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Animal–plant–microbe interactions: direct and indirect effects of swan foraging behaviour modulate methane cycling in temperate shallow wetlands

  • Plant Animal Interactions
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Abstract

Wetlands are among the most important ecosystems on Earth both in terms of productivity and biodiversity, but also as a source of the greenhouse gas CH4. Microbial processes catalyzing nutrient recycling and CH4 production are controlled by sediment physico-chemistry, which is in turn affected by plant activity and the foraging behaviour of herbivores. We performed field and laboratory experiments to evaluate the direct effect of herbivores on soil microbial activity and their indirect effects as the consequence of reduced macrophyte density, using migratory Bewick’s swans (Cygnus columbianus bewickii Yarrell) feeding on fennel pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.) tubers as a model system. A controlled foraging experiment using field enclosures indicated that swan bioturbation decreases CH4 production, through a decrease in the activity of methanogenic Archaea and an increased rate of CH4 oxidation in the bioturbated sediment. We also found a positive correlation between tuber density (a surrogate of plant density during the previous growth season) and CH4 production activity. A laboratory experiment showed that sediment sterilization enhances pondweed growth, probably due to elimination of the negative effects of microbial activity on plant growth. In summary, the bioturbation caused by swan grazing modulates CH4 cycling by means of both direct and indirect (i.e. plant-mediated) effects with potential consequences for CH4 emission from wetland systems.

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Acknowledgements

Thijs de Boer, Oscar Langevoord and Klaas Siewertsen provided technical support in the field and laboratory. Special thanks are due to Wiecher Smant (NIOO-KNAW, Centre for Terrestrial Ecology) for carrying out part of the chemical analyses. This publication is publication number 3839 of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Centre for Limnology, Nieuwersluis, the Netherlands. The authors declare hereby that all experiments described in the present study comply with the current laws in the Netherlands.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbial Wetland Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Centre for Limnology, Rijksstraatweg 6, 3631AC, Nieuwersluis, The Netherlands

    Paul L. E. Bodelier, Maayke Stomp & Hendrikus J. Laanbroek

  2. Aquatic Microbiology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Maayke Stomp

  3. Department of Plant–Animal Interactions, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Centre for Limnology, Rijksstraatweg 6, 3631AC, Nieuwersluis, The Netherlands

    Luis Santamaria & Marcel Klaassen

  4. Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Miquel Marquès 21, 07190, Esporles, Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain

    Luis Santamaria

Authors
  1. Paul L. E. Bodelier
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  2. Maayke Stomp
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  3. Luis Santamaria
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  4. Marcel Klaassen
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  5. Hendrikus J. Laanbroek
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Correspondence to Paul L. E. Bodelier.

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Communicated by Christian Körner

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Bodelier, P.L.E., Stomp, M., Santamaria, L. et al. Animal–plant–microbe interactions: direct and indirect effects of swan foraging behaviour modulate methane cycling in temperate shallow wetlands. Oecologia 149, 233–244 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0445-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0445-9

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