Assessing carbon dynamics in natural and perturbed boreal aquatic systems

Most natural freshwater lakes are net greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters. Compared to natural systems, human perturbations such as watershed wood harvesting and long‐term reservoir impoundment lead to profound alterations of biogeochemical processes involved in the aquatic cycle of carbon (C). We exploited these anthropogenic alterations to describe the C dynamics in five lakes and two reservoirs from the boreal forest through the analysis of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), oxygen (O2), and organic carbon (DOC), as well as total nitrogen and phosphorus. Dissolved and particulate organic matter, forest soil/litter and leachates, as well as dissolved inorganic carbon were analyzed for elemental and stable isotopic compositions (atomic C:N ratios, δ13Corg, δ13Cinorg and δ15Ntot). We found links between the export of terrestrial organic matter (OM) to these systems and the dissolved CO2 and O2 concentrations in the water column, as well as CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere. All systems were GHG emitters, with greater emissions measured for systems with larger inputs of terrestrial OM. The differences in CO2 concentrations and fluxes appear controlled by bacterial activity in the water column and the sediment. Although we clearly observed differences in the aquatic C cycle between natural and perturbed systems, more work on a larger number of water bodies and encompassing all four seasons should be undertaken to better understand the controls, rates, and spatial as well as temporal variability of GHG emissions, and to make quantitatively meaningful comparisons of GHG emissions (and other key variables) from natural and perturbed systems. Key Points Terrestrial inputs of DOC and nutrients modulate bacterial activity Bacterial activity modulates dissolved gases' concentrations and fluxes The balance between auto‐ and heterotrophy is affected by human perturbations