Ecosystem exploitation, sustainability and biodiversity: Are they compatible?

This articles offers a basis for describing sustainability and then seeks to place this concept on an energetic basis by reference to recent advances in the understanding of patterns and processes in (mainly pelagic) fresh waters. Finally, by relating these to terrestrial ecosystems, it is shown how their sustainability may be attained through encouraging healthy fresh waters. Features of population succession are taken from observations on phytoplankton ecology

Testable models of aquatic systems: A NERC special topic for integrating experiments and modelling

A major part of the support for fundamental research on aquatic ecosystems continues to be provided by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Funds are released for ”thematic” studies in a selected special topic or programme. ”Testable Models of Aquatic Ecosystems” was a Special Topic of the NERC, initiated in 1995, the aim of which was to promote ecological modelling by making new links between experimental aquatic biologists and state-of-the-art modellers. The Topic covered both marine and freshwater systems. This paper summarises projects on aspects of the responses of individual organisms to the effects of environmental variability, on the assembly, permanence and resilience of communities, and on aspects of spatial models. The authors conclude that the NERC Special Topic has been highly successful in promoting the development and application of models, most particularly through the interplay between experimental ecologists and formal modellers

Chemical composition and the nitrogen-regulated trophic state of Patagonian lakes

AbstractChemical composition and nutrient concentrations of 39 relatively poorly known Patagonian lakes (38–50°S and from 70° to 68°W) are described and analysed using principal component analysis (PCA). The general relationships between nutrients (total phosphorus, bioavailable phosphorus and dissolved inorganic nitrogen) and plankton biomass are examined.We seek to demonstrate that the extreme oligotrophy characterising many lakes and reservoirs of the Argentine Patagonian region of South America owes more to nitrogen deficiency than to a shortage of available phosphorus. The data show a range of trophic conditions with variable water chemistry characteristics.The first two axes of the PCA ordination explain most of the variance (63%). The first component of the variance in the environmental data is a trophic gradient, with positive correlations with the concentrations of nutrients (TP, SRP, DIN) and electrical conductivity and a negative correlation with transparency. For all the reservoirs considered, the calculated annual, summer and winter chlorophyll-a carrying capacities of the available phosphorus were consistently and significantly (P<0.05) in excess of observations but maximum chlorophyll-a values correlate with DIN availability. Indeed the chlorophyll-a carrying capacities, as an index of the resource-sustainable maximum biomass, of the available nitrogen gives a better predictive yield relationship than does P. Our findings are remarkable in so far as the general expectation that dinitrogen-fixing phytoplankton should thrive in the absence of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, at least to the supportive limits of the available phosphorus, is unfulfilled

Toxic blue-green algae: The "problem" in perspective

The incidence of blue-green algal blooms and surface scum-formation are certainly not new phenomena. Many British and European authors have been faithfully describing the unmistakable symptoms of blue-green algal scums for over 800 years. There is no disputing that blue-green algal toxins are extremely harmful. Three quite separate categories of compound have been separated: neurotoxins; hepatotoxins and lipopolysaccharides. There is a popular association between blue-green algae and eutrophication. Certainly the main nuisance species - of Microcystis, Anabaena and Aphanizomenon are rare in oligotrophic lakes and reservoirs. Several approaches have been proposed for the control of blue-green algae. Distinction is made between methods for discharging algae already present (eg algicides; straw bales; viruses; parasitic fungi and herbivorous ciliates), and methods for averting an anticipated abundance in the future (phosphorous control, artificial circulation etc)

Editorial

Abstrac

Editorial

Editorial for Volume 4, Issue 1

Editorial

Editorial from Volume 3, Issue 2

Editorial

This document is the editorial for Volume 1, Issue 1 (2008)

Editorial

This document is the editorial from Volume 2, Issue 1 (2009)