Global changes are causing decreases in inorganic nitrogen (N) concentrations, increases in coloured dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, and decreases in dissolved inorganic N to total phosphorus ratios (DIN:TP) in northern lakes. The effects of these changes on phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass and the N:P recycling ratio of zooplankton remain unresolved.

In 33 Swedish headwater lakes across subarctic-to-boreal gradients with different levels of N deposition (low N in the north [Västerbotten, boreal; Abisko, subarctic] vs. high N in the south [Värmland, boreal; Jämtland, subarctic]), we measured water chemistry, phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll-a [Chl-a], Chl-a:TP), seston mineral quality (C:P, N:P), as well as zooplankton biomass, community composition, and C:N:P stoichiometry. We estimated nutrient imbalances and the N:P recycling ratios of zooplankton using ecological stoichiometry models.

There was a large-scale gradient from low lake DIN and DIN:TP in the north to high DIN and DIN:TP in the south, with lower DIN:TP in lakes coinciding with higher DOC within each region. Lower lake DIN was associated with lower phytoplankton biomass (lower Chl-a:TP). Lower lake DIN:TP was associated with richer seston mineral quality (lower seston C:P and N:P) and higher zooplankton biomass.

Zooplankton community composition differed in the north vs. south, with a dominance of N-requiring calanoid copepods with high N:P in the north and P-requiring cladocerans with low N:P in the south. Also, greater differences in zooplankton community composition were found between subarctic regions (with lower DOC) than between boreal regions (with higher DOC), suggesting that increases in lake DOC and associated declines in lake DIN:TP reduce differences in zooplankton community composition.

The combination of lower lake DIN, higher lake DOC, and lower lake DIN:TP led to reduced zooplankton N:P recycling ratios, possibly by reducing seston N:P and/or by enhancing calanoid copepod dominance in the zooplankton community.

Our findings suggest that the combination of declining N deposition and increasing lake browning in northern high-latitude lakes will reduce phytoplankton biomass, but will concurrently enhance seston mineral quality and probably also zooplankton biomass and their recycling efficiency of P relative to N.

Phosphorus (P) often limits the biomass of primary producers in freshwater lakes. However, in unproductive northern lakes, where anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is low, N instead of P can limit primary producers. In addition, light can be limiting to primary producers at high concentrations of coloured dissolved organic matter (cDOM), as cDOM is the major determinant of light penetration in these lakes. To address resource limitation of epilithic algal biomass, we repeatedly sampled epilithon (periphyton on stony substrata) in 20 lakes covering a large, correlated cDOM and N-deposition gradient across boreal and subarctic Sweden. Across these lakes, pelagic total N (TN) and total P (TP) were positively correlated, and benthic light supply was negatively correlated, with cDOM. Microscopically determined algal biovolume and epilithic carbon (C), N and P were subsequently regressed against benthic light supply and pelagic TN and TP. Patterns in epilithic biovolume were driven by N2-fixing cyanobacteria, which accounted for 2%–90% of total epilithic biovolume. Averaged over the growing season, epilithic algal biovolume, C and N were negatively related to TP and positively to TN, and were highest in the clearest, most phosphorus-poor lakes, where epilithon was heavily dominated by potentially N₂-fixing cyanobacteria. A structural equation model supports the hypothesis that cDOM had two counteracting effects on total epilithic algal biovolume: a positive one by providing N to algae that depend on dissolved N for growth, and a negative one by shading N₂-fixing cyanobacteria, with the negative effect being somewhat stronger. Together, these findings suggest that (1) light and N are the main resources limiting epilithic algal biomass in boreal to subarctic Swedish lakes, (2) epilithic cyanobacteria are more competitive in high-light and low-nitrogen environments, where their N₂-fixing ability allows them to reach high biomass, and (3) epilithic N increases with N₂ fixer biomass and is?seemingly paradoxically?highest in the most oligotrophic lakes.

1. To test the response of algal communities to altered grazer abundance in lakes lacking efficient predators on herbivores, we performed field and experimental studies in two sub-Antarctic lakes (South Georgia). 2. The number of algal species in these high latitude lakes is low, and all dominant species have grazer-resistant adaptations, including spines in three dimensions (Staruastrum sp.), large size (Tribonema sp.), a mucus sheet allowing viable passage through the gut (Chlamydocapsa sp., Elakatothrix sp.) or ability to recruit individuals from the sediment surface (Mallomonas sp.). 3. Algal community composition was only slightly changed by experimentally altered grazer abundance, indicating that it was already adapted for a high grazing pressure. Hence, the diets of herbivores were restricted to vulnerable food organisms such as Mallomonas sp. and heterotrophic flagellates in the water column, and to benthic food sources. 4. At high grazer abundance, the concentration of available phosphorus (PO4-P) in the water was lower than at low grazer abundances, due to inefficient nutrient regeneration by the copepod herbivores. Hence, in lakes where copepods are dominant grazers, algae suffer both directly from grazing and indirectly from reduced nutrient availability.

