Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Replicated mesocosm study on the role of natural ultraviolet radiation in high CDOM, shallow lakes

  • Published:
Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The role of ultraviolet radiation on shallow, high CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter) lakes was investigated during two consecutive summers (1999 and 2000) in replicated mesocosms (rectangular fiberglass tanks). Each tank (volume: 300 L; depth: 40 cm) was covered with a layer (~3 cm) of sediment from lake El Toro (40° 14′ S; 70° 22′ W) and filled with filtered water. The experimental design consisted of two treatments: full natural radiation (UV-exposed) and natural radiation without ultraviolet radiation (UV-shielded). UV-exposed and UV-shielded treatments differed in most studied variables as revealed by repeated measures ANOVA. UV-exposed tanks displayed lower CDOM levels (dissolved absorbance) of lower average molecular size (absorbance ratio between 250 and 365 nm), higher bacterial biomass, and lower chlorophyll a concentration. The effect on consumers (rotifers and crustaceans) was less noticeable. The results are consistent with UV stimulation of bacteria production mediated by higher rates of CDOM photobleaching, and the photoinhibition of planktonic algae. Thus, a major effect of UVR in shallow, high CDOM ecosystems appears to be the stimulation of heterotrophic pathways and a simultaneous inhibition of photoautotrophs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. O. Holm-Hansen and D. Lubin and E. W. Helbling, in Environmental UV Photobiology, ed. A. R. Young and L. O. Björn and J. Moan and W. Nultsch, Plenum Press, New York, 1993, pp. 379–425.

  2. C. E. Williamson and H. E. Zagarese, Impact of UV-B radiation on pelagic freshwater ecosystems, Arch. Hydrobiol, Beih.: Ergeh Limnol, 1994, XVII, 226.

    Google Scholar 

  3. D.-P. Häder and R. C. Worrest and H. D. Kumar and R. D. Smith, Effects of increased solar ultraviolet radiation on aquatic ecosystems, Ambio, 1995, 24, 174–180.

    Google Scholar 

  4. The Effect of UV Radiation in the Marine Environment, ed. S. de Mora and S. Demers and M. Vernet, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000, vol. X, p. 324.

  5. Ecosystems, Evolution, and Ultraviolet Radiation, ed. C. S. Cockell and A. R. Blaustein, Springer, New York, 2001, p. 21.

    Google Scholar 

  6. UV Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, ed. E. W. Helbling and H. E. Zagarese, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2003, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  7. H. E. Zagarese and B. Tartarotti and D. A. Añón Suárez, in Modern Trends in Applied Aquatic Ecology, ed. R. S. Ambasht, KluwerAcademic/Plenum Press, New York, USA, 2002, in press.

  8. M. J. Lindell and W. Granéli and L. J. Tranvik, Enhanced bacterial growth in response to photochemical transformation of dissolved organic matter, Limnol. Oceanogr., 1995, 40, 195–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. M. L. Bothwell and D. M. J. Sherbot and C. M. Pollock, Ecosystem responses to solar ultraviolet-B radiation: influence of trophic-level interactions, Science, 1994, 265, 97–100.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. R. Sommaruga, in UV Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, ed. E. W. Helbling and H. E. Zagarese, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2003, in press.

  11. S. Demers and C. Belzile and D. R. S. Lean and B. Mostajir and S. Roy and S. Demora and D. Bird and M. Gosselin and J. P. Chanut and M. Levasseur, An experimental tool to study the effects of ultraviolet radiation on planktonic communities: Amesocosm approach, Environ. Technol, 1998, 19, 667–682.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. S. Cabrera and M. Lopez and B. Tartarotti, Phytoplankton and Zooplankton response to ultraviolet radiation in a high-altitude Andean lake: short-versus long-term effects, J. Plankton Res., 1997, 19, 1565–1582.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. R. F. Whitehead and S. deMora and S. Demers and M. Gosselin and P. Monfort and B. Mostajir, Interactions of ultraviolet-B radiation, mixing, and biological activity on photobleaching of natural chromophoric dissolved organic matter: A mesocosm study, Limnol. Oceanogr., 2000, 45, 278–291.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. K. Gustavson and K. Garde and S. A. Wangberg and J. S. Selmer, Influence of UV-B radiation on bacterial activity in coastal waters, J. Plankton Res., 2000, 22, 1501–1511.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. B. Mostajir and S. Demers and S. deMora and C. Belzile and J. P. Chanut and M. Gosselin and S. Roy and P. S. Villegas and J. Fauchot and J. Bouchard and D. Bird and P. Monfort and M. Levasseur, Experimental test of the effect of ultraviolet-B radiation in a planktonic community, Limnol. Oceanogr., 1999, 44, 586–596.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. A. A. Keller and P. Hargraves and H. Jean and G. Kleinmacphee and E. Klos and C. Oviatt and J. Zhang, Effects of ultraviolet-B enhancement on marine trophic levels in a stratified coastal system, Mar. Biol., 1997, 130, 277–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. N. M. Scully and D. R. S. Lean, The attenuation of ultraviolet radiation in temperate lakes, Arch. Hydrobiol, Beih.: Ergeb. Limnol., 1994, 43, 135–144.

