift towards dominance of pelagic primary production does not necessarily occur. Major flows of carbon were identified between different habitats in the oligotrophic clearwater Lake Eckarfjärden, and the net result was that the benthic habitat provided carbon to the pelagial. High DOC concentrations in the lake together with low pelagic production are factors that would indicate net heterotrophy. Accordingly, the pelagial of Lake Eckarfjärden was net heterotrophic but when the benthic and littoral habitats were included in the calculations, the lake turned out to be net autotrophic. In conclusion, the benthic microbiota contributed significantly to the total production in the investigated lakes and had a major role in the lake metabolism. Thus, this thesis emphasises the importance of benthic microbiota in shallow clearwater lakes