1. Freshwater chemistry across the circumpolar region was characterised using a pan-Arctic data set from 1,032 lake and 482 river stations. Temporal trends were estimated for Early (1970-1985), Middle (1986-2000), and Late (2001-2015) periods. Spatial patterns were assessed using data collected since 2001.

2. Alkalinity, pH, conductivity, sulfate, chloride, sodium, calcium, and magnesium (major ions) were generally higher in the northern-most Arctic regions than in the Near Arctic (southern-most) region. In particular, spatial patterns in pH, alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium appeared to reflect underlying geology, with more alkaline waters in the High Arctic and Sub Arctic, where sedimentary bedrock dominated.

3. Carbon and nutrients displayed latitudinal trends, with lower levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen, and (to a lesser extent) total phosphorus (TP) in the High and Low Arctic than at lower latitudes. Significantly higher nutrient levels were observed in systems impacted by permafrost thaw slumps.

4. Bulk temporal trends indicated that TP was higher during the Late period in the High Arctic, whereas it was lower in the Near Arctic. In contrast, DOC and total nitrogen were both lower during the Late period in the High Arctic sites. Major ion concentrations were higher in the Near, Sub, and Low Arctic during the Late period, but the opposite bulk trend was found in the High Arctic.

5. Significant pan-Arctic temporal trends were detected for all variables, with the most prevalent being negative TP trends in the Near and Sub Arctic, and positive trends in the High and Low Arctic (mean trends ranged from +0.57%/year in the High/Low Arctic to -2.2%/year in the Near Arctic), indicating widespread nutrient enrichment at higher latitudes and oligotrophication at lower latitudes.

6. The divergent P trends across regions may be explained by changes in deposition and climate, causing decreased catchment transport of P in the south (e.g. increased soil binding and trapping in terrestrial vegetation) and increased P availability in the north (deepening of the active layer of the permafrost and soil/sediment sloughing). Other changes in concentrations of major ions and DOC were consistent with projected effects of ongoing climate change. Given the ongoing warming across the Arctic, these region-specific changes are likely to have even greater effects on Arctic water quality, biota, ecosystem function and services, and human well-being in the future.

1. Arctic and sub‐Arctic lakes in northern Europe are increasingly threatened by climate change, which can affect their biodiversity directly by shifting thermal and hydrological regimes, and indirectly by altering landscape processes and catchment vegetation. Most previous studies of northern lake biodiversity responses to environmental changes have focused on only a single organismal group. Investigations at whole‐lake scales that integrate different habitats and trophic levels are currently rare, but highly necessary for future lake monitoring and management.

2. We analysed spatial biodiversity patterns of 74 sub‐Arctic lakes in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Faroe Islands with monitoring data for at least three biological focal ecosystem components (FECs)—benthic diatoms, macrophytes, phytoplankton, littoral benthic macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, and fish—that covered both pelagic and benthic habitats and multiple trophic levels.

3. We calculated the richnessrelative (i.e. taxon richness of a FEC in the lake divided by the total richness of that FEC in all 74 lakes) and the biodiversity metrics (i.e. taxon richness, inverse Simpson index (diversity), and taxon evenness) of individual FECs using presence–absence and abundance data, respectively. We then investigated whether the FEC richnessrelative and biodiversity metrics were correlated with lake abiotic and geospatial variables. We hypothesised that (1) individual FECs would be more diverse in a warmer and wetter climate (e.g. at lower latitudes and/or elevations), and in hydrobasins with greater forest cover that could enhance the supply of terrestrial organic matter and nutrients that stimulated lake productivity; and (2) patterns in FEC responses would be coupled among trophic levels.

4. Results from redundancy analyses showed that the richnessrelative of phytoplankton, macrophytes, and fish decreased, but those of the intermediate trophic levels (i.e. macroinvertebrates and zooplankton) increased with decreasing latitude and/or elevation. Fish richnessrelative and diversity increased with increasing temporal variation in climate (temperature and/or precipitation), ambient nutrient concentrations (e.g. total nitrogen) in lakes, and woody vegetation (e.g. taiga forest) cover in hydrobasins, whereas taxon richness of macroinvertebrates and zooplankton decreased with increasing temporal variation in climate.

