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Enss J, Nachev M, Jochmann MA, Schmidt TC, Feld CK. Stable isotopes ( 15N) facilitate non-invasive labelling of large quantities of macroinvertebrates across different species and feeding types. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11539. [PMID: 38895578 PMCID: PMC11183906 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
While macroinvertebrate dispersal operates at the individual level, predictions of their dispersal capabilities often rely on indirect proxies rather than direct measurements. To gain insight into the dispersal of individual specimens, it is crucial to mark (label) and capture individuals. Isotopic enrichment with 15N is a non-invasive method with the potential of labelling large quantities of macroinvertebrates. While the analysis of 15N is widely utilised in food web studies, knowledge on the specific utility of isotopic enrichment with 15N for mass labelling of macroinvertebrate individuals across different taxa and feeding types is limited. Previous studies have focused on single species and feeding types, leaving gaps in our understanding of the broader applicability of this method. Therefore, this study aimed to test and compare isotopic mass enrichment across several macroinvertebrate taxa and feeding types. We released 15NH4Cl at five stream reaches in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany, and successfully enriched 12 distinct macroinvertebrate taxa (Crustacea and Insecta). Significant enrichment was achieved in active and passive filter feeders, grazers, shredders and predators, and predominantly showed positive correlations with the enrichment of the taxa's main food sources phytobenthos and particulate organic matter. Enrichment levels rose rapidly and peaked at distances between 50 m and 300 m downstream of the isotopic inlet; significant enrichment occurred up to 2000 m downstream of the isotopic inlet in all feeding types. Macroinvertebrate density estimates on the stream bottom averaged to a total of approximately 3.4 million labelled individuals of the 12 investigated taxa, thus showing the high potential of isotopic (15N) enrichment as a non-invasive method applicable for mass labelling across different macroinvertebrate feeding types. Hence, isotopic enrichment can greatly assist the analysis of macroinvertebrate dispersal through mark-and-recapture experiments, as it allows to measure the movement at the level of individual specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Enss
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Milen Nachev
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Maik A. Jochmann
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Torsten C. Schmidt
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Christian K. Feld
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
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2
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Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake Stoichiometry Tracks Supply Ratio During 2-year Whole-Ecosystem Nutrient Additions. Ecosystems 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-022-00813-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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3
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Penk MR, Bruen M, Feld CK, Piggott JJ, Christie M, Bullock C, Kelly-Quinn M. Using weighted expert judgement and nonlinear data analysis to improve Bayesian belief network models for riverine ecosystem services. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158065. [PMID: 35981597 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are a key part of the hydrological cycle and a vital conduit of water resources, but are under increasing threat from anthropogenic pressures. Linking pressures with ecosystem services is challenging because the processes interconnecting the physico-chemical, biological and socio-economic elements are usually captured using heterogenous methods. Our objectives were, firstly, to advance an existing proof-of-principle Bayesian belief network (BBN) model for integration of ecosystem services considerations into river management. We causally linked catchment stressors with ecosystem services using weighted evidence from an expert workshop (capturing confidence among expert groups), legislation and published literature. The BBN was calibrated with analyses of national monitoring data (including non-linear relationships and ecologically meaningful breakpoints) and expert judgement. We used a novel expected index of desirability to quantify the model outputs. Secondly, we applied the BBN to three case study catchments in Ireland to demonstrate the implications of changes in stressor levels for ecosystem services in different settings. Four out of the seven significant relationships in data analyses were non-linear, highlighting that non-linearity is common in ecosystems, but rarely considered in environmental modelling. Deficiency of riparian shading was identified as a prevalent and strong influence, which should be addressed to improve a broad range of societal benefits, particularly in the catchments where riparian shading is scarce. Sediment load had a lower influence on river biology in flashy rivers where it has less potential to settle out. Sediment interacted synergistically with organic matter and phosphate where these stressors were active; tackling these stressor pairs simultaneously can yield additional societal benefits compared to the sum of their individual influences, which highlights the value of integrated management. Our BBN model can be parametrised for other Irish catchments whereas elements of our approach, including the expected index of desirability, can be adapted globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin R Penk
