Lake salinization drives consistent losses of zooplankton abundance and diversity across coordinated mesocosm experiments

Human-induced salinization increasingly threatens inland waters; yet we know little about the multifaceted response of lake communities to salt contamination. By conducting a coordinated mesocosm experiment of lake salinization across 16 sites in North America and Europe, we quantified the response of zooplankton abundance and (taxonomic and functional) community structure to a broad gradient of environmentally relevant chloride concentrations, ranging from 4 to ca. 1400 mg Cl^{− L−1}. We found that crustaceans were distinctly more sensitive to elevated chloride than rotifers; yet, rotifers did not show compensatory abundance increases in response to crustacean declines. For crustaceans, our among-site comparisons indicate: (1) highly consistent decreases in abundance and taxon richness with salinity; (2) widespread chloride sensitivity across major taxonomic groups (Cladocera, Cyclopoida, and Calanoida); and (3) weaker loss of functional than taxonomic diversity. Overall, our study demonstrates that aggregate properties of zooplankton communities can be adversely affected at chloride concentrations relevant to anthropogenic salinization in lakes.

Presentation Preference: Oral

Primary Presenter: Celia Symons, University of California, Irvine (csymons@uci.edu)

Authors:

Marie-Pier Hébert, Interuniversity Group in Limnology (GRIL), Université du Québec à Montréal  (mphebert4@gmail.com)

Celia Symons, University of California, Irvine  (csymons@uci.edu)

Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles, Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management group (FEHM), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de l'Aigua, Universitat de Barcelona  (mcanedo.fem@gmail.com)

Shelley Arnott, Department of Biology, Queen's University  (arnotts@queensu.ca)

Alison Derry, Interuniversity Group in Limnology (GRIL) and Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal  (derry.alison@uqam.ca)

Vincent Fugère, Interuniversity Group in Limnology (GRIL), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières  (Vincent.Fugere@uqtr.ca)

William Hintz, Department of Environmental Sciences and Lake Erie Center, The University of Toledo  (hintzwd@gmail.com)

Stephanie Melles, Department of Chemistry & Biology, Ryerson University  (stephanie.melles@ryerson.ca)

Louis Astorg, Interuniversity Group in Limnology (GRIL) and Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal  (louisastorg@msn.com)

Henry Baker, Section of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California San Diego  (hkbaker@ucsd.edu)

Jennifer Brentrup, Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College  (jennifer.a.brentrup@dartmouth.edu)

Amy Downing, Department of Zoology, Ohio Wesleyan University  (aldownin@owu.edu)

Zeynep Ersoy, Rui Nabeiro' Biodiversity Chair, MED – Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Universidade de Évora  (zzeynepersoy@gmail.com)

Carmen Espinosa, BETA Technological Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia  (carmen.espinosa@uvic.cat)

Jaclyn Franceschini, Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University  (franceschini.jaclyn@gmail.com)

Angelina Giorgio, Department of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  (angelinatg14@gmail.com)

Norman Göbeler, Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki  (norman.gobeler@helsinki.fi)

Derek Gray, Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University  (dgray@wlu.ca)

Danielle Greco, Department of Biology, Queen's University  (daniellegreco9@gmail.com)

Emily Hassal, Biological Science, Ontario Tech University  (emily.hassal@ontariotechu.net)

Mercedes Huynh, Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University  (huyn2150@mylaurier.ca)

Samuel Hylander, Centre for ecology and evolution in microbial model systems, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University  (samuel.hylander@lnu.se)

Kacie Jonasen, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University  (kaciejonasen@gmail.com)

Andrea Kirkwood, Biological Science, Ontario Tech University  (andrea.kirkwood@uoit.ca)

Silke Langenheder, Department of Ecology and Genetics/Limnology, Uppsala University  (silke.langenheder@ebc.uu.se)

Ola Langvall, Unit for Field-based Forest Research, Siljansfors Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Science  (ola.langvall@slu.se)

Hjalmar Laudon, Department of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Science  (hjalmar.laudon@slu.se)

Lovisa Lind, Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstads Univeristy  (lovisa.lind@kau.se)

Maria Lundgren, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University  (maria.lundgren@lnu.se)

Alex McClymont, Department of Biology, Queen's University  (17acm5@queensu.ca)

Lorenzo Proia, BETA Technological Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia  (lorenzo.proia@uvic.cat)

Rick Relyea, Department of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  (relyer@rpi.edu)

James Rusak, Dorset Environmental Science Centre, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Dorset ON P0A 1E0 / Department of Biology, Queen's University  (jim.rusak@ontario.ca)

Matthew Schuler, Department of Biology, Montclair State University  (schulerm@montclair.edu)

Catherine Searle, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University  (searlec@purdue.edu)

Jonathan Shurin, Section of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California San Diego  (jshurin@ucsd.edu)

Christopher Steiner, Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University  (csteiner@wayne.edu)

Maren Striebel, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of Marine Environments (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University  (maren.striebel@uni-oldenburg.de)

Simon Thibodeau, Interuniversity Group in Limnology (GRIL) and Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal  (thibodeau.sim@gmail.com)

Pablo Urrutia Cordero, Department of Ecology and Genetics/Limnology, Uppsala University  (pablo.urrutiacordero@ebc.uu.se)

Lidia Vendrell-Puigmitja, BETA Technological Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia  (lidia.vendrell@uvic.cat)

Gesa Weyhenmeyer, Department of Ecology and Genetics/Limnology, Uppsala University  (gesa.weyhenmeyer@ebc.uu.se)

Beatrix Beisner, Interuniversity Group in Limnology (GRIL) and Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal  (beisner.beatrix@uqam.ca)