1. Latitude dictates plant diversity effects on instream decomposition.
- Author
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Boyero L, Pérez J, López-Rojo N, Tonin AM, Correa-Araneda F, Pearson RG, Bosch J, Albariño RJ, Anbalagan S, Barmuta LA, Beesley L, Burdon FJ, Caliman A, Callisto M, Campbell IC, Cardinale BJ, Casas JJ, Chará-Serna AM, Ciapała S, Chauvet E, Colón-Gaud C, Cornejo A, Davis AM, Degebrodt M, Dias ES, Díaz ME, Douglas MM, Elosegi A, Encalada AC, de Eyto E, Figueroa R, Flecker AS, Fleituch T, Frainer A, França JS, García EA, García G, García P, Gessner MO, Giller PS, Gómez JE, Gómez S, Gonçalves JF Jr, Graça MAS, Hall RO Jr, Hamada N, Hepp LU, Hui C, Imazawa D, Iwata T, Junior ESA, Kariuki S, Landeira-Dabarca A, Leal M, Lehosmaa K, M'Erimba C, Marchant R, Martins RT, Masese FO, Camden M, McKie BG, Medeiros AO, Middleton JA, Muotka T, Negishi JN, Pozo J, Ramírez A, Rezende RS, Richardson JS, Rincón J, Rubio-Ríos J, Serrano C, Shaffer AR, Sheldon F, Swan CM, Tenkiano NSD, Tiegs SD, Tolod JR, Vernasky M, Watson A, Yegon MJ, and Yule CM
- Abstract
Running waters contribute substantially to global carbon fluxes through decomposition of terrestrial plant litter by aquatic microorganisms and detritivores. Diversity of this litter may influence instream decomposition globally in ways that are not yet understood. We investigated latitudinal differences in decomposition of litter mixtures of low and high functional diversity in 40 streams on 6 continents and spanning 113° of latitude. Despite important variability in our dataset, we found latitudinal differences in the effect of litter functional diversity on decomposition, which we explained as evolutionary adaptations of litter-consuming detritivores to resource availability. Specifically, a balanced diet effect appears to operate at lower latitudes versus a resource concentration effect at higher latitudes. The latitudinal pattern indicates that loss of plant functional diversity will have different consequences on carbon fluxes across the globe, with greater repercussions likely at low latitudes., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)
- Published
- 2021
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