A review of allochthonous organic matter dynamics and metabolism in streams

Tank, Jennifer L.; Rosi‐Marshall, Emma J.; Griffiths, Natalie A.; Entrekin, Sally A.; Stephen, Mia L.

doi:10.1899/08-170.1

Cited by 623 publications

(468 citation statements)

References 371 publications

(446 reference statements)

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“…Fluvial organic matter (OM)-including dissolved (DOM) and particulate (POM) forms-plays a prominent role in determining ecosystem structure and function (Tank et al 2010) and serves as a fundamental link between the terrestrial, oceanic and atmospheric compartments of the global carbon cycle (Battin et al 2009). The terrestrial (allochthonous) or aquatic (autochthonous) origin of OM determines its composition that in turn drives its reactivity and its impact on stream metabolism (Strauss and Lamberti 2002;Tranvik and Bertilsson 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of human land use on the terrestrial and aquatic sources of fluvial organic matter in a temperate river basin (The Meuse River, Belgium)

et al. 2017

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The impact of human activities on the concentrations and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) was investigated in the Walloon Region of the Meuse River basin (Belgium). Water samples were collected at different hydrological periods along a gradient of human disturbance (50 sampling sites ranging from 8.0 to 20,407 km 2 ) and during a 1.5 year monitoring of the Meuse River at the city of Liège. This dataset was completed by the characterization of the DOM pool in groundwaters. The composition of DOM and POM was investigated through elemental (C:N ratios), isotopic (d 13 C) and optical measurements including excitation emission matrix fluorescence with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC). Land use was a major driver on fluvial OM composition at the regional scale of the Meuse Basin, the composition of both fluvial DOM and POM pools showing a shift toward a more microbial/algal and less plant/soil-derived character as human disturbance increased. The comparison of DOM composition between surface and groundwaters demonstrated that this pattern can be attributed in part to the transformation of terrestrial sources by agricultural practices that promote the decomposition of soil organic matter in agricultural lands and subsequent microbial inputs in terrestrial sources. In parallel, human land had contrasting effects on the autochthonous production of DOM and POM. While the in-stream generation of fresh DOM through biological activity was promoted in urban areas, summer autochthonous POM production was not influenced by land use. Finally, soil erosion by agricultural management practices favored the transfer of terrestrial organic matter via the particulate phase. Stable isotope data suggest that the hydrological transfer of terrestrial DOM and POM in humanimpacted catchment are not subject to the same controls, and that physical exchange between these two pools of organic matter is limited.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of human land use on the terrestrial and aquatic sources of fluvial organic matter in a temperate river basin (The Meuse River, Belgium)

et al. 2017

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“…Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important biogeochemical component of water quality, that serves as a major energy substrate for aquatic ecosystems, (Halbedel et al 2013;Tank et al 2010) and also has implications for the quality and potability of drinking water (Karanfil et al 2008). These issues are particularly important in northern watersheds with significant coverage of organic soils.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling landscape controls on dissolved organic carbon sources and fluxes to streams

et al. 2014

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Catchment dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes are governed by complex interactions, which control biogeochemical processes generating DOC and hydrological connectivity, facilitating transport through the landscape to streams. This paper presents the development of a coupled hydrologicalbiogeochemical model for a northern watershed with organic-rich soils, to simulate daily DOC concentrations. The parsimonious model design allows the relative importance of DOC fluxes from the major landscape units (e.g. hillslopes, groundwater and riparian saturation area) to be determined. The dynamic extent of the saturated riparian zone, which at maximum wetness comprised 40 % of the drainage area, contributed 84 % of DOC to the stream, of which 16 % was derived from the hillslope soils. This shows the disproportional riparian influence on stream water chemistry and the importance of the non-linearity in hydrological connectivity. The temporal connectivity of each of the landscape units was dependent on antecedent moisture conditions, with highly transient connections between the hillslope and valley bottom saturated area, which were entirely disconnected during the driest periods. The groundwater contribution remained constant, but its relative importance increased during the driest periods. The study emphasises the importance of conceptualising hydrological connectivity and its relation to hydroclimatic factors, as well soil biogeochemical processes, when modelling stream water DOC.

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“…One area of particular interest is streams where high nutrient loads such as from agriculture and urban land uses and low canopy cover promote autochthonous benthic carbon production and turnover. Recent findings suggest that autochthonous carbon production and turnover can be on the same order of magnitude or greater than allocthonous carbon inputs in some agriculture and urban streams [e.g., Tank et al, 2010]. The significance of understanding autotrophic carbon dynamics has been recently highlighted through a contemporary macro scale study that estimates stream and river derived autochthonous carbon fluxes from land to ocean equal 0.3 PgC y 21 , yet the spatial distribution and fate of autochthonous carbon via burial, turnover, or transport remains an open question [Regnier et al, 2013].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isotope‐based Fluvial Organic Carbon (ISOFLOC) Model: Model formulation, sensitivity, and evaluation

Ford

Fox

2015

Water Resources Research

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Watershed-scale carbon budgets remain poorly understood, in part due to inadequate simulation tools to assess in-stream carbon fate and transport. A new numerical model termed ISOtope-based FLuvial Organic Carbon (ISOFLOC) is formulated to simulate the fluvial organic carbon budget in watersheds where hydrologic, sediment transport, and biogeochemical processes are coupled to control benthic and transported carbon composition and flux. One ISOFLOC innovation is the formulation of new stable carbon isotope model subroutines that include isotope fractionation processes in order to estimate carbon isotope source, fate, and transport. A second innovation is the coupling of transfers between carbon pools, including algal particulate organic carbon, fine particulate and dissolved organic carbon, and particulate and dissolved inorganic carbon, to simulate the carbon cycle in a comprehensive manner beyond that of existing watershed water quality models. ISOFLOC was tested and verified in a low-gradient, agriculturally impacted stream. Results of a global sensitivity analysis suggested the isotope response variable had unique sensitivity to the coupled interaction between fluvial shear resistance of algal biomass and the concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon. Model calibration and validation suggested good agreement at event, seasonal, and annual timescales. Multiobjective uncertainty analysis suggested inclusion of the carbon stable isotope routine reduced uncertainty by 80% for algal particulate organic carbon flux estimates.

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A review of allochthonous organic matter dynamics and metabolism in streams

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 623 publications

References 371 publications

Effects of human land use on the terrestrial and aquatic sources of fluvial organic matter in a temperate river basin (The Meuse River, Belgium)

Effects of human land use on the terrestrial and aquatic sources of fluvial organic matter in a temperate river basin (The Meuse River, Belgium)

Modelling landscape controls on dissolved organic carbon sources and fluxes to streams

Isotope‐based Fluvial Organic Carbon (ISOFLOC) Model: Model formulation, sensitivity, and evaluation

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