Short-term responses of decomposers to flow restoration in Fossil Creek, Arizona, USA

Muehlbauer, Jeffrey D.; LeRoy, Carri J.; Lovett, Jacqueline; Flaccus, K. K.; Vlieg, Julie K.; Marks, Jane C.

doi:10.1007/s10750-008-9545-3

Cited by 21 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Muehlbauer et al (2009) reported declines in macroinvertebrate diversity and fungal biomass on litter that were associated with slower breakdown rates under conditions of reduced flow, but retardation of breakdown related to flow reductions were only evident during the wet season, when stream flows were relatively high. The lack of any inter-reach difference during the dry season was similar to the findings obtained in inter-reach TTrich total taxon richness, exp H 0 diversity, Abun total macroinvertebrate abundance, Chir abundance of Chironominae, Shre shredder abundance, Brot abundance of Brotia hainanensis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…While stream flow alone plays a minor role in determining breakdown directly, its effect seems more usually indirect by way of an influence on biological processes (Woodcock & Huryn, 2005;Ferreira et al, 2006;Hoover et al, 2006). For instance, breakdown rates of two leaf species in an Arizona stream decreased by *20% when flows were reduced by 95%, and this decrease was associated with cooler temperatures as well as lower fungal biomass and macroinvertebrate diversity on the leaves (Muehlbauer et al, 2009). In other cases, flow reductions can accelerate litter breakdown as a result of increased nutrient loads that enhance fungal colonization (Short & Ward, 1980).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The influence of flow and season upon leaf-litter breakdown in monsoonal Hong Kong streams

Niu

Dudgeon

2010

Hydrobiologia

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We investigated the effects of water extraction and flow regime on leaf litter breakdown in 10 Hong Kong streams experiencing varying degrees of extraction: five with severe extraction ([85% downstream flow removed), four with moderate extraction (20-85% removed), and one without extraction (*0% removed). Breakdown rates, macroinvertebrate assemblages and nutrients were compared in upstream (reference) reaches and downstream reaches with reduced flow in each stream during highflow (wet season) and low-flow (dry season) conditions to determine whether responses to flow were influenced by Hong Kong's monsoonal climate. Litter breakdown was slower in downstream reaches during the wet season, and discharge was the main determinant of breakdown rate in both reaches across the 10 study streams. In contrast, inter-reach differences in breakdown during the dry season were small and unrelated to flow. Instead, breakdown rates among streams were influenced by the abundance of detritivorous shredders and chironomids (Chironominae), as well as phosphate concentrations, indicating the importance of biological processing of litter under low-flow conditions. Although litter breakdown rates appear to offer a promising functional indicator of flow-reduction impacts during the wet season, the pattern seen reflected the physical effects of flow rather than any underlying biological processes, and the lack of response to flow reduction during the dry season was notable.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of flow and season upon leaf-litter breakdown in monsoonal Hong Kong streams

Niu

Dudgeon

2010

Hydrobiologia

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“…In spite of this, few studies have evaluated the effect of fluvial regulation on processes taking place in stream ecosystems, such as leaf litter decomposition (Short & Ward, 1980;Casas et al, 2000;Pomeroy et al, 2000;Muehlbauer et al, 2009;Mendoza-Lera et al, 2010). Dams can modify water temperature and chemical conditions such as nutrient concentrations, both of which may affect aquatic hyphomycete and macroinvertebrate communities, as well as the processing of organic matter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of small reservoirs on leaf litter decomposition in Mediterranean headwater streams

et al. 2012

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Leaf litter decomposition is a crucial process providing matter and energy to communities inhabiting headwater streams. This process could be affected by many man-made landscape transformations and its response can vary depending on the climate setting. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the presence of small headwater reservoirs decreases litter decomposition downstream, as reported for temperate Oceanic climatic regions, and that this effect is more accentuated in the Mediterranean. The effect of small dams on the decomposition of alder (Alnus glutinosa) leaves was studied in four headwater streams in Catalonia (NE Spain). The presence of a dam affected litter decomposition rates in three of the four streams studied, and this depended on reservoir typology. In those with seasonal surface release, decomposition rates were slower downstream from the dams, but in the case of a continuous hypolimnetic release, it was faster, with higher DIN and temperature and abundance of shredders. Alder litter decomposition rates were twice those reported for Oceanic climatic conditions. In Mediterranean headwaters, the effect of small dams will even be more evident at an annual scale due to the diminished flow rates in summer and this effect will be more pronounced than in the more Oceanic.

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“…Despite the changes in flow regime, the upstream reach assemblage trait was not significantly modified. Casas et al, 2000;Muehlbauer et al, 2009), no physical impact on leaf litter breakdown rates was evidenced downstream the dams, in the absence of sediment contamination. In contrast, the dam impact was more pronounced in the downstream reference reach (Do1).…”

Section: Functional Disturbances Related To Dam Presencementioning

confidence: 94%

Synergistic impacts of sediment contamination and dam presence on river functioning

et al. 2012

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Summary 1. Dam presence is commonly associated with strong accumulation of polluted sediments. In spite of this context of multiple stressors, physical effects are often solely considered in the ecological assessment of the dam impacts. 2. We studied four ‘reservoir/downstream reach’ systems differing in levels of sediment contamination in reservoirs. Using assemblages and biotrait (i.e. ecological or biological attribute) responses of macroinvertebrate communities and leaf litter breakdown, we examined the individual effects and potential interactions between sediment contamination and dam presence along the gradient of ecotoxic pressure. 3. Leaf breakdown rates ranged from 0.0044° per day in the most contaminated reservoir to 0.0120° per day in the reference reservoir. Comparisons of community trait profiles among reservoirs highlighted a gradient of trait responses to sediment contamination. 4. In the absence of toxic contamination, the dam‐induced modifications in biotraits of invertebrate assemblages were not related to a reduction of leaf litter breakdown. Conversely, contaminated sediment in reservoir induced strong functional disturbances (i.e. bioecological shifts and reduction of leaf litter breakdown) downstream of dams. 5. Key biotrait categories positively related to leaf litter breakdown rate have been identified. They corresponded mainly to shredders and/or small‐sized (<0.5 cm) insects, using aquatic (e.g. crawlers) or aerial (e.g. fliers) active dispersal strategies. In addition, trait categories positively correlated to contamination level have been considered as ‘response’ traits. They corresponded to large‐sized (>4 cm) species, having several generations per year (polyvoltin), using asexual reproduction and/or disseminating by drift (aquatic, passive). 6. In the current context of ecological continuity restoration, this study has identified the risks associated with the presence of historical contamination in the run‐of‐river reservoirs for downstream ecosystem health.

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Short-term responses of decomposers to flow restoration in Fossil Creek, Arizona, USA

Cited by 21 publications

References 46 publications

The influence of flow and season upon leaf-litter breakdown in monsoonal Hong Kong streams

The influence of flow and season upon leaf-litter breakdown in monsoonal Hong Kong streams

Effect of small reservoirs on leaf litter decomposition in Mediterranean headwater streams

Synergistic impacts of sediment contamination and dam presence on river functioning

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