Biotic and abiotic variables influencing plant litter breakdown in streams: a global study

Author:

Boyero Luz123ORCID,Pearson Richard G.3,Hui Cang45,Gessner Mark O.67,Pérez Javier1,Alexandrou Markos A.8,Graça Manuel A. S.9,Cardinale Bradley J.10,Albariño Ricardo J.11,Arunachalam Muthukumarasamy12,Barmuta Leon A.13,Boulton Andrew J.14,Bruder Andreas1516,Callisto Marcos17,Chauvet Eric1819,Death Russell G.20,Dudgeon David21,Encalada Andrea C.922,Ferreira Verónica9,Figueroa Ricardo23,Flecker Alexander S.24,Gonçalves José F.25,Helson Julie26,Iwata Tomoya27,Jinggut Tajang28,Mathooko Jude29,Mathuriau Catherine30,M'Erimba Charles29,Moretti Marcelo S.31,Pringle Catherine M.32,Ramírez Alonso33,Ratnarajah Lavenia1334,Rincon José3536,Yule Catherine M.28

Affiliation:

1. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain

2. IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain

3. College of Marine and Environmental Sciences and TropWater, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia

4. Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa

5. African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Muizenburg 7945, South Africa

6. Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 16775 Stechlin, Germany

7. Department of Ecology, Berlin Institute of Technology (TU Berlin), 10587 Berlin, Germany

8. Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA

9. MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal

10. School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA

11. Laboratorio de Fotobiologia, INIBIOMA, CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, 8400 Bariloche, Argentina

12. Sri Paramakalyani Centre for Environmental Sciences, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Alwarkurichi, 627412 Tamil Nadu, India

13. School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia

14. Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia

15. Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland

16. Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland

17. Laboratório de Ecologia de Bentos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 30161-970 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

18. UPS, INPT; EcoLab, Université de Toulouse, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France

19. EcoLab, CNRS, 31062 Toulouse, France

20. Institute of Agriculture and Environment-Ecology, Massey University, 4442 Palmerston North, New Zealand

21. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China

22. Laboratorio de Ecología Acuatica, Colegio de Ciencias Biologicas y Ambientales, Universidad de San Francisco de Quito, Campus Cumbayá, PO Box 17, 1200841 Quito, Ecuador

23. Faculty of Environmental Science and Water Research Center for Agriculture and Mining, University of Concepción, Box 160-C, Concepción, Chile

24. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

25. Laboratório de Limnologia/AquaRiparia, Departamento de Ecologia, ECL/IB, Universidade de Brasilia, 70910-900 Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil

26. Surface and Groundwater Ecology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto at Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M1C 1A4

27. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan

28. School of Science, Monash University, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Selangor 47500, Malaysia

29. Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University, PO Box 536, Egerton, Kenya

30. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, DF, México

31. Laboratory of Aquatic Insect Ecology, University of Vila Velha, Vila Velha 29 102-920, Brazil

32. Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA

33. Department of Environmental Science, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, San Juan 00919, Puerto Rico

34. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia

35. Laboratorio de Contaminación Acuática y Contaminación Fluvial, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia, Apartado Postal 526, Maracaibo, Venezuela

36. Programa Prometeo, Senescyt, Escuela de Biología, Ecología y Gestión, Universidad del Azuay, Apartado 981, Cuenca, Ecuador

Abstract

Plant litter breakdown is a key ecological process in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Streams and rivers, in particular, contribute substantially to global carbon fluxes. However, there is little information available on the relative roles of different drivers of plant litter breakdown in fresh waters, particularly at large scales. We present a global-scale study of litter breakdown in streams to compare the roles of biotic, climatic and other environmental factors on breakdown rates. We conducted an experiment in 24 streams encompassing latitudes from 47.8° N to 42.8° S, using litter mixtures of local species differing in quality and phylogenetic diversity (PD), and alder ( Alnus glutinosa ) to control for variation in litter traits. Our models revealed that breakdown of alder was driven by climate, with some influence of pH, whereas variation in breakdown of litter mixtures was explained mainly by litter quality and PD. Effects of litter quality and PD and stream pH were more positive at higher temperatures, indicating that different mechanisms may operate at different latitudes. These results reflect global variability caused by multiple factors, but unexplained variance points to the need for expanded global-scale comparisons.

Funder

National Geographic Society

Publisher

The Royal Society

Subject

General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,General Environmental Science,General Immunology and Microbiology,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Medicine

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