Salty water and salty leaf litter alters riparian detrital processes: Evidence from sodium-addition laboratory mesocosm experiments

Terrestrial and freshwater secondary salinization is a global phenomenon arising partially from anthropogenic activities. How low-level direct (e.g., sodium exposure through irrigation runoff) or indirect (e.g., sodium exposure through sodium-enriched leaves as riparian plants uptake sodium that via senescence enters detrital systems) impacts detrital processes in riparia have received little attention. Based on the sodium ecosystem respiration hypothesis, we predicted low-level salinization of an inland mesic riparia would result in increased detrital processing and increased leachate dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and conductivity. Two riparian soil mesocosm experiments tested how low-level salinization affects leachate chemistry and conductivity and riparian decomposition rates and detritivore community structure: 1) direct low-level NaCl deposition in water (weekly additions of 300 ml of 0.05% NaCl or just H₂O (controls)), and 2) indirect low-level NaCl deposition through Na-enriched artificial litter (0.05% NaCl or just H₂O (controls)). After three months, leachate Na⁺ concentrations were 12-fold and 1.5-fold higher in Na-addition than control mesocosms for direct and indirect Na-addition experiments, respectively. Contrary to predictions, decomposition rate was 1.3-fold lower in indirect Na-addition than control mesocosms but invertebrate communities were similar. Decomposition rate did not differ in direct Na-addition experiments, and although invertebrate abundance was lower, diversity was 1.4-fold higher in Na-addition than control mesocosms. Leachate DOC did not differ between Na-addition and control mesocosms for either direct or indirect Na-addition experiments. This study adds to the growing evidence that even low-level Na addition can stress inland mesic terrestrial systems and demonstrates that even Na-enriched detritus alone can induce salt-stress in riparian soil systems. These results suggest that even low-level salinization of riparia can impact riparian ecosystem function and leachate chemistry through direct exposure and indirectly through Na-enriched detritus, a previously overlooked pathway.