Abstract
The metabolic balance of the open waters supporting submerged macrophytes of the Doñana marsh (SW Spain) was investigated in spring, when community production is highest. The marsh community (benthic + pelagic) was net autotrophic with net community production rates averaging 0.61 g C m -2 d-1, and gross production rates exceeding community respiration rates by, on average, 43%. Net community production increased greatly with increasing irradiance, with the threshold irradiance for communities to become net autotrophic ranging from 42 to 255 μE m -2 s-1, with net heterotrophic at lower irradiance. Examination of the contributions of the benthic and the pelagic compartments showed the pelagic compartment to be strongly heterotrophic (average P/R ratio Combining double low line 0.27), indicating that the metabolism of the pelagic compartment is highly subsidised by excess organic carbon produced in the strongly autotrophic benthic compartment (average P/R Combining double low line 1.58).
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 963-971 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Biogeosciences |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Earth-Surface Processes