http://hdl.handle.net/10854/7115 2026-04-17T10:27:10Z http://hdl.handle.net/10854/7117 Feedbacks between climate change and eutrophication: revisiting the allied attack concept and how to strike back Meerhoff, Mariana; Audet, Joachim; Davidson, Thomas A.; Meester, Luc de; Hilt, Sabine; Kosten, Sarian; Liu, Zhengwen; Mazzeo, Néstor; Paerl, Hans; Scheffer, Marten; Jeppesen, Erik Despite its well-established negative impacts on society and biodiversity, eutrophication continues to be one of the most pervasive anthropogenic influence along the freshwater to marine continuum. The interaction between eutrophication and climate change, particularly climate warming, was explicitly focused upon a decade ago in the paper by Moss et al. (2011), which called for an integrated response to both problems, given their apparent synergy. In this review, we summarise advances in the theoretical framework and empirical research on this issue and analyse the current understanding of the major drivers and mechanisms by which climate change can enhance eutophication, and vice versa, with a particular focus on shallow lakes. Climate change can affect nutrient loading, through changes at the catchment and landscape levels by affecting hydrological patterns and fire frequency, and through temperature effects on nutrient cycling. Biotic communities and their interactions can also be directly and indirectly affected by climate change, leading to an overall weakening of resilience to eutrophication impacts. Increasing empirical evidence now indicates several mechanisms by which eutrophying aquatic systems can increasingly act as important sources of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, particularly methane. We also highlight potential feedbacks between eutrophication, cyanobacterial blooms, and climate change. Facing both challenges at the same time is more pressing than ever. Meaningful and strong measures at the landscape and water body levels are therefore required if we are to ensure ecosystem resilience and safe water supply, conserving biodiversity, and decreasing the carbon footprint of freshwaters. 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10854/7116 Habitat complexity in shallow lakes and ponds: importance, threats, and potential for restoration Meerhoff, Mariana; González-Sagrario, María de los Ángeles In this review we describe patterns and mechanisms by which habitat complexity is crucial for the functioning of 10 shallow lakes and ponds, and for the abundance and diversity of biological communities in these ecosystems. Habitat 11 complexity is affected by processes acting at different spatial scales, from the landscape scale to the ecosystem level 12 (i.e., morphometric attributes) generate different complexities, determining the potential for organisms to succeed and 13 processes to occur such as energy and nutrient transfer, fluxes of greenhouse gases, among others. At the local scale, the 14 three major habitats, pelagic, littoral, and benthic, are characterised by different degrees of structural complexity and a 15 particular set of organisms and processes. Direct and indirect effects of changes in within-lake habitat complexity can 16 either hinder or promote regime shifts in these systems. We also review several anthropogenic pressures 17 (eutrophication, urbanisation, introduction of exotic species, and climate change) that decrease lake resilience through 18 changes in habitat complexity and strategists for habitat complexity restoration. Overall, we emphasize the need to 19 preserve and restore habitat complexity as key challenges to account for ecosystem integrity, maintenance of 20 local/regional biodiversity, and provision of crucial ecosystem services (e.g., biodiversity, self-purification, and carbon 21 sequestration). 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z