Modeling the impact of flushing on a lake meta-ecosystem using PCLakeS+

TY - JOUR

T1 - Modeling the impact of flushing on a lake meta-ecosystem using PCLakeS+

AU - Kramer, Lilith

AU - Reineke, Johanna

AU - van Wijk, Dianneke

AU - Boonstra, Harry

AU - Patberg, Wouter

AU - Rüegg, Janine

AU - Troost, Tineke A.

AU - Mooij, Wolf M.

AU - Teurlincx, Sven

N1 - Data archiving: no data, model

PY - 2025/10

Y1 - 2025/10

N2 - Designing effective management strategies for lake networks is challenging as nutrient dynamics within a lake can be complex and nonlinear, and potentially cause spatial cascades. The recently developed lake meta-ecosystem model PCLakeS+ can aid in finding such management strategies. Here, we present the first real-world application of PCLakeS+ on the Frisian Lake Network, a lake meta-ecosystem located in the North of the Netherlands. We aim to 1) evaluate the performance of the PCLakeS+ model against empirical data, and 2) explore the long-term impacts of an experimental flushing scheme on the lake ecosystem status and network wide nutrient retention of the Frisian Lakes. We showed that model performance fitted reasonably well with measured water quality indicators in the lake, especially given uncertainties in water flows. We found that deriving the required water flows to simulate a meta-ecosystem network was not easily accomplished in relatively complex and heavily managed lake networks, even though a detailed hydrodynamic model was available. In terms of management, we found that the long-term application of the flushing scheme alone would not suffice to initiate an ecosystem state change to a clear, macrophyte dominated system in all lakes but one. Rather, we found that the flushing scheme would increase the nutrient transport towards the Northern regions of the system, as nutrient retention capacity of the lakes in the network was limited. Our lake network model application revealed the importance of additional management measures to achieve desirable environmental outcomes in the Frisian Lake Network.

AB - Designing effective management strategies for lake networks is challenging as nutrient dynamics within a lake can be complex and nonlinear, and potentially cause spatial cascades. The recently developed lake meta-ecosystem model PCLakeS+ can aid in finding such management strategies. Here, we present the first real-world application of PCLakeS+ on the Frisian Lake Network, a lake meta-ecosystem located in the North of the Netherlands. We aim to 1) evaluate the performance of the PCLakeS+ model against empirical data, and 2) explore the long-term impacts of an experimental flushing scheme on the lake ecosystem status and network wide nutrient retention of the Frisian Lakes. We showed that model performance fitted reasonably well with measured water quality indicators in the lake, especially given uncertainties in water flows. We found that deriving the required water flows to simulate a meta-ecosystem network was not easily accomplished in relatively complex and heavily managed lake networks, even though a detailed hydrodynamic model was available. In terms of management, we found that the long-term application of the flushing scheme alone would not suffice to initiate an ecosystem state change to a clear, macrophyte dominated system in all lakes but one. Rather, we found that the flushing scheme would increase the nutrient transport towards the Northern regions of the system, as nutrient retention capacity of the lakes in the network was limited. Our lake network model application revealed the importance of additional management measures to achieve desirable environmental outcomes in the Frisian Lake Network.

KW - Ecosystem dynamics

KW - Flushing

KW - Frisian lakes network

KW - Nutrient retention

KW - Shallow lakes

KW - Water quality

U2 - 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2025.111264

DO - 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2025.111264

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105011151747

SN - 0304-3800

VL - 509

JO - Ecological Modelling

JF - Ecological Modelling

M1 - 111264

ER -