학술논문

Are different benthic communities in Arctic delta lakes distinguishable along a hydrological connectivity gradient using a rapid bioassessment approach?
Document Type
Academic Journal
Source
Arctic Science. December, 2020, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p463, 25 p.
Subject
Northwest Territories
Canada
Arctic
Language
English
Abstract
Aquatic habitats in the Canadian Arctic are expected to come under increasing stress due to projected effects of climate change. There is a need for community-based bio-monitoring programs to observe and understand the effects of these stressors on the environment. Here we present results from a 5 year annual sampling program of benthic invertebrates from lakes in the Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories, using a rapid bio-assessment protocol. Connectivity between the deltaic lakes and main channels is a major driver of lake function and is expected to be substantially impacted by climate change. Lakes were selected along a gradient of connectivity based on sill elevation above the river. Using multivariate analyses of community structure, we determined that benthic assemblages responded to differences in connection time among lakes. This response was detected using a coarse taxonomic level that could be applied by community groups or volunteers but was stronger when invertebrates were identified to the family and genus levels. A secondary gradient was observed that corresponded to productivity gradients in lakes that are isolated from the river during summer. We show that benthic assemblages have potential use as sensitive indicators of climate-mediated changes to the hydrology of lakes in the Mackenzie Delta. Key words: benthic invertebrates, biomonitoring, Mackenzie Delta, floodplain lakes, limnology. Les habitats aquatiques de l'Arctique canadien devraient subir un stress croissant en raison des effets prevus des changements climatiques. Il faut des programmes communautaires de biosurveillance pour observer et comprendre les effets de ces facteurs de stress sur l'environnement. Nous presentons ici les resultats d'un programme d'echantillonnage annuel quinquennal des invertebres benthiques des lacs du delta du Mackenzie, dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest, au moyen d'un protocole de bioevaluation rapide. La connectivite entre les lacs deltaiques et les principaux chenaux est un facteur important de la fonction des lacs et devrait etre considerablement affectee par les changements climatiques. Les lacs ont ete choisis le long d'un gradient de connectivite fonde sur la hauteur du seuil au-dessus de la riviere. A l'aide d'analyses multivariees de la structure des communautes, nous avons determine que les assemblages benthiques repondaient aux differences de temps de connexion entre les lacs. Cette reponse a ete detectee a l'aide d'un niveau taxonomique general pouvant etre applique par des groupes communautaires ou des volontaires, mais elle etait plus forte lorsque les invertebres etaient identifies aux niveaux de la famille et du genre. On a observe un gradient secondaire qui correspondait aux gradients de productivite dans les lacs isoles de la riviere pendant l'ete. Nous montrons que les assemblages benthiques peuvent etre utilises comme indicateurs sensibles des changements climatiques dans l'hydrologie des lacs du delta du Mackenzie. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : invertebres benthiques, biosurveillance, delta du Mackenzie, lacs des plaines inondables, limnologie.
Introduction The western Canadian Arctic has experienced increases in mean annual temperature of 2-3 [degrees]C and in winter temperature of 3-4 [degrees]C over the past six decades, which are projected [...]