Baseflow physical characteristics differ at multiple spatial scales in stream networks across diverse biomes

Rüegg, Janine; Dodds, Walter K.; Daniels, Melinda D.; Sheehan, K.; Baker, Christina L.; Bowden, William B.; Farrell, Kaitlin J.; Flinn, Michael B.; Harms, Tamara K.; Jones, Jeremy B.; Koenig, Lauren E.; Kominoski, John S.; McDowell, William H.; Parker, Samuel P.; Rosemond, Amy D.; Trentman, Matt T.; Whiles, Matt R.; Wollheim, W. M.

doi:10.1007/s10980-015-0289-y

Cited by 16 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…We documented metabolic heterogeneity of what might be considered meso‐scale heterogeneity in our streams, where variation occurred across pool‐riffle complexes. The variation at the largest scale (whole watersheds) has yet to be well characterised, yet strides have been made describing physical variation at that scale (Rüegg et al ., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Probing whole‐stream metabolism: influence of spatial heterogeneity on rate estimates

et al. 2017

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Summary Whole‐stream metabolism has been estimated by measuring in‐stream oxygen (O2) concentrations since the method was introduced over 50 years ago. However, the influence of measurement location and estimation method on metabolism rates is understudied. We examined how the placement of O2 probes (i.e. depth, separation from the thalweg), differences in methodology (1‐station, 2‐station, area‐weighted) and reach lengths influenced estimated rates of whole‐stream metabolism in a tallgrass prairie watershed. Metabolism estimates made in the thalweg differed from estimates made in backwaters due to disconnection in flow, and estimates made in deep pools differed from surface estimates due to thermal stratification (temporary flow disconnection). The 1‐station respiration estimates differed from short 2‐station reach‐scale estimates (c. 20 m) but were more similar to larger 2‐station reach‐scale estimates (c. 100 m). In contrast, the 1‐station gross primary production was most similar to the short 2‐station reaches occurring immediately upstream and became less similar at longer 2‐station reach lengths. The different estimation methodologies (1‐station, 2‐station, area‐weighted) accounting for the longest reach scale did not result in different metabolism rates. The temporary phenomena of thermal stratification of stream pools during a warm day, which disconnected pool bottoms from the surface waters, likely affected not only the pool estimates but also estimates made in the downstream thalweg (i.e. an O2 deficit accrued from respiration during the day in the bottom of the pool abruptly moved downstream during mixing). Oxygen probe placement mattered and affected rate estimates according to habitat type and reach length (i.e. scale) due to the influence of small‐scale heterogeneity on community respiration. Selection of reach length can be critical for studies depending on whether local heterogeneity is of interest or should be averaged. We conclude that the intuitive use of thalwegs and reaches that are at least 10 times the stream width are likely appropriate for whole‐stream metabolism estimates, although the exact reach length necessary and potential stream‐specific characteristics, such as stratified pools, need to be carefully considered in probe placement. We encourage other studies to report the placement characteristics of O2 probes in streams as well as consider the potential confounding factor of local habitat heterogeneity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Probing whole‐stream metabolism: influence of spatial heterogeneity on rate estimates

et al. 2017

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“…The scaling of light and substrata type to watersheds varies across biomes (Rüegg et al. ) and varies at the reach scale (Davies‐Colley and Quinn ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterogeneity and scaling of photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen uptake in three Atlantic Rainforest streams