- Department of Zoology and Trinity Centre for the Environment, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; School of Biology and Environmental Science & UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Michael Bruen
- Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research, School of Civil Engineering & UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Christian K Feld
- Faculty of Biology-Department of Aquatic Ecology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jeremy J Piggott
- School of Biology and Environmental Science & UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael Christie
- Aberystwyth Business School, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - Craig Bullock
- School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mary Kelly-Quinn
- Department of Zoology and Trinity Centre for the Environment, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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4
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Wastewater treatment plant effluent inputs influence the temporal variability of nutrient uptake in an intermittent stream. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01228-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents alter water chemistry and in-stream nutrient uptake rates of receiving freshwaters, thus changing the magnitude and fate of the nutrients exported. In Mediterranean regions, the dilution capacity of receiving streams can vary strongly over time due to the seasonal occurrence of floods and droughts, causing temporal variability of nutrient uptake. We assessed the temporal patterns and the controlling factors of net nutrient uptake in an intermittent Mediterranean stream receiving WWTP effluent inputs. We compiled the longitudinal concentration profiles of ambient dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) along a 800 m reach on 47 sampling dates between 2001 and 2017, encompassing a wide range of hydrological conditions. We estimated net nutrient uptake in the receiving stream. In 72% of the dates, high rates of net ammonium uptake co-occurred with net releases of either nitrate or nitrite. This pattern suggests that the receiving stream has a high nitrification capacity. Conversely, 75% of the dates did not show any longitudinal pattern in SRP concentration, suggesting that uptake and release processes for this element were either counterbalanced or both occurred at very low rates. Finally, net ammonium uptake was low when the stream had a low dilution capacity (< 40%) and ammonium concentration was high. Overall, we demonstrate that consideration of the receiving stream’s dilution capacity is imperative to the management of freshwaters to guarantee an adequate dilution of WWTP effluent inputs and avoid saturation of in-stream nutrient uptake capacity under low flow conditions in urban landscapes.
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5
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Bruneaux M, López‐Sepulcre A. isotracer: An R package for the analysis of tracer addition experiments. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Bruneaux
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Jyväskyläs Finland
| | - Andrés López‐Sepulcre
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Jyväskyläs Finland
- Department of Biology Washington University in St. Louis MO USA
- CNRS UMR 7618 Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES) Sorbonne Université Francess
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6
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Ryu HD, Kim SJ, Baek UI, Kim DW, Lee HJ, Chung EG, Kim MS, Kim K, Lee JK. Identifying nitrogen sources in intensive livestock farming watershed with swine excreta treatment facility using dual ammonium (δ 15N NH4) and nitrate (δ 15N NO3) nitrogen isotope ratios axes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 779:146480. [PMID: 34030231 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We proposed a novel approach based on dual ammonium and nitrate nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15NNH4 and δ15NNO3, respectively) axes to identify nitrogen sources in intensive livestock farming watersheds, especially those with swine excreta treatment facilities. The δ15NNH4 and δ15NNO3 values in water samples were measured monthly in 2016-2017. Soil and mineral fertilizers, sewage, sewage effluent, manure, and swine effluents were the five sources considered to identify nitrogen sources. The results showed that nitrogen pollution from agricultural activities was well reflected by the seasonal δ15NNH4 and δ15NNO3 patterns in the river, and microbial nitrification was suggested as the dominant nitrogen transformation process in the river. This study revealed that δ15NNH4 and δ15NNO3 axes provided better results than the traditionally used nitrate oxygen (δ18ONO3) and δ15NNO3 axes for identifying nitrogen sources in agricultural watersheds with swine excreta treatment facilities. The mixing model results showed that stream water was severely contaminated with swine effluents (e.g., a mean minimum contribution of 31%), thus affecting the quality of the mainstream (p = 0.068 < 0.10). This study was the first successful application of dual δ15NNH4 and δ15NNO3 axes to better understand nitrogen sources in intensive livestock farming watersheds with swine excreta treatment facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Duck Ryu
- Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Jung Kim
- Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Un-Il Baek
- Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Deok-Woo Kim
- Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Jeoung Lee
- Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Eu Gene Chung
- Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea.
