Nutrients and warming alter mountain lake benthic algal structure and function

In recent years, benthic algae have been increasing in abundance the littoral zones of oligotrophic lakes, but causality has hard to assign. We used field and laboratory experiments explore implications water temperature nutrient availability for algal assemblages ecosystem processes a Colorado alpine lake. tested effect enrichment on relative taxonomic groups situ using diffusing substrata. manipulated concentrations assays assess their interactive effects function chlorophyte-dominated assemblages. Nutrient with both N P favored Chlorophyta (green algae) produced highest overall biomass. absence enrichment, Bacillariophyta (diatoms) was substantially greater than that cyanobacteria. assays, uptake increased net production decreased warming temperatures, resulting reduced N-use efficiency. Even though dissolved organic C (DOC) solution after all incubations, lower DOC added warmer temperatures suggest nutrients stimulated heterotrophic microorganisms as well primary producers. Our results demonstrate stimulates increase chlorophytes may alter ongoing, rapid environmental change, including cycling metabolic functions lake habitats.