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As a result of exposure to low water turbulence, periphyton are enriched in ¹³C compared to phytoplankton. Because of this, benthic consumers in marine coastal environments are also ¹³C enriched relative to planktonic consumers. I analyzed the δ¹³C values for biota from four Canadian Shield lakes and similarly found ¹³C enrichment in littoral compared to pelagic consumers. A compilation of literature data indicates that an uncoupling of carbon flows between benthic and planktonic food webs may be a characteristic feature of lakes worldwide.