Nutrient release from moose bioturbation in aquatic ecosystems

While the ecological importance of bioturbation is well recognized and the prevalence of aquatic foraging by terrestrial ungulates is increasingly appreciated, research linking how terrestrial ungulates function as disturbance mechanisms via bioturbation in freshwater systems is lacking. The purpose of this study was to quantify potential nutrient pulses released from benthic sediments into the water column when moose Alces alces feed on aquatic plants. We also determined if we could experimentally mimic the benthic disturbance and the expected nutrient pulse created when moose feed aquatically. When moose foraged aquatically, significant releases of both total and dissolved phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) resulted in the waters that were disturbed in foraging areas compared to adjacent undisturbed waters. Nutrient concentrations for total P and N ranged from 42.5 × and 2.7 × greater in disturbed than undisturbed, respectively. Dissolved P and N were 26.8 × and 1.5 × greater, respective...尽管生物扰动（bioturbation）的生态重要性已得到广泛认可，陆生有蹄类动物（terrestrial ungulates）的水生觅食行为的普遍性也日益受到重视，但目前仍缺乏针对陆生有蹄类动物如何通过生物扰动在淡水生态系统中充当扰动因子的相关研究。本研究旨在量化当驼鹿（Alces alces）取食水生植物时，底栖沉积物（benthic sediments）向水体水柱（water column）释放的潜在营养脉冲。同时，本研究尝试探究是否可通过实验模拟驼鹿水生觅食所引发的底栖扰动与预期营养脉冲。当驼鹿进行水生觅食时，相较于邻近未受扰动的水域，觅食扰动区域的水体中总磷（total P）、溶解磷（dissolved P）、总氮（total N）与溶解氮（dissolved N）均出现显著释放。扰动水域的总磷与总氮浓度分别较未受扰动水域高出42.5倍与2.7倍；溶解磷与溶解氮浓度则分别高出26.8倍与1.5倍……