| | - Min-Seob Kim
- Environment Measurement and Analysis Center, National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyunghyun Kim
- Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Kwan Lee
- Water Environment Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyoung-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
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7
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Espinoza-Toledo A, Mendoza-Carranza M, Castillo MM, Barba-Macías E, Capps KA. Taxonomic and functional responses of macroinvertebrates to riparian forest conversion in tropical streams. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 757:143972. [PMID: 33321337 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Land use change threatens the ecological integrity of tropical rivers and streams; however, few studies have simultaneously analyzed the taxonomic and functional responses of tropical macroinvertebrates to riparian forest conversion. Here, we used community structure, functional diversity, and stable isotope analyses to assess the impacts of riparian deforestation on macroinvertebrate communities of streams in southern Mexico. Monthly sampling during the dry season was conducted in streams with riparian forest (forest streams), and in streams with pasture dominating the riparian vegetation (pasture streams). Samples were collected for water quality (physical-chemical variables, nutrient concentrations, and total suspended solids), organic matter (leaf litter abundance and algal biomass), and macroinvertebrate abundance and diversity. Higher temperature, conductivity, suspended solids, and chlorophyll a were detected in pasture streams, while nitrate concentrations and leaf litter biomass were greater in forest streams. Macroinvertebrate density was higher in pasture sites, while no differences in taxonomic diversity and richness were found between land uses. Functional evenness was greater in forest streams, while richness and divergence were similar between land uses, despite differences in taxonomic composition. Environmental variables were associated with taxa distribution but not with functional traits, suggesting current conditions still promote redundancy in ecological function. Isotopic analyses indicated consumers in pasture streams were enriched in 13C and 15N relative to forest streams, potentially reflecting the higher algal biomass documented in pasture systems. Isotopic niches were broader and more overlapped in pasture streams, indicating more generalist feeding habits. No significant losses of taxonomic or functional diversity were detected in pasture streams. However, changes in trophic ecology suggest landscape-level processes are altering macroinvertebrate feeding habits in streams. The changes we observed in habitat, water quality, and macroinvertebrate community were related to the removal of the riparian vegetation, suggesting the structure and function of the focal systems would benefit from riparian restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Espinoza-Toledo
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Sustentabilidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Villahermosa, Carretera Villahermosa-Reforma Km 15.5, Ranchería Guineo, 2da. Sección, CP 86280 Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - Manuel Mendoza-Carranza
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Sustentabilidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Villahermosa, Carretera Villahermosa-Reforma Km 15.5, Ranchería Guineo, 2da. Sección, CP 86280 Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - María M Castillo
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Sustentabilidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Villahermosa, Carretera Villahermosa-Reforma Km 15.5, Ranchería Guineo, 2da. Sección, CP 86280 Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.
| | - Everardo Barba-Macías
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Sustentabilidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Villahermosa, Carretera Villahermosa-Reforma Km 15.5, Ranchería Guineo, 2da. Sección, CP 86280 Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - Krista A Capps
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, USA
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8
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Gold AC, Thompson SP, Magel CL, Piehler MF. Urbanization alters coastal plain stream carbon export and dissolved oxygen dynamics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 747:141132. [PMID: 32777493 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Coastal plain streams in the southeastern United States supply carbon that supports important coastal ecosystems, but the effects of urbanization on carbon export from these streams have not been extensively studied. This study aimed to determine how urbanization changes coastal plain stream organic matter quality, rates of carbon export, and dissolved oxygen dynamics that have implications for stream ecosystem function. Organic matter quality, organic carbon export, and dissolved oxygen concentrations were measured for multiple years (2009 & 2013-2015) in North Carolina coastal plain streams that spanned a gradient of urbanization. Based on spectral characteristics, dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality appeared to shift from characteristic blackwater in minimally impacted streams to clear streamwater in urban streams due to large reductions in chromophoric DOM concentrations, aromaticity, and molecular weight. Differences in spectral indices and characteristics of dissolved organic carbon export suggest that urbanization reduced natural sources of DOM and provided various urban sources of DOM that were likely more bioavailable. Particulate organic matter in the urban streams was indicative of more labile autochthonous sources than that of the less impacted streams, and rates of particulate carbon export increased and shifted to higher flows with watershed impervious surface cover. Diel variation of dissolved oxygen increased with watershed impervious surface cover, indicating that urbanization and associated changes in carbon and nutrient cycling altered stream function. While the effects of urbanization on carbon export were similar to previous studies in other regions, the unique blackwater state of natural streams and receiving waters in the study area make them especially susceptible to negative ecological impacts from altered carbon and nutrient export. Management actions that conserve or restore natural carbon sources to the stream may help mitigate multiple negative effects of urbanization in southeastern US coastal plain streams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Gold
- UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, 3431 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC 28557, United States; UNC Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, 3202 Murray/Venable Hall, CB#3275, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United States.
