Changes in Biological Production and Lake Chemistry in Lake Tanganyika over the Past 400 Years

Abstract:

We present biogenic silica (BSi) data as a proxy for primary productivity in three cores from the Luiche Platform region of Lake Tanganyika. We also present complementary sedimentary records of the nitrogen and organic carbon isotopes. Preliminary analysis of the BSi data suggests that in two cores located at approximately 100 meters, productivity began to decline at approximately 1700 CE with an initial plateau at roughly 1800 CE. Since approximately 1800 CE, the sedimentary biogenic silica contents vary, but are generally lower than in the earlier portions of the record. These observations are consistent with prior work; however, our results suggest that the decline in primary production may have occurred earlier at these shallower sites than previously inferred for a deeper core (Tierney et al., 2010). This different response between the shallower sites and deeper off shore sites may be driven by differences in nutrient supply, spatial variability, or some other factor. Sedimentary nitrogen isotope data generally show an inverse relationship to the BSi data in the shallower cores. One possible interpretation of this inverse relationship is that there is a shift in the source of the primary nitrogen being utilized within the photic zone, with a larger contribution of nitrogen fixation occurring during times of lower productivity and a larger contribution of upwelled nitrogen occurring during times of higher productivity.

Tierney, J.E., M.M. Mayes, N. Meyer, C. Johnson, P. Swarzenski, A.S. Cohen, and J.M. Russell (2010) The Unprecedented Warming of Lake Tanganyika. Nature Geoscience, 3, 422-425, DOI: 10.1038/NGEO865