Publikationsdatum:
2011-04-19
Beschreibung:
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 = 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 = 1.58).
Print ISSN:
1726-4170
Digitale ISSN:
1726-4189
Thema:
Biologie
,
Geologie und Paläontologie
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