| | - Suzanne P Thompson
- UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, 3431 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC 28557, United States
| | - Caitlin L Magel
- OSU Department of Integrative Biology, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States
| | - Michael F Piehler
- UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, 3431 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC 28557, United States; UNC Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, 3202 Murray/Venable Hall, CB#3275, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United States; UNC Institute for the Environment, 100 Europa Dr., Suite 490, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, United States
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9
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Abstract
AbstractNitrogen (N) uptake is a key process in stream ecosystems that is mediated mainly by benthic microorganisms (biofilms on different substrata) and has implications for the biogeochemical fluxes at catchment scale and beyond. Here, we focused on the drivers of assimilatory N uptake, especially the effects of hydromorphology and other environmental constraints, across three spatial scales: micro, meso and reach. In two seasons (summer and spring), we performed whole-reach 15N-labelled ammonium injection experiments in two montane, gravel-bed stream reaches with riffle–pool sequences. N uptake was highest in epilithic biofilms, thallophytes and roots (min–max range 0.2–545.2 mg N m−2 day−1) and lowest in leaves, wood and fine benthic organic matter (0.05–209.2 mg N m−2 day−1). At the microscale, N uptake of all primary uptake compartments except wood was higher in riffles than in pools. At the mesoscale, hydromorphology determined the distribution of primary uptake compartments, with fast-flowing riffles being dominated by biologically more active compartments and pools being dominated by biologically less active compartments. Despite a lower biomass of primary uptake compartments, mesoscale N uptake was 1.7–3.0 times higher in riffles than in pools. At reach scale, N uptake ranged from 79.6 to 334.1 mg N m−2 day−1. Highest reach-scale N uptake was caused by a bloom of thallopyhtes, mainly filamentous autotrophs, during stable low discharge and high light conditions. Our results reveal the important role of hydromorphologic sorting of primary uptake compartments at mesoscale as a controlling factor for reach-scale N uptake in streams.
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10
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Guo K, Wu N, Manolaki P, Baattrup-Pedersen A, Riis T. Short-period hydrological regimes override physico-chemical variables in shaping stream diatom traits, biomass and biofilm community functions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140720. [PMID: 32758834 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite increasing interest in hydrological effects on riverine ecosystems, few studies have documented the impact of hydrology on biofilm community functions, and those existing have typically focused on annual-based hydrological indices. In this study, we conducted monthly samplings during a year in five lowland streams with different flow regimes and investigated the impacts of hydrological conditions and physico-chemical variables on the trait composition of diatoms growing on artificial substrates, biomass (chlorophyll a and ash free dry weight), and biofilm community functions (biochemical processes, i.e., biofilm metabolism and nutrient uptake rates measured in the laboratory). Instead of the commonly used annual-based hydrological indices, we calculated indices for shorter periods (14 and ~28 days) of the hydrological regimes. Results of species-based variation partitioning showed that short-period hydrological indices (10.10 ± 7.18%) contributed more to explain species distribution than physico-chemical variables (5.90 ± 3.83%), indicating the dominant role of hydrology in structuring the diatom community. Specifically, we found different response patterns for different guilds and size classes to the hydrological and physico-chemical variables, and our results demonstrated that species tolerating high disturbance may be more appropriate as indicators of environmental disturbance than low-tolerant species. We also found dominant effects of short-period hydrological events on biomass and biofilm community functions. Despite an overall negative effect of high flow events and flow variations on biomass and biofilm community functions, positive effects on function-biomass ratios were also observed, indicating that the effects of flow regimes on biofilm are complex. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of including short-period hydrological conditions in studies on environmental factors shaping benthic algae. Based on our results, we recommend use of short-period hydrological conditions when investigating the effects of flow regime on biofilm community composition and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Guo
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 1, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Naicheng Wu
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China.
