1. Multiple stressors such as climate change and eutrophication are responsible for the global decline of macrophytes in lakes. The loss of this key component can result in turbid conditions and a loss of important ecosystem functions and services, particularly in shallow lakes. Benthivorous fish, which can increase in abundance during eutrophication, can adversely affect macrophytes through physical disturbance, cascading effects on turbidity, suspended and attached algae (phytoplankton and periphyton) and direct consumption. However, whether warming amplifies their effects on macrophytes and can trigger regime shifts remains unexplored.

2. Here, we tested the single and combined effects of warmer water (+4.5°C) and the widespread benthivorous juvenile common carp (Cyprinus carpio) on two different types of aquatic macrophytes in 24 mesocosms (2500 L each). We monitored phytoplankton, periphyton, turbidity and the abundance of the submerged curly-leafed pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) and the floating-leaved water chestnut (Trapa bispinosa) during their growing season. These species dominated successively in spring and summer.

3. Warming alone advanced the growing season of P. crispus by 17 days. Juvenile carp decreased the abundance of the more palatable P. crispus, but promoted the abundance of T. bispinosa, supporting an ecosystem shift to a dominance of floating-leaved macrophytes. Fish also substantially increased water turbidity and the biomass of phytoplankton and periphyton. Warming amplified juvenile carp effects on turbidity and submerged macrophytes, but also decreased the abundance of floating-leaved macrophytes leading to an overall macrophyte decline and increase in water turbidity.

4. Synthesis and applications. Our study provides the first experimental evidence for a warming-induced regime shift from clear water conditions dominated by submerged or floating/floating-leaved macrophytes to a turbid state in shallow aquatic ecosystems. The regime shift was triggered by impacts of warming on benthivorous fish (juvenile common carp) rather than on macrophytes. Lowering nutrient loading and other measures to reduce the abundance of benthivorous fish (e.g., fish removal and piscivorous fish restocking) thus may become increasingly important for the management of shallow lakes under global climate change.

Data were collected during the experiment.