Nutrient enrichment changes the nature of invertebrate food webs in raised bog pools

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Mon, 11/07/2011 - 15:31 — susann.warnecke
Authors: 
G.A. van Duinen, K. Vermonden, A.M.T. Brock, R.S.E.W. Leuven, A.J.P. Smolders, G. van der Velde, W.C.E.P. Verberk and H. Esselink
Book (published in): 
After Wise Use – The Future of Peatlands, Proceedings of the 13th International Peat Congress: Pristine Mire Landscapes
Venue: 
Tullamore, Ireland
Year: 
2011
Keywords: 
eutrophication, nutrients, fauna, invertebrates, food web

Summary:

Drainage and increased atmospheric nitrogen and sulphur deposition results in increased nutrient availability in naturally nutrient-poor bogs. To study if increased nutrient availability changes the bog food web, stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen of basal food sources (living plants and dead organic matter) and invertebrates were compared between bog pools, differing in nutrient availability, in Estonia and the Netherlands. For part of the invertebrate community, trophic relations could not be inferred from measured basal food sources. One or more basal carbon sources with a low stable isotope ratio for carbon still need to be identified. This unidentified carbon source becomes less important with increasing nutrient availability.