| | - Paraskevi Manolaki
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 1, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Tenna Riis
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 1, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; WATEC, Aarhus University, Centre for Water Technology, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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11
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Baattrup-Pedersen A, Graeber D, Kallestrup H, Guo K, Rasmussen JJ, Larsen SE, Riis T. Effects of low flow and co-occurring stressors on structural and functional characteristics of the benthic biofilm in small streams. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 733:139331. [PMID: 32454294 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Low flow and co-occurring stress is a more and more frequent phenomenon these years in small agricultural streams as a consequence of climate change. In the present study we explored short and longer term structural responses of the stream benthic algae community and biofilm metabolism to multiple stress in small streams applying a semi-experimental approach. We hypothesized that i) a reduction in flow in combination with secondary stress (nutrients and sediments) have immediate effects on the benthic algae community in terms of biomass (chlorophyll a, biovolume), taxonomic and trait (lifeform and size distribution) compositions as well as on metabolism (GPP and CR), and ii) that changes in the benthic algae community persist due to altered environmental settings but that functional redundancy among benthic algae species provides a high level of resilience in metabolism (GPP and CR). Overall, we found that stress imposed by nutrients was less pronounced than stress imposed by fine sediments under low flow, and that nutrient enrichment to some extent mitigated effects of fine sediments. Fine sediment deposition mediated a decline in the fraction of erect algae and/or algae with mucilage stalks but this did not happen under co-occurring stress from both sediments and nutrients. Additionally, fine sediment deposition mediated a decline in GPP of the biofilm, but again this did not happen under co-occurring stress from nutrients. We conclude that 1) the benthic algae community and biofilm metabolism displayed similar resilience to stress imposed by low flow and co-occurring stress from nutrients and sediments on a short and longer time scale and 2) as structure-function adaptations may occur at several trophic levels in the biofilm, more research is needed to explore mechanisms underlying mitigating effects of nutrients in response to sediment deposition under low flow.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Graeber
- Dep. Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
| | | | - Kun Guo
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | | | | | - Tenna Riis
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
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12
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López-Sepulcre A, Bruneaux M, Collins SM, El-Sabaawi R, Flecker AS, Thomas SA. A New Method to Reconstruct Quantitative Food Webs and Nutrient Flows from Isotope Tracer Addition Experiments. Am Nat 2020; 195:964-985. [PMID: 32469660 DOI: 10.1086/708546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how nutrients flow through food webs is central in ecosystem ecology. Tracer addition experiments are powerful tools to reconstruct nutrient flows by adding an isotopically enriched element into an ecosystem and tracking its fate through time. Historically, the design and analysis of tracer studies have varied widely, ranging from descriptive studies to modeling approaches of varying complexity. Increasingly, isotope tracer data are being used to compare ecosystems and analyze experimental manipulations. Currently, a formal statistical framework for analyzing such experiments is lacking, making it impossible to calculate the estimation errors associated with the model fit, the interdependence of compartments, and the uncertainty in the diet of consumers. In this article we develop a method based on Bayesian hidden Markov models and apply it to the analysis of N15-NH4+ tracer additions in two Trinidadian streams in which light was experimentally manipulated. Through this case study, we illustrate how to estimate N fluxes between ecosystem compartments, turnover rates of N within those compartments, and the associated uncertainty. We also show how the method can be used to compare alternative models of food web structure, calculate the error around derived parameters, and make statistical comparisons between sites or treatments.
