Special Collection on Macrophytes in Italy Open access

Stable isotope variability in macrophytes and sediments of two shallow lakes in Sicily: a first contribution for ecological monitoring

Authors

Published
11 May 2026
Section
Special Collection on Macrophytes in Italy
DOI
10.4081/jlimnol.2026.2265

Abstract

We present the first isotopic dataset for two shallow, slightly brackish Mediterranean lakes in Sicily colonised by Chara baltica (Lago Preola) and Najas marina (Lago Murana). Seasonal stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and elements concentration (C%, N%) were measured in macrophytes and sediments over one year. Lago Murana sediments were more 13C-depleted than Lago Preola. Both lakes showed similar seasonality: 13C-enriched and 15N-depleted values in spring–summer, lower in autumn–winter. Greater seasonal variability in Preola indicates macrophyte-derived organic matter input to sediments, whereas Murana reflects run-off from surrounding pastures and vineyards. These results offer a preliminary framework for future work.

Keywords

References

  1. Asaeda T, Yamamuro M, Siong K, Rajapakse L, Sanderson B, 2008. Nutrient sources for charophytes and Najas marina in Myall Lake, Australia, indicated by carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios. SIL Proceedings 30:401-405. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03680770.2008.11902153
  2. Blindow I, Becker R, Romanov R, Schubert H, van de Weyer K, 2024. Taxon of uncertain affiliation “Mediterranean Chara”, pp. 1039-1049. In: H. Schubert, et al. (eds.), Charophytes of Europe. Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31898-6_80
  3. Boon PI, Bunn SE, 1994. Variations in the stable isotope composition of aquatic plants and their implications for food web analysis. Aquat Bot 48:99-108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3770(94)90077-9
  4. Chappuis E, Seriňà V, Martì E, Ballesteros E, Gacia E, 2017. Decrypting stable-isotope (δ13C and δ15N) variability in aquatic plants. Freshwater Biol 144:1807–1818. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.12996
  5. Close SL, Hacker SD, Menge BA, Chan F, Nielsen KJ, 2020. Biogeography of macrophyte elemental composition: Spatiotemporal modification of species-level traits. Ecosystems 23:1494-1522. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-020-00484-w
  6. Evans RD, 2001. Physiological mechanisms influencing plant nitrogen isotope composition. Trends Plant Sci 6:121–126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1360-1385(01)01889-1
  7. Li Y, Zhang H, Tu C, Fu C, Xue Y, Luo Y, 2016. Sources and fate of organic carbon and nitrogen from land to ocean: Identified by coupling stable isotopes with C/N ratio. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 181:114-122 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.08.024
  8. Matuszak A, Voigt CC, Storch I, Bauer HG, Quillfeldt P, 2011. Depth‐specific and spatiotemporal variation of δ13C and δ15N in Charophytes of Lake Constance: implications for food web studies. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 25:2089–2094. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.5094
  9. Pronin E, Banaś K, Chmara R, Ronowski R, Merdalski M, Santoni AL, Mathieu O, 2023. Do stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of Nitella flexilis differ between softwater and hardwater lakes? Aquat Sci 85:79 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-023-00976-6
  10. Reitsema RE, Preiner S, Meire P, Hein T, De Boeck G, Blust R, Schoelynck J, 2020. Implications of climate change for submerged macrophytes: effects of CO2, flow velocity and nutrient concentration on Berula erecta. Aquat Ecol 54:775-793. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-020-09776-8
  11. Rodrigo MA, García A, Chivas AR, 2016. Carbon stable isotope composition of charophyte organic matter in a small and shallow Spanish water body as a baseline for future trophic studies. J Limnol 75:1268. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2015.1268
  12. Snyder KA, Robinson SA, Schmidt S, Hultine KR, 2022. Stable isotope approaches and opportunities for improving plant conservation. Conserv Physiol 10:coac056. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coac056
  13. Troia A, 2022. The unnoticed northward expansion of Najas marina subsp. armata (Hydrocharitaceae) in the Mediterranean area: an effect of climate change? Willdenowia 52:91–101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.52.52106
  14. Vizzini S, Sarà G, Mateo MA, Mazzola A, 2003. δ13C and δ15N variability in Posidonia oceanica associated with seasonality and plant fraction. Aquat Bot 76:195-202. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3770(03)00052-4
  15. Woodward CA, Potito AP, Beilman DW, 2012. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in surface sediments from lakes of western Ireland: implications for inferring past lake productivity and nitrogen loading. J Paleolimnol 47:167-184. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-011-9568-z

Author Biographies

  • Salvatrice Vizzini, Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo

    National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Science, CoNISMa, Rome, Italy
    National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), Palermo, Italy

     

  • Angelo Troia, Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STeBiCeF), University of Palermo

    National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), Palermo, Italy

Metrics

Citations and online attention from Dimensions, Altmetric and PlumX.

PlumX Metrics

License

Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.