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Zhan Z, Wang S, Huang J, Cai J, Xu J, Zhou X, Wang B, Chen D. Litter quality and climate regulate the effect of invertebrates on litter decomposition in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: A global meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173102. [PMID: 38729363 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173102] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Although the exclusion effects of invertebrate decomposers on litter decomposition have been extensively studied in different experimental contexts, a thorough comparison of the exclusion effects of invertebrate decomposers with different body sizes on litter decomposition and its possible regulatory factors in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is still lacking. Here, through a meta-analysis of 1207 pairs of observations from 110 studies in terrestrial ecosystems and 473 pairs of observations from 60 studies in aquatic ecosystems, we found that invertebrate exclusion reduced litter decomposition rates by 36 % globally, 30 % in terrestrial ecosystems, and 44 % in aquatic ecosystems. At the global scale, the exclusion effects of macroinvertebrates and mesoinvertebrates on litter decomposition rates (reduced by 38 % and 36 %, respectively) were greater than those of the combination of macroinvertebrates and mesoinvertebrates (reduced by 30 %). In terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the effects of invertebrate exclusion on litter decomposition rates were mainly regulated by climate and initial litter quality, but the effects of invertebrate exclusion with different body sizes were regulated differently by climate, initial litter quality, and abiotic environmental variables. These findings will help us better understand the role of invertebrate decomposers in litter decomposition, especially for invertebrate decomposers with different body sizes, and underscore the need to incorporate invertebrate decomposers with different body sizes into dynamic models of litter decomposition to examine the potential effects and regulatory mechanisms of land-water-atmosphere carbon fluxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaohui Zhan
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Shuaifei Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Jinshan Cai
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Jingwen Xu
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Xuan Zhou
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region of Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China.
| | - Dima Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
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2
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Tuo B, García-Palacios P, Guo C, Yan ER, Berg MP, Cornelissen JHC. Meta-analysis reveals that vertebrates enhance plant litter decomposition at the global scale. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:411-422. [PMID: 38195996 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02292-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Evidence is mounting that vertebrate defaunation greatly impacts global biogeochemical cycling. Yet, there is no comprehensive assessment of the potential vertebrate influence over plant decomposition, despite litter decay being one of the largest global carbon fluxes. We therefore conducted a global meta-analysis to evaluate vertebrate effects on litter mass loss and associated element release across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Here we show that vertebrates affected litter decomposition by various direct and indirect pathways, increasing litter mass loss by 6.7% on average, and up to 34.4% via physical breakdown. This positive vertebrate impact on litter mass loss was consistent across contrasting litter types (woody and non-woody), climatic regions (boreal, temperate and tropical), ecosystem types (aquatic and terrestrial) and vertebrate taxa, but disappeared when evaluating litter nitrogen and phosphorus release. Moreover, we found evidence of interactive effects between vertebrates and non-vertebrate decomposers on litter mass loss, and a larger influence of vertebrates at mid-to-late decomposition stages, contrasting with the invertebrate effect known to be strongest at early decomposition stage. Our synthesis demonstrates a global vertebrate control over litter mass loss, and further stresses the need to account for vertebrates when assessing the impacts of biodiversity loss on biogeochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Tuo
- A-LIFE, Systems Ecology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pablo García-Palacios
- Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias (ICA), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chao Guo
- Forest Zoology, Technische Universität Dresden, Tharandt, Germany.
