Silicon and the Baltic Sea Long-term Si decrease in the Baltic Sea - A conceivable ecological risk?

• Since the pioneering work of Schelske and Stoermer (1971) and Schelske et al., 1983 C.L. Schelske, E.F. Stoermer, D.J. Conley, J.A. Robbins and R.M. Glover, Early eutrophication in the Lower Great-Lakes — new evidence from biogenic silica in sediments, Science 222 (1983), pp. 320–322. View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (56)Schelske et al. (1983) it has been known that eutrophication of aquatic systems leads to depletion in dissolved silicate (DSi). Early studies on the Nile River have shown that the construction of dams leads to DSi decrease downstream due to the formation of additional deposition sites of biogenic silica (BSi) that was thought to consist mainly of diatoms. In the Baltic Sea there was a perception in the scientific community that DSi concentrations were high and therefore, that DSi concentrations were not limiting for diatom growth. Long-term trend analyses on DSi concentrations in the Baltic have shown decreasing trends in the 1970s and 1980s, whereas similar analysis for the 1990s concluded that DSi concentrations were no longer decreasing, but rather levelling off. Consequently, observations of reduced abundance of diatoms in the early 1990s were attributed to mild winters rather than low DSi concentrations, i.e., a low turbulence regime in the water column favouring non-siliceous algae. However, decadal nutrient trends in the Baltic Sea are significantly influenced by the large and varying internal Si pools in the sediments and deep water masses similar to that described for P dynamics in the Baltic Sea. No one seriously addressed the longer trends in DSi concentrations over the last century, whereas many studies estimated these changes for N and P.The EU funded research project SIBER (Silicate and Baltic Sea Ecosystem Response; EVK3-CT-2002-00069) began in 2002 with the objectives of understanding the major changes in Si dynamics in the Baltic Sea during the last century. The SIBER project addressed various aspects of the biogeochemical Si cycle in the Baltic Sea including constraining Si budgets for the Baltic Sea and its catchment, experiments describing the growth characteristics of Baltic diatoms related to the long-term trends in monitoring data of Baltic Sea diatoms.Si budgets are addressed by several papers in this special issue. Humborg et al. and Sferratore et al. describe riverine Si fluxes. Pastuszak et al. address estuarine Si fluxes. Redfield ratios including DSi and their development in the Baltic Sea are described by Danielsson et al.Possible ecosystem effects of changes in Redfield nutrient ratios are analysed in the paper by Olli et al. who examine phytoplankton responses in the Gulf of Riga and by Wasmund et al. who investigate long-term trends in phytoplankton species in the Kiel Bight. Spilling and Markager describe growth characteristics of Baltic Sea diatoms. Finally, in their paper Conley et al. present a long-term Si budget for the entire Baltic Sea for the first time.The Baltic Sea biogeochemical Si cycle has been fundamentally changed within the last century not only as a consequence of river regulation and lake eutrophication, but also through increases in the sediment accumulation of BSi (Conley et al.). Sediment accumulation of BSi has increased by a factor on 1.9 due to increased diatom growth from marine eutrophication. Results from the SIBER project indicate that DSi concentration were ca. 36 µM a century ago in the Baltic proper compared to ca. 13 µM observed today (Conley et al.). In fact, DSi concentrations have changed much more dramatically compared to N and P regarding the total changes in the available nutrient stocks. Similar changes have occurred in other large water bodies with respect to size and volume, i.e. the North American Great Lakes with long residence times where DSi decreased from 80–100 µM to ca. 25 µM. Surprisingly, such a major change in nutrient inventories has not been reported earlier in this well investigated coastal system. We are only starting to understand the possible ecological consequences, such as the occurrence of different diatom species that are less silicified and its implication for the sedimentation fluxes and carbon flux to benthic communities. The SIBER project has shown that a dramatic change in DSi concentrations is possible within a very short time period, although the situation appears stable today, perhaps since the drivers for this change, i.e. eutrophication and river regulation, have not changed within the last 30 years. However, even a slight increase in N and P loads and/or further damming of rivers may drive the Baltic Sea into Si-limitation.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Oceanografi, hydrologi och vattenresurser (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Oceanography, Hydrology and Water Resources (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Geologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Geology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

NATURAL SCIENCES

NATURVETENSKAP

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vet (subject category)

art (subject category)