Natural trophic variability in a large, oligotrophic, near-pristine lake

Conclusions drawn from stable isotope data can be limited by an incomplete understanding of natural isotopic variability over time and space. We quantified spatial and temporal variability in fish carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in Lake Hovsgol, Mongolia, a large, remote, oligotrophic lake with an unusually species-poor fish community. The fish community demonstrated a high degree of trophic level overlap. Variability in delta C-13 was inversely related to littoral-benthic dependence, with pelagic species demonstrating more PC variability than littoral-benthic species. A mixed effects model suggested that space (sampling location) had a greater impact than time (collection year) on both delta C-13 and delta N-15 variability. The observed variability in Lake Hovsgol was generally greater than isotopic variability documented in other large, oligotrophic lakes, similar to isotopic shifts attributed to introduced species, and less than isotopic shifts attributed to anthropogenic chemical changes such as eutrophication. This work complements studies on isotopic variability and changes in other lakes around the world. (C) 2015 International Association for Great Lakes Research. Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.