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13
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Vinten A, Bowden-Smith P. An Appraisal of Potential for Sowing of Nasturtium officinale Into Streams to Mitigate Nutrient Pollution in Eastern Scotland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17030895. [PMID: 32023999 PMCID: PMC7037887 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17030895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
This study examines a farmer-led initiative to sow watercress (Nasturtium officinale) in field ditches. The objective was to assess the potential of this practice to mitigate summer nutrient loads in rivers. Two ditches—one seeded, the other unseeded—on a mixed-livestock farm in Eastern Scotland were monitored during the spring-summer of 2014–2016. The un-replicated trial design limited statistical analysis. However, changes in N and P concentrations along the two ditches were measured. In the watercress-seeded ditch, N retention of 0.092 g/m2/d (p < 0.001, SE = 0.020) and P retention of 0.0092 g/m2/d (p = 0.001, SE = 0.0028) occurred, while total organic C in the water increased along the ditch. Retention was close to zero for the unseeded ditch. The seeded ditch was also found to have more dry matter production and lower stream temperature. The impact of plastic covering (to increase spring temperature) on vegetation and nutrient removal was also assessed on replicate 5-m sections of the ditches. No significant impact on N and P removal was found; however, the release of C increased significantly in the plastic-covered sections. The rise in air temperature (up to > 30 °C) promoted a greater growth of opportunist species (nettle (Urtica), rush (Juncus), and grasses. These observations were used to make a simple assessment of the potential catchment scale impact of seeding watercress into first and second order streams in the nearby Lunan Water catchment. It was concluded that this could make a significant contribution to the reduction of nutrient loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Vinten
- James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, Scotland, UK
- Correspondence:
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14
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Reisinger AJ, Doody TR, Groffman PM, Kaushal SS, Rosi EJ. Seeing the light: urban stream restoration affects stream metabolism and nitrate uptake via changes in canopy cover. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01941. [PMID: 31155778 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The continually increasing global population residing in urban landscapes impacts numerous ecosystem functions and services provided by urban streams. Urban stream restoration is often employed to offset these impacts and conserve or enhance the various functions and services these streams provide. Despite the assumption that "if you build it, [the function] will come," current understanding of the effects of urban stream restoration on stream ecosystem functions are based on short term studies that may not capture variation in restoration effectiveness over time. We quantified the impact of stream restoration on nutrient and energy dynamics of urban streams by studying 10 urban stream reaches (five restored, five unrestored) in the Baltimore, Maryland, USA, region over a two-year period. We measured gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) at the whole-stream scale continuously throughout the study and nitrate (NO3- -N) spiraling rates seasonally (spring, summer, autumn) across all reaches. There was no significant restoration effect on NO3- -N spiraling across reaches. However, there was a significant canopy cover effect on NO3- -N spiraling, and directly comparing paired sets of unrestored-restored reaches showed that restoration does affect NO3- -N spiraling after accounting for other environmental variation. Furthermore, there was a change in GPP : ER seasonality, with restored and open-canopied reaches exhibiting higher GPP : ER during summer. The restoration effect, though, appears contingent upon altered canopy cover, which is likely to be a temporary effect of restoration and is a driver of multiple ecosystem services, e.g., habitat, riparian nutrient processing. Our results suggest that decision-making about stream restoration, including evaluations of nutrient benefits, clearly needs to consider spatial and temporal dynamics of canopy cover and trade-offs among multiple ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Reisinger
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York, 12545, USA
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Thomas R Doody
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742, USA
| | - Peter M Groffman
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York, 12545, USA
- Brooklyn College Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, City University of New York Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center, New York, New York, 10031, USA
| | - Sujay S Kaushal
- Department of Geology, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742, USA
| | - Emma J Rosi
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York, 12545, USA
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15
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Dodds WK, Bruckerhoff L, Batzer D, Schechner A, Pennock C, Renner E, Tromboni F, Bigham K, Grieger S. The freshwater biome gradient framework: predicting macroscale properties based on latitude, altitude, and precipitation. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Walter K. Dodds
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | | | - Darold Batzer
- Department of Entomology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA
| | - Anne Schechner
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Casey Pennock
