Aquatic ecosystems are deeply connected to riparian environments. It is now known that these two systems are linked by flows of energy and matter – called cross-ecosystem subsidies – possibly occurring through pulsed perturbations events. Terrestrial pulses can generate many changes over lentic systems, such as the benthic-pelagic coupling – and variations in intrinsic parameters of these perturbations can lead to different responses from the recipient ecosystem. However, a knowledge gap remains in the understanding of the consequences of the variations of allochthonous pulses on the structure and the functioning of lentic aquatic ecosystems. This presentation will show the advances of the experimental study in aquatic mesocosms conducted in 2022 at the Laurentian Biological Station – exploring the differential effects of the alteration of 1) allochthonous resource quality (i.e. subsidies) and 2) pulse dynamics (i.e. abruptness) on different parameters of aquatic mesocosms, including physicochemical parameters, zooplankton, and macroinvertebrates communities.

Primary Presenter: Charlie Sarran, Université de Montréal (charlie.sarran@umontreal.ca)

Authors:

Éric Harvey, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières  (eric.harvey@uqtr.ca)

Beatrix Beisner, Université du Québec à Montréal  (beisner.beatrix@uqam.ca)