    Google Scholar 

  18. D. P. Morris and H. E. Zagarese and C. E. Williamson and E. G. Blaseiro and B. R. Hargreaves and B. Modenutti and R. Moeller and C. Queimalinos, The attenuation of solar UV radiation in lakes and the role of disolved organic carbon, Limnol. Oceanogr., 1995, 40, 1381–1391.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. B. R. Hargreaves, in UV Effects in Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, ed. E. W. Helbling and H. E. Zagarese, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2003, in press.

  20. D. J. Kieber, in The Effect of UV Radiation in the Marine Environment, ed. S. de Mora and S. Demers and M. Vernet, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000, pp. 130–148.

  21. K. Mopper and D. J. Kieber, in The Effect of UV Radiation in the Marine Environment, ed. S. de Mora and S. Demers and M. Vernet, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000, pp. 101–129.

  22. C. E. Williamson and R. S. Stemberger and D. P. Morris and T. M. Frost and S. G. Paulsen, Ultraviolet radiation in North American lakes: attenuation estimates from DOC measurements and implications for plankton communities, Limnol. Oceanogr., 1996, 41, 1024–1034.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. P. J. Neale and E. W. Helbling and H. E. Zagarese, in UV Effects on Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, ed. W E. Helbling and H. E. Zagarese, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2003, in press.

  24. J. T. O. Kirk, Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1994.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  25. E. A. Nusch, Comparison of different methods for chlorophyll and phaeopigment determination, Arch. Hydrobiol, Beih.: Er geb. Limnol., 1980, 14, 14–36.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. A. F. H. Marker and E. A. Nusch and H. Rai and B. Riemann, The measurement of photosynthetic pigments in freshwaters and standardization of methods: conclusions and recommendations, Arch. Hydrobiol, Beih: Ergeb. Limnol., 1980, 14, 91–106.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. B. Booth, in Handbook of Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology, ed. P. Kemp and B. Sherr and E. Sherr and J. J. Cole, CRC Press, Inc., Florida, 1993.

  28. M. Simon and F. Azam, Protein conten and protein synthesis rates of planktonic marine bacteria, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser, 1989, 51, 201–213.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. C. L. Osburn and H. E. Zagarese and D. P. Morris and B. R. Hargreaves and W. Cravero, Calculation of spectral weighting functions for the solar photobleaching of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in temperate lakes, Limnol. Oceanogr., 2001, 46, 1455–1467.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. D. Karentz and M. L. Bothwell and R. B. Coffin and A. Hanson, G J. Herndl and S. S. Kilham and M. P. Lesser and M. Lindell and R. E. Moeller and D. P. Morris and P. J. Neale and R. W. Sanders and C. S. Weiler and R. G. Wetzel, Impact of UV-B radiation on pelagic freshwater ecosystems: report of working group on bacteria and phytoplankton, Arch. Hydrobiol, Beih: Ergeb. Limnol., 1994, 43, 31–69.

    Google Scholar 

  31. V. E. Villafañe and K. Sundbäck, F. L. Figueroa, and E. W Helbling, in UV Effects on Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, ed. W E. Helbling and H. E. Zagarese, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2003, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  32. M. Vernet, in The Effects of UV Radiation in the Marine Environment, ed. S. de Mora and S. Demers and M. Vernet, Cambridge University Press, 2000, pp. 237–278.

  33. K. Chatila and S. Demers and B. Mostajir and M. Gosselin and J. P. Chanut and P. Monfort and D. Bird, The responses of a natural bacterio-plankton community to different levels of ultraviolet-B radiation: A food web perspective, Microb Ecol., 2001, 41, 56–68.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. U. C. Storz and R. J. Paul, Phototaxis in water fleas (Daphnia magna) is differently influenced by visible and UV light, J. Comp. Physiol, A, 1998, 183, 709–717.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. D. M. Leech and C. W. Williamson, In situ exposure to ultraviolet radiation alters the depth distribution of Daphnia, Limnol. Oceanogr., 2001, 46, 416–420.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. H. E. Zagarese and M. Feldman and C. E. Williamson, UV-B induced damage and photoreactivation in three species of Boeckella (Copepoda, Calanoida), J. Plankton Res., 1997, 19, 357–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. J. D. Scott and L. Chalker-Scott and A. E. Forman and M. D’Angelo, Daphnia pulex fed UVB-irradiated Chlamidomonas reinhardtii show decreased survival and fecundity, Photochem. Photobiol., 1999, 70, 308–313.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. R. G. Wetzel, in UV Effects on Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, ed. W E. Helbling and H. E. Zagarese, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2003, in press.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Fotobiología, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche Universidad Nacional del Comahue, U. P. Universidad, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

    A. Patricia Pérez, Mónica M. Diaz, Marcela A. Ferraro, Gabriela C. Cusminsky & Horacio E. Zagarese

Authors
  1. A. Patricia Pérez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mónica M. Diaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marcela A. Ferraro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gabriela C. Cusminsky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Horacio E. Zagarese
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Horacio E. Zagarese.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pérez, A.P., Diaz, M.M., Ferraro, M.A. et al. Replicated mesocosm study on the role of natural ultraviolet radiation in high CDOM, shallow lakes. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2, 118–123 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1039/b209656k

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/b209656k

Search

Navigation