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Nutrients on the move: Investigating large scale fatty acid exports from European ponds via emerging insects

Fehlinger, Lena ; Chaguaceda, Fernando ; Tirozzi, Pietro ; Tomás-Martín, Marina ; Jakobsson, Ellinor ; Chonova, Teofana ; Misteli, Benjamin ; Scotti, Alberto ; Henriques, Jorge F. and Rubio-Ríos, Juan , et al. (2025) In Limnology and Oceanography
Abstract
Permanent ponds are key landscape units that supply various ecosystem services. Notably, the export of aquatic subsidies to land via emerging insects may significantly influence terrestrial food webs. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which enhance consumer fitness, are among the essential exported components. The patterns and drivers of dietary exports from ponds via insects remain poorly known, particularly at continental scales. We analyzed the exports of biomass, lipid, and fatty acid contents from emerging insects, sampled in 36 ponds across 11 European countries, from 36°N to 59°N and from 26°W to 19°E, over four seasons. We found that biomass and fatty acid exports decreased with increasing latitude and were higher in spring and... (More)
Permanent ponds are key landscape units that supply various ecosystem services. Notably, the export of aquatic subsidies to land via emerging insects may significantly influence terrestrial food webs. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which enhance consumer fitness, are among the essential exported components. The patterns and drivers of dietary exports from ponds via insects remain poorly known, particularly at continental scales. We analyzed the exports of biomass, lipid, and fatty acid contents from emerging insects, sampled in 36 ponds across 11 European countries, from 36°N to 59°N and from 26°W to 19°E, over four seasons. We found that biomass and fatty acid exports decreased with increasing latitude and were higher in spring and summer. Seasonal effects also increased with higher latitudes. Temperature was the most important predictor of insect biomass, explaining 27.6% of the total variation and showing an unimodal response. Thus, increasing temperature may promote exports in colder regions and seasons but may negatively influence biomass exports in already warm regions. The exports of total lipids, PUFA, and eicosapentaenoic acid were correlated to exported biomass, while those of docosahexaenoic acid were linked to the emergence of Chaoboridae. Our findings indicated that PUFA contents were affected by taxonomic insect community composition and pond trophic state (indicated by chlorophyll a). Two of the correlates identified here (temperature and trophic state) are influenced by anthropogenic activity via climate and land use change, respectively. Thus, human activity impacts the food webs in and around ponds by influencing the quantity and quality of nutritional exports. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Freshwater, Biomass, small water bodies, Food web, PUFA
in
Limnology and Oceanography
publisher
ASLO
ISSN
0024-3590
DOI
10.1002/lno.70180
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ca98c197-10ff-472d-b2a8-e1f9db8acac2
date added to LUP
2025-08-19 14:40:07
date last changed
2025-08-21 13:11:41
@article{ca98c197-10ff-472d-b2a8-e1f9db8acac2,
  abstract     = {{Permanent ponds are key landscape units that supply various ecosystem services. Notably, the export of aquatic subsidies to land via emerging insects may significantly influence terrestrial food webs. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which enhance consumer fitness, are among the essential exported components. The patterns and drivers of dietary exports from ponds via insects remain poorly known, particularly at continental scales. We analyzed the exports of biomass, lipid, and fatty acid contents from emerging insects, sampled in 36 ponds across 11 European countries, from 36°N to 59°N and from 26°W to 19°E, over four seasons. We found that biomass and fatty acid exports decreased with increasing latitude and were higher in spring and summer. Seasonal effects also increased with higher latitudes. Temperature was the most important predictor of insect biomass, explaining 27.6% of the total variation and showing an unimodal response. Thus, increasing temperature may promote exports in colder regions and seasons but may negatively influence biomass exports in already warm regions. The exports of total lipids, PUFA, and eicosapentaenoic acid were correlated to exported biomass, while those of docosahexaenoic acid were linked to the emergence of Chaoboridae. Our findings indicated that PUFA contents were affected by taxonomic insect community composition and pond trophic state (indicated by chlorophyll a). Two of the correlates identified here (temperature and trophic state) are influenced by anthropogenic activity via climate and land use change, respectively. Thus, human activity impacts the food webs in and around ponds by influencing the quantity and quality of nutritional exports.}},
  author       = {{Fehlinger, Lena and Chaguaceda, Fernando and Tirozzi, Pietro and Tomás-Martín, Marina and Jakobsson, Ellinor and Chonova, Teofana and Misteli, Benjamin and Scotti, Alberto and Henriques, Jorge F. and Rubio-Ríos, Juan and Morant, Daniel and Marle, Pierre and Kolar, Vojtech and Stamenković, Olivera and Mondav, Rhiannon and Münzner, Karla and Osakpolor, Stephen Esosa and Bonacina, Luca and Nava, Veronica and Drohan, Emma and Fenoy, Encarnacion and Llorente, Alfredo and Mathieu-Resuge, Margaux and Halabowski, Dariusz and Juvigny-Khenafou, Noel P. D. and Martelo, Joana and Nash, Liam N. and Fahy, Julie C. and Cunillera-Montcusí, David and Balibrea, Ana and Rimcheska, Biljana}},
  issn         = {{0024-3590}},
  keywords     = {{Freshwater; Biomass; small water bodies; Food web; PUFA}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  publisher    = {{ASLO}},
  series       = {{Limnology and Oceanography}},
  title        = {{Nutrients on the move: Investigating large scale fatty acid exports from European ponds via emerging insects}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.70180}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/lno.70180}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}