Dissolved inorganic carbon determines the abundance of microbial primary producers and primary production in Tibetan Plateau lakes

Climate change globally accelerates the shrinkage of inland lakes, resulting in increases in both water salinity and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). The increases of salinity and DIC generate contrasting effects on microbial primary producers and primary production, however, their combined effects remain unclear in aquatic ecosystems. We hypothesized that increased DIC mitigates the constraints of enhanced salinity on microbial primary producers and primary production. To test this, we employed isotope labeling and molecular methods to explore primary production and four dominant types of microbial primary producers (form IA, IB, IC and ID) in lakes on the Tibetan Plateau. Results showed that DIC was positively correlated with the abundance of the form IAB and ID microbial primary producers and primary production (all P < 0.001) and offset salinity constraints. Structural equation models elucidated that DIC substantially enhanced primary production by stimulating the abundance of form ID microbial primary producers. The abundance of form ID primary producers explained more variations (14.6%) of primary production than form JAB (6%) and physicochemical factors (6.8%). Diatoms form ID) played a determinant role in primary production in the lakes by adapting to high DIC and high salinity. Our findings suggest that inland lakes may support higher primary productivity in future climate change scenarios.

Automated summary

Climate change accelerates the shrinkage of inland lakes globally, leading to increased water salinity and DIC. The study found that increased DIC mitigates the constraints of salinity on microbial primary producers and primary production, enhancing primary productivity in lakes. The findings suggest that inland lakes may support higher primary productivity in future climate change scenarios.