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Influences of Multi-Scale Habitat on Metabolism in a Coastal Great Lakes Watershed

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Abstract

Spatial heterogeneity influences ecosystem structure and function across multiple habitat scales. Although primary production and respiration are fundamental to energy cycling in aquatic ecosystems, we know relatively little about how habitat scale influences metabolism. In this study, we adopted a multi-scale habitat approach to evaluate primary production and respiration in a coastal Great Lakes watershed that is experiencing pressure from past, present, and anticipated future human activities. We divided the watershed into five macrohabitats (stream, river, wetland, drowned-river mouth lake, and Great Lake), two mesohabitats (benthic and water column), and four microhabitats (periphytic substrates: sand/sediment, rock, wood, and plant) for evaluation of spatial patterns and synchrony in metabolism. Factors that influenced patterns of metabolism were scale dependent. Algal biomass strongly influenced spatial patterns in metabolism at the meso- and microhabitat scales; greater algal biomass translated to higher areal-specific and lower chlorophyll-specific metabolism at benthic mesohabitat and sand/sediment and rock microhabitats. Benthic metabolism overwhelmed water column metabolism, irrespective of location or time of year. Watershed position was important at the macrohabitat scale, with greater overall metabolism in macrohabitats located lower in the watershed. Average synchrony in metabolism rates was greatest at the macrohabitat scale, suggesting metabolic patterns that are evident at finer scales may become integrated at coarser scales. Our results (1) show that spatial and temporal patterns in metabolism are shaped by factors that are dependent upon habitat scale; (2) highlight the importance of benthic productivity across habitat and season; and (3) suggest that hydrologic connectivity strongly influences ecosystem processes, although physical factors can affect these responses as evidenced by the low levels of synchrony between Lake Michigan and the other macrohabitats.

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Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to Lori Nemeth, Allison (Trumble) Altman, and Brad Robinson for their assistance with field work and laboratory processing, Maggie Weinert for assistance in data analysis, and Tom Bott for assistance in method development. We are grateful to Eric Snyder for help in designing the benthic chambers and Eric Nemeth for help in assembling them. Funding was provided by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University, 740 W. Shoreline Dr., Muskegon, Michigan, 49441, USA

    Mary E. Ogdahl & Alan D. Steinman

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, Texas, 79968, USA

    Vanessa L. Lougheed

  3. Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, 203 Natural Science Building, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA

    R. Jan Stevenson

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  1. Mary E. Ogdahl
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  2. Vanessa L. Lougheed
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  3. R. Jan Stevenson
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  4. Alan D. Steinman
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Correspondence to Mary E. Ogdahl.

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Author Contributions

M. Ogdahl performed research, analyzed data, and wrote the article. V. Lougheed conceived of or designed study and performed research. R. J. Stevenson conceived of or designed study. A. Steinman conceived of or designed study, wrote the article.

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Ogdahl, M.E., Lougheed, V.L., Stevenson, R.J. et al. Influences of Multi-Scale Habitat on Metabolism in a Coastal Great Lakes Watershed. Ecosystems 13, 222–238 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-009-9312-y

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