The use of stable carbon isotopes as tracers of ecosystem functioning in contrasting wetland ecosystems of Lake Victoria, Kenya

Gichuki, J.; Triest, L.; Dehairs, F.

doi:/10.1023/A:1013188229590

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The use of stable carbon isotopes as tracers of ecosystem functioning in contrasting wetland ecosystems of Lake Victoria, Kenya

Gichuki, J.; Triest, L.; Dehairs, F. (2001). The use of stable carbon isotopes as tracers of ecosystem functioning in contrasting wetland ecosystems of Lake Victoria, Kenya. Hydrobiologia 458(1-3): 91-97. dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1013188229590

In: Hydrobiologia. Springer: The Hague. ISSN 0018-8158; e-ISSN 1573-5117

Available in	Authors
VLIZ: Open Marine Archive 99879 [ download pdf ]

Keywords

Africa, Victoria L.
Analysis > Sediment analysis
Chemical elements > Nonmetals > Carbon
Ecosystems
Flora > Aquatic organisms > Aquatic plants
Isotopes
Isotopes > Carbon isotopes
Isotopes > Carbon isotopes > Carbon 13
Kenya
Kenya, Victoria L.
Sediments
Tanzania, Victoria L.
Uganda, Victoria L.
Water bodies > Inland waters > Lakes
Water bodies > Inland waters > Rivers
Water bodies > Inland waters > Wetlands
Cyperus papyrus; Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms [WoRMS]
Kenya [Marine Regions]; Victoria, Lake [Marine Regions]; Victoria, Lake [Marine Regions]; Victoria, Lake [Marine Regions]; Victoria, Lake [Marine Regions]
Fresh water

Author keywords

stable carbon isotopes; tracers; ecosystem functioning; Lake Victoria

Authors		Top
Gichuki, J. Triest, L. Dehairs, F.

Abstract

Aquatic macrophytes and sediments from two contrasting wetland ecosystems of Lake Victoria, Kenya (Lower Sondu Miriu and Kibos systems) were analyzed for their stable carbon isotopic composition in order to observe patterns in system functioning in these two ecosystems. The aquatic macrophytes had carbon isotope ratios ranging from –8.92 to –29.18 per mil (parts per thousand difference from the reference). For the dominant macrophytes, we observed most ¹³C enriched values for Cyperus papyrus and most ¹³C depleted values for Eichhornia crassipes. On transects from the river to the lake, Kibos sediments maintained lower carbon isotope signatures compared to the Lower Sondu Miriu sediments. The possible causes of the observed variation in the ¹³C signatures from sediments and aquatic macrophytes in the two-wetland ecosystems are outlined.

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