| | - En-Rong Yan
- Zhejiang Zhoushan Archipelago Observation and Research Station, Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, and Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), Shanghai, China
| | - Matty P Berg
- A-LIFE, Ecology & Evolution, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- GELIFES, Conservation and Community Ecology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Ferreira V. Macroplastic litter colonization by stream macroinvertebrates relative to that of plant litter: A meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 342:123108. [PMID: 38070646 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123108] [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: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Environmental pollution by anthropogenic litter is a global concern, but studies specifically addressing the interaction between macroplastics and macroinvertebrates in streams are scarce. However, several studies on plant litter decomposition in streams have also used plastic strips as a methodological approach to assess if macroinvertebrates colonize plant litter mostly as a substrate or a food resource. Looking at these studies from the plastic strips perspective may provide useful information on the interaction between macroplastics and macroinvertebrates in streams. I carried out a meta-analysis of 18 studies that have compared macroinvertebrate colonization of macroplastic litter and plant litter in streams to estimate the overall macroinvertebrate colonization of macroplastic litter relative to plant litter, and identify moderators of this difference. Macroinvertebrate colonization of macroplastic litter was overall lower (by ∼ 40%) compared with plant litter. However, differences in macroinvertebrate colonization between macroplastic litter and plant litter were observed when considering leaf litter but not wood litter, which may be a poorer substrate and food resource for macroinvertebrates. Also, differences in macroinvertebrate colonization between macroplastic litter and leaf litter were observed for shredders, collectors and predators, but not for grazers that may feed on the biofilm developed on macroplastics. Macroplastic litter supported lower macroinvertebrate density, biomass, abundance, and richness, but higher macroinvertebrate diversity than leaf litter. Higher macroinvertebrate diversity on macroplastic litter may have occurred when macroplastics represented more heterogeneous substrates (e.g., mixture of plastic types) than leaf litter (e.g., needles). Differences in macroinvertebrate abundance between macroplastic litter and leaf litter were not significantly affected by plastic type, mesh opening size, plant functional group or plant identity. By testing previously untested hypotheses, this meta-analysis guides future empirical studies. Future studies should also consider the geographical areas most affected by macroplastic pollution and the plastic types most often found in the streams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Ferreira
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
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Balik JA, Greig HS, Taylor BW, Wissinger SA. Consequences of climate-induced range expansions on multiple ecosystem functions. Commun Biol 2023; 6:390. [PMID: 37037978 PMCID: PMC10085988 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04673-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate-driven species range shifts and expansions are changing community composition, yet the functional consequences in natural systems are mostly unknown. By combining a 30-year survey of subalpine pond larval caddisfly assemblages with species-specific functional traits (nitrogen and phosphorus excretion, and detritus processing rates), we tested how three upslope range expansions affected species' relative contributions to caddisfly-driven nutrient supply and detritus processing. A subdominant resident species (Ag. deflata) consistently made large relative contributions to caddisfly-driven nitrogen supply throughout all range expansions, thus "regulating" the caddisfly-driven nitrogen supply. Whereas, phosphorus supply and detritus processing were regulated by the dominant resident species (L. externus) until the third range expansion (by N. hostilis). Since the third range expansion, N. hostilis's relative contribution to caddisfly-driven phosphorus supply increased, displacing L. externus's role in regulating caddisfly-driven phosphorus supply. Meanwhile, detritus processing contributions became similar among the dominant resident, subdominant residents, and range expanding species. Total ecosystem process rates did not change throughout any of the range expansions. Thus, shifts in species' relative functional roles may occur before shifts in total ecosystem process rates, and changes in species' functional roles may stabilize processes in ecosystems undergoing change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared A Balik
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA.
- Departments of Biology and Environmental Science, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA, 16335, USA.
| | - Hamish S Greig
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Brad W Taylor
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA
| | - Scott A Wissinger
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA
- Departments of Biology and Environmental Science, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA, 16335, USA
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Firmino VC, Martins RT, Brasil LS, Cunha EJ, Pinedo-Garcia RB, Hamada N, Juen L. Do microplastics and climate change negatively affect shredder invertebrates from an amazon stream? An ecosystem functioning perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 321:121184. [PMID: 36736567 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pollution and climate change are among the main threats to the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems in the 21st century. We experimentally tested the effects of microplastic and climate change (i.e., increase in temperature and CO2) on the survival and consumption by an Amazonian-stream shredder invertebrate. We tested three hypotheses. (1) Increased microplastic concentrations and climate change reduce shredder survival. We assumed that the combined stressors would increase toxic stress. (2) Increased concentrations of microplastics have negative effects on shredder food consumption. We assumed that blockage of the digestive tract by microplastics would lead to reduced ability to digest food. In addition, increased temperature and CO2 would lead to an increase in metabolic cost and reduced consumption. (3) The interaction between microplastics and climate change have greater negative effects on survival and consumption than either alone. We combined different concentrations of microplastic and climate change scenarios to simulate in real-time increases in temperature and CO2 forecast for 2100 for Amazonia. We found that both stressors had lethal effects, increasing mortality risk, but there was no interaction effect. Shredder consumption was negatively affected only by climate change. The interaction of microplastics and climate change on shredder consumption was dose-dependent and more intense in the extreme climate scenario, leading to reduced consumption. Our results indicate that microplastic and climate change may have strong effects on the consumption and/or survival of insect shredders in Amazonian streams. In addition, microplastic and climate change effects may affect not only populations but also ecosystem functioning (e.g., nutrient cycling). Integrative approaches to better understand and mitigate the effects of both stressors are necessary because plastic pollution and climate change co-occur in environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviane Caetano Firmino
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 1, Guamá, Belém, PA, CEP: 66075-110, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 1, Guamá, Belém, PA, CEP: 66075-110, Brazil.