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Elizabeth Renner
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Flavia Tromboni
- Global Water Center and Biology Department University of Nevada Reno Nevada 89557 USA
| | - Kari Bigham
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Samantha Grieger
- School of the Environment Washington State University Vancouver Washington 98686 USA
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16
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Influence of urban river restoration on nitrogen dynamics at the sediment-water interface. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212690. [PMID: 30865649 PMCID: PMC6415882 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
River restoration projects focused on altering flow regimes through use of in-channel structures can facilitate ecosystem services, such as promoting nitrogen (N) storage to reduce eutrophication. In this study we use small flux chambers to examine ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) cycling across the sediment-water interface. Paired restored and unrestored study sites in 5 urban tributaries of the River Thames in Greater London were used to examine N dynamics following physical disturbances (0–3 min exposures) and subsequent biogeochemical activity (3–10 min exposures). Average ambient NH4+ concentrations were significantly different amongst all sites and ranged from 28.0 to 731.7 μg L-1, with the highest concentrations measured at restored sites. Average NO3- concentrations ranged from 9.6 to 26.4 mg L-1, but did not significantly differ between restored and unrestored sites. Average NH4+ fluxes at restored sites ranged from -8.9 to 5.0 μg N m-2 sec-1, however restoration did not significantly influence NH4+ uptake or regeneration (i.e., a measure of release to surface water) between 0–3 minutes and 3–10 minutes. Further, average NO3- fluxes amongst sites responded significantly between 0–3 minutes ranging from -33.6 to 97.7 μg N m-2 sec-1. Neither NH4+ nor NO3- fluxes correlated to sediment chlorophyll-a, total organic matter, or grain size. We attributed variations in overall N fluxes to N-specific sediment storage capacity, biogeochemical transformations, potential legacy effects associated with urban pollution, and variations in river-specific restoration actions.
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17
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Jarvie HP, Sharpley AN, Kresse T, Hays PD, Williams RJ, King SM, Berry LG. Coupling High-Frequency Stream Metabolism and Nutrient Monitoring to Explore Biogeochemical Controls on Downstream Nitrate Delivery. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:13708-13717. [PMID: 30376311 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b03074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Instream biogeochemical process measurements are often short-term and localized. Here we use in situ sensors to quantify the net effects of biogeochemical processes on seasonal patterns in baseflow nitrate retention at the river-reach scale. Dual-station high-frequency in situ nitrate measurements, were coupled with high-frequency measurements of stream metabolism and dissolved inorganic carbon, in a tributary of the Buffalo National River, Arkansas. Nitrate assimilation was calculated from net primary production, and combined with mass-balance measurements, to estimate net nitrification and denitrification. The combined net effects of these instream processes (assimilation, denitrification, and nitrification) removed >30-90% of the baseflow nitrate load along a 6.5 km reach. Assimilation of nitrate by photoautotrophs during spring and early summer was buffered by net nitrification. Net nitrification peaked during the spring. After midsummer, there was a pronounced switch from assimilatory nitrate uptake to denitrification. There was clear synchronicity between the switch from nitrate assimilation to denitrification, a reduction in river baseflows, and a shift in stream metabolism from autotrophy to heterotrophy. The results show how instream nitrate retention and downstream delivery is driven by seasonal shifts in metabolic pathways; and how continuous in situ stream sensor networks offer new opportunities for quantifying the role of stream biota in the dynamics, fate, and transport of nitrogen in fluvial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen P Jarvie
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology , Wallingford , OX10 8BB , United Kingdom
| | - Andrew N Sharpley
- Department of Crop Soil and Environmental Sciences , University of Arkansas , Fayetteville , Arkansas 72701 , United States
| | - Timothy Kresse
- U.S. Geological Survey , Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center , 401 Hardin Road , Little Rock , Arkansas 72211 , United States
| | - Phillip D Hays
- U.S. Geological Survey , Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center/University of Arkansas, Department of Geosciences , 216 Gearhart Hall , Fayetteville , Arkansas 72701 , United States
| | - Richard J Williams
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology , Wallingford , OX10 8BB , United Kingdom
| | - Stephen M King
- STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory , Harwell Campus , Didcot , Oxfordshire OX11 0QX , United Kingdom
| | - Lawrence G Berry
- Department of Crop Soil and Environmental Sciences , University of Arkansas , Fayetteville , Arkansas 72701 , United States
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18
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Invasive Nitrogen-Fixing Plant Amplifies Terrestrial–Aquatic Nutrient Flow and Alters Ecosystem Function. Ecosystems 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-018-0289-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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