et al. 2017

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Leaves, epilithon, macrophytes, and fine benthic organic material are central ecosystem compartments to food webs and mediate nutrient fluxes in streams. Most estimates of gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) are made at a reach scale, averaging across compartments. Thus, there is little information on how individual compartments contribute to and scale up to whole‐stream estimates across watersheds. We compared estimates of GPP, ER, and nitrogen (N) uptake of individual ecosystem compartments (dm) and stream reaches (~100 m) in three sizes of streams in a preserved Atlantic Rainforest watershed. The smallest stream had dense forest canopy cover, whereas the largest was more open. We measured substratum‐specific rates of GPP and ER, as well as ammonium and nitrate 15N uptake in recirculating chambers. We compared these decimeter‐scale measurements to whole‐stream estimates, using single‐station dissolved oxygen (GPP and ER) and pulsed N uptake methods. Epilithon and macrophytes (when present) were the dominant GPP and N uptake compartments in open‐canopy sites, and leaves contributed strongly to ER at all sites, even though they covered <3 percent of the stream bottom. Ammonium and nitrate uptake per unit N content varied significantly among substrata and streams. Upscaled inorganic N uptake per unit area was greater when macrophytes were present. Chamber measurements overestimated metabolic rates in the larger streams, but not in the smallest one. The smallest transient storage zone streams were more active than the biggest one, and this influenced the mismatch between whole‐stream and chamber nutrient uptake estimates. We conclude that scaling to the whole watershed requires information on location in the watershed (e.g., where canopy cover is dense), rates of individual compartments, and reach‐specific hydrodynamic information as influenced by large‐scale geomorphic details (i.e., the size and activity of the transient storage zones).

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“…Suitable habitat locations were identified using previous transect surveys of physical stream characteristics in the area (Rüegg et al. ), and baskets were deployed in locations, that best matched the median conditions of each contrasting reach. Riffle transects contained turbulent, fast‐flowing water with visible white water caused by shallow water depth.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of particle size and heterogeneity on sediment biofilm metabolism and nutrient uptake scaled using two approaches

et al. 2018

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. 2018. Effect of particle size and heterogeneity on sediment biofilm metabolism and nutrient uptake scaled using two approaches.Ecosphere 9(3):e02137. 10. 1002/ecs2.2137 Abstract. Numerous studies have examined the effect of sediment particle size and distribution on community structure, but few have focused explicitly on how physical habitat characteristics influence biogeochemical functions of freshwater biofilms. In this study, we evaluated the effect of particle size and heterogeneity on rates of biofilm metabolism and nutrient uptake in colonized and native sediments normalized using two different scaling approaches. Coarse, pebble-to cobble-sized sediments were sorted into four homogeneous particle size treatments plus one heterogeneous treatment. Each treatment was deployed, in replicate, within one riffle and one run habitat feature in three different high-latitude stream reaches with contrasting hydrological and physicochemical characteristics. A treatment of native, homogeneous sediment was also evaluated at each deployment location. After incubating for approximately five weeks, metabolism and nutrient uptake of biofilms in all treatments (n = 69) were measured in recirculating microcosm chambers. For each treatment, functional rates were normalized by projected surface area and sediment surface area scaling approaches, which account for the surface area in plan view (looking top-down) and the total surface area of all sediment particles, respectively. This comparison was designed to determine whether treatment effects were independent of increased surface area associated with smaller particle sizes or heterogeneous sediments. Community respiration and uptake of ammonium-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus by biofilms decreased significantly as the particle size of homogeneous treatments increased when normalized by projected surface area, but significantly increased with increasing particle size when normalized by sediment surface area. Sediment particle size had a limited influence on production rates evaluated across treatments. Heterogeneous and homogeneous treatments with similar median particle sizes did not differ significantly from one another for most biogeochemical functions measured. Our findings indicate that rates of biogeochemical function in heterogeneous habitats were directly related to the total sediment surface area available for biofilm colonization. The significant interactions between sediment surface area and rates of respiration and nutrient uptake suggest that information about the size and distribution of sediment particles could substantially improve our ability to predict and scale measurements of important biogeochemical functions in streams.

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Baseflow physical characteristics differ at multiple spatial scales in stream networks across diverse biomes

Cited by 16 publications

References 43 publications

Probing whole‐stream metabolism: influence of spatial heterogeneity on rate estimates

Probing whole‐stream metabolism: influence of spatial heterogeneity on rate estimates

Heterogeneity and scaling of photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen uptake in three Atlantic Rainforest streams

Effect of particle size and heterogeneity on sediment biofilm metabolism and nutrient uptake scaled using two approaches

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