| | - Renato Tavares Martins
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM, CEP: 69067-375, Brazil
| | - Leandro Schlemmer Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 1, Guamá, Belém, PA, CEP: 66075-110, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Campus Araguaia, Avenida Universitária, 3,500, Pontal do Araguaia, MT, CEP: 78.698-000, Brazil
| | - Erlane José Cunha
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, R. Boaventura da Silva, 955, Nazaré, Belém, PA, CEP: 66055-090, Brazil
| | - Raul Bismarck Pinedo-Garcia
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM, CEP: 69067-375, Brazil
| | - Neusa Hamada
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM, CEP: 69067-375, Brazil
| | - Leandro Juen
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 1, Guamá, Belém, PA, CEP: 66075-110, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 1, Guamá, Belém, PA, CEP: 66075-110, Brazil
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Burdon FJ, Reyes M, Schönenberger U, Räsänen K, Tiegs SD, Eggen RIL, Stamm C. Environmental context determines pollution impacts on ecosystem functioning. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francis J. Burdon
- Eawag – Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- Te Aka Mātuatua – School of Science, Univ. of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Marta Reyes
- Eawag – Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - Urs Schönenberger
- Eawag – Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - Katja Räsänen
- Eawag – Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- Dept of Biological and Environmental Science, Univ. of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä Finland
| | - Scott D. Tiegs
- Dept of Biological Sciences, Oakland Univ. Rochester MI USA
| | - Rik I. L. Eggen
- Eawag – Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- ETH Zürich, Inst. of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics Zürich Switzerland
| | - Christian Stamm
- Eawag – Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
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Alonso A, Monroy S, Bosch J, Pérez J, Boyero L. Amphibian loss alters periphyton structure and invertebrate growth in montane streams. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:2329-2337. [PMID: 36177539 PMCID: PMC9828351 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Amphibians are declining worldwide due to a combination of stressors such as climate change, invasive species, habitat loss, pollution and emergent diseases. Although their losses are likely to have important ecological consequences on the structure and functioning of freshwater ecosystems, this issue has been scarcely explored. We conducted an experiment in three montane streams-where primary production is the main source of energy and carbon-to assess the effects of amphibian disappearance (i.e. presence or absence of the common midwife toad Alytes obstetricans, a common species found in pools of these streams) on several aspects of ecosystem functioning and structure: periphyton biomass and chlorophyll a concentration, algal assemblage structure, and growth of macroinvertebrate grazers. We compared four types of experimental enclosures: (i) without macroinvertebrates or amphibians; (ii) with larvae of the caddisfly Allogamus laureatus; (iii) with A. obstetricans tadpoles; and (iv) with both A. laureatus larvae and A. obstetricans tadpoles. The absence of tadpoles increased periphyton biomass, but did not cause differences on inorganic sediment accrual. The algal assemblage had a higher diversity in the absence of tadpoles, and their characteristic taxa differed from the assemblages in presence of tadpoles. A. laureatus presented higher mass in presence of tadpoles; however, tadpole length was not affected by presence of macroinvertebrates. Our results suggest that presence of tadpoles is a driver of periphyton accrual and assemblage structure, acting as top-down control and with key potential consequences on the functioning of montane stream ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Alonso
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)LeioaSpain
| | - Silvia Monroy
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)LeioaSpain
| | - Jaime Bosch
- IMIB‐Research Unit of Biodiversity (CSIC, UO, PA)Oviedo University‐Campus MieresMieresSpain,Centro de Investigación, Seguimiento y Evaluación, Parque Nacional de la Sierra de GuadarramaRascafríaSpain
| | - Javier Pérez
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)LeioaSpain
| | - Luz Boyero
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)LeioaSpain,IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for ScienceBilbaoSpain
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8
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Yue K, De Frenne P, Van Meerbeek K, Ferreira V, Fornara DA, Wu Q, Ni X, Peng Y, Wang D, Heděnec P, Yang Y, Wu F, Peñuelas J. Litter quality and stream physicochemical properties drive global invertebrate effects on instream litter decomposition. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:2023-2038. [PMID: 35811333 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Plant litter is the major source of energy and nutrients in stream ecosystems and its decomposition is vital for ecosystem nutrient cycling and functioning. Invertebrates are key contributors to instream litter decomposition, yet quantification of their effects and drivers at the global scale remains lacking. Here, we systematically synthesized data comprising 2707 observations from 141 studies of stream litter decomposition to assess the contribution and drivers of invertebrates to the decomposition process across the globe. We found that (1) the presence of invertebrates enhanced instream litter decomposition globally by an average of 74%; (2) initial litter quality and stream water physicochemical properties were equal drivers of invertebrate effects on litter decomposition, while invertebrate effects on litter decomposition were not affected by climatic region, mesh size of coarse-mesh bags or mycorrhizal association of plants providing leaf litter; and (3) the contribution of invertebrates to litter decomposition was greatest during the early stages of litter mass loss (0-20%). Our results, besides quantitatively synthesizing the global pattern of invertebrate contribution to instream litter decomposition, highlight the most significant effects of invertebrates on litter decomposition at early rather than middle or late decomposition stages, providing support for the inclusion of invertebrates in global dynamic models of litter decomposition in streams to explore mechanisms and impacts of terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric carbon fluxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Yue
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China.,Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, 9090, Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Pieter De Frenne
- Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, 9090, Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Koenraad Van Meerbeek
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Verónica Ferreira
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Dario A Fornara
- Davines Group-Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center (EROC), Via Don Angelo Calzolari 55/a, 43126, Parma, Italy
| | - Qiqian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, 311300, China
| | - Xiangyin Ni
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Yan Peng
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China.,Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, 1958, Denmark
| | - Dingyi Wang
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Petr Heděnec
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.,Agritec Plant Research Ltd., Zemědělská 16, Šumperk, 78701, Czech Republic
| | - Yusheng Yang
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Fuzhong Wu
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CREAF, E08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain.,CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, E08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
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9
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Fenoy E, Pradhan A, Pascoal C, Rubio-Ríos J, Batista D, Moyano-López FJ, Cássio F, Casas JJ. Elevated temperature may reduce functional but not taxonomic diversity of fungal assemblages on decomposing leaf litter in streams. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:115-127. [PMID: 34651383 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mounting evidence points to a linkage between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (B-EF). Global drivers, such as warming and nutrient enrichment, can alter species richness and composition of aquatic fungal assemblages associated with leaf-litter decomposition, a key ecosystem process in headwater streams. However, effects of biodiversity changes on ecosystem functions might be countered by the presumed high functional redundancy of fungal species. Here, we examined how environmental variables and leaf-litter traits (based on leaf chemistry) affect taxonomic and functional α- and β-diversity of fungal decomposers. We analysed taxonomic diversity (DNA-fingerprinting profiles) and functional diversity (community-level physiological profiles) of fungal communities in four leaf-litter species from four subregions differing in stream-water characteristics and riparian vegetation. We hypothesized that increasing stream-water temperature and nutrients would alter taxonomic diversity more than functional diversity due to the functional redundancy among aquatic fungi. Contrary to our expectations, fungal taxonomic diversity varied little with stream-water characteristics across subregions, and instead taxon replacement occurred. Overall taxonomic β-diversity was fourfold higher than functional diversity, suggesting a high degree of functional redundancy among aquatic fungi. Elevated temperature appeared to boost assemblage uniqueness by increasing β-diversity while the increase in nutrient concentrations appeared to homogenize fungal assemblages. Functional richness showed a negative relationship with temperature. Nonetheless, a positive relationship between leaf-litter decomposition and functional richness suggests higher carbon use efficiency of fungal communities in cold waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Encarnación Fenoy
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
- Andalusian Centre for Assessment and Monitoring of Global Change (CAESCG), Almería, Spain
| | - Arunava Pradhan
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-sustainability, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Pascoal
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-sustainability, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Juan Rubio-Ríos
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
- Andalusian Centre for Assessment and Monitoring of Global Change (CAESCG), Almería, Spain
| | - Daniela Batista
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-sustainability, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | | | - Fernanda Cássio
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-sustainability, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - J Jesús Casas
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
- Andalusian Centre for Assessment and Monitoring of Global Change (CAESCG), Almería, Spain
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