5. The similar patterns detected for richnessrelative of fish, macrophytes, and phytoplankton could be caused by similar responses to the environmental descriptors, and/or the beneficial effects of macrophytes as habitat structure. By creating habitat, macrophytes may increase fish diversity and production, which in turn may promote higher densities and probably more diverse assemblages of phytoplankton through trophic cascades. Lakes with greater fish richnessrelative tended to have greater average richnessrelative among FECs, suggesting that fish are a potential indicator for overall lake biodiversity.

6. Overall, the biodiversity patterns observed along the environmental gradients were trophic‐level specific, indicating that an integrated food‐web perspective may lead to a more holistic understanding of ecosystem biodiversity in future monitoring and management of high‐latitude lakes. In future, monitoring should also focus on collecting more abundance data for fish and lower trophic levels in both benthic and pelagic habitats. This may require more concentrated sampling effort on fewer lakes at smaller spatial scales, while continuing to sample lakes distributed along environmental gradients.

1. Warming in the Arctic is predicted to change freshwater biodiversity through loss of unique taxa and northward range expansion of lower latitude taxa. Detecting such changes requires establishing circumpolar baselines for diversity, and understanding the primary drivers of diversity.
2. We examined benthic macroinvertebrate diversity using a circumpolar dataset of >1,500 Arctic lake and river sites. Rarefied α diversity within catchments was assessed along latitude and temperature gradients. Community composition was assessed through region-scale analysis of β diversity and its components (nestedness and turnover), and analysis of biotic–abiotic relationships.
3. Rarefied α diversity of lakes and rivers declined with increasing latitude, although more strongly across mainland regions than islands. Diversity was strongly related to air temperature, with the lowest diversity in the coldest catchments. Regional dissimilarity was highest when mainland regions were compared with islands, suggesting that connectivity limitations led to the strongest dissimilarity. High contributions of nestedness indicated that island regions contained a subset of the taxa found in mainland regions.
4. High Arctic rivers and lakes were predominately occupied by Chironomidae and Oligochaeta, whereas Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa were more abundant at lower latitudes. Community composition was strongly associated with temperature, although geology and precipitation were also important correlates.
5. The strong association with temperature supports the prediction that warming will increase Arctic macroinvertebrate diversity, although low diversity on islands suggests that this increase will be limited by biogeographical constraints. Long-term harmonised monitoring across the circumpolar region is necessary to detect such changes to diversity and inform science-based management.

Climate change in the Arctic is altering the delivery of nutrients from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems. The impact of these changes on downstream lakes and rivers is influenced by the capacity of small streams to retain such inputs. Given the potential for nutrient limitation in oligotrophic Arctic streams, biotic demand should be high, unless harsh environmental conditions maintain low biomass standing stocks that limit nutrient uptake capacity.

We assessed the drivers of nutrient uptake in two contrasting headwater environments in Arctic Sweden: one stream draining upland tundra and the other draining an alluvial valley with birch forest. At both sites, we measured nitrate (NO₃⁻) uptake biweekly using short-term slug releases and estimated rates of gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration from continuous dissolved oxygen measurements.

Catchment characteristics were associated with distinct stream chemical and biological properties. For example, the tundra stream maintained relatively low NO₃⁻ concentrations (average: 46 µg N/L) and rates of GPP (0.2 g O₂ m⁻² day⁻¹). By comparison, the birch forest stream was more NO₃⁻ rich (88 µg N/L) and productive (GPP: 1.7 g O₂ m⁻² day⁻¹). These differences corresponded to greater areal NO₃⁻ uptake rate and increased NO₃⁻ use efficiency (as uptake velocity) in the birch forest stream (max 192 µg N m⁻² min⁻¹ and 96 mm/hr) compared to its tundra counterpart (max 52 µg N m⁻² min⁻¹ and 49 mm/hr) during 2017. Further, different sets of environmental drivers predicted temporal patterns of nutrient uptake at these sites: abiotic factors (e.g. NO₃⁻ concentration and discharge) were associated with changes in uptake in the tundra stream, while metabolic activity was more important in the birch forest stream.

Between sites, variation in uptake metrics suggests that the ability to retain pulses of nutrients is linked to nutrient supply regimes controlled at larger spatial and temporal scales and habitat properties that promote biomass accrual and thus biotic demand.

Overall, constraints on biotic potential imposed by the habitat template determined the capacity of these high latitude streams to respond to future changes in nutrient inputs arising from climate warming or human land use.