Ecological Stoichiometry and Multi-element Transfer in a Coastal Ecosystem

Energy (carbon) flows and element cycling are fundamental, interlinked principles explaining ecosystem processes. The element balance in components, interactions and processes in ecosystems (ecological stoichiometry; ES) has been used to study trophic dynamics and element cycling. This study extends ES beyond its usual limits of C, N, and P and examines the distribution and transfer of 48 elements in 16 components of a coastal ecosystem, using empirical and modeling approaches. Major differences in elemental composition were demonstrated between abiotic and biotic compartments and trophic levels due to differences in taxonomy and ecological function. Mass balance modeling for each element, based on carbon fluxes and element:C ratios, was satisfactory for 92.5% of all element–compartment combinations despite the complexity of the ecosystem model. Model imbalances could mostly be explained by ecological processes, such as increased element uptake during the spring algal bloom. Energy flows in ecosystems can thus realistically estimate element transfer in the environment, as modeled uptake is constrained by metabolic rates and elements available. The dataset also allowed us to examine one of the key concepts of ES, homeostasis, for more elements than is normally possible. The relative concentrations of elements in organisms compared to their resources did not provide support for the theory that autotrophs show weak homeostasis and showed that the strength of homeostasis by consumers depends on the type of element (for example, macroelement, trace element). Large-scale, multi-element ecosystem studies are essential to evaluate and advance the framework of ES and the importance of ecological processes.     

Effects of land-rise on the development of a coastal ecosystem of the Baltic Sea and its implications for the long-term fate of 14C discharges

Due to the long half-lives of many radionuclides, safety assessments of nuclear waste facilities often need to consider the potential fate of radionuclides discharged to the environment in the future. In this study we explored the environmental fate of a hypothetical ¹⁴C release from a nuclear waste repository to a Baltic Sea bay in 2000 years. This was accomplished by connecting spatially linked biomasses and metabolic rates from a carbon flow model of the ecosystem at the site today to predicted changes in geomorphology and water exchange regimes. The employed extrapolation method was selected as shoreline displacement due to land-rise and sea level changes is the main process that affects the development of the coastal ecosystem around the repository in the coming 10 000 years. The modelling results indicate that the ecosystem will go through changes in several ecosystem properties in the coming 2000-year period, e.g. a decreased rate of primary production and changed feeding preferences of the fish community. Also, a decreased total biomass is expected and an ecosystem change altering the balance between producers and consumers towards a dominance of benthic plants. The changes of the ecosystem structure and carbon dynamics will also influence the potential fate of future discharges of ¹⁴C. We estimated an up to 1000 times higher ¹⁴C concentrations in biota compared to today. However, due to radioactive decay and reduced total biomass in the receiving ecosystem, the proportion of accumulated radionuclides is expected to decrease. Although the modelling approach used in this study is associated with several sources of uncertainty, it provides a way to both qualitatively and quantitatively assess likely effects of future discharges of contaminants.