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Identifying hydropower dam operations that lessen detrimental effects on downstream fauna could inform conservation strategies for native fishes. We compared occurrence of native fishes in 20 shoal habitats downstream from two differently operated hydropower dams in the Coosa River system, Georgia, USA. Species richness averaged 7 and 11, respectively, in surveys downstream from (1) a hydropeaking dam and (2) a dam with a re-regulation structure that stabilized downstream flows. In contrast, surveys in two nearby reference communities averaged 19 and 24 species. Species persisting downstream from the dams tended toward water-column orientation, larger body size, longer life span, and greater prevalence in tributary stream collections, compared with missing or rarely captured species. We observed no evidence of recovery toward reference conditions when operations were paused for 28 months at the hydropeaking dam. Our observations suggest that (1) strongly contrasting dam operations can result in similar alterations to native fish assemblages, potentially reflecting effects of thermal alteration by hypolimnetic water release, and (2) periodic dispersal from tributary streams may enhance fish persistence in flow-altered rivers. Key words: freshwater fishes, hydrologic alteration, reference communities, species traits, dispersal, Introduction Ecologists have documented widespread alterations of river communities imposed by hydropower dams. Large dams fragment river systems, imperiling populations of migratory fishes blocked from spawning, nursery, and foraging habitats [...]

Leaf litter dominates particulate organic carbon inputs to forest streams. Using data‐informed simulations, we explored how litter type (slow‐ vs. fast‐decomposing species), pulsed autumn litter inputs, groundwater‐mediated temperature regimes, and climate warming affect litter breakdown in a 3rd‐order stream network. We found that the time‐dependent interactions of these variables govern network‐scale litter breakdown phenology, with greater thermal sensitivity of slow‐decomposing litter for both current and future scenarios. Groundwater thermal inputs modified litter breakdown phenology by reducing spring and summer and elevating winter litter breakdown fluxes. Under future warming scenarios, the source depth of contributing groundwater influenced summer detrital resources; shallow groundwater‐fed streams had reduced summer resources compared to deep groundwater‐fed streams. Our results demonstrate that predicting in‐stream carbon cycling requires explicit consideration of the phenology of resource inputs and the seasonal timing of environmental factors, notably stream thermal regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased temperatures are altering rates of organic matter (OM) breakdown in stream ecosystems with implications for carbon (C) cycling in the face of global change. The metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) provides a framework for predicting temperature effects on OM breakdown, but differences in the temperature dependence of breakdown driven by different organismal groups (i.e., microorganisms vs. invertebrate detritivores) and litter species remain unresolved. Over two years, we conducted 12 60‐day leaf litterbag incubations in 20 headwater streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains (USA). We compared temperature dependence (as activation energy, Ea) between microbial and detritivore‐mediated breakdown, and between a highly recalcitrant (Rhododendron maximum) and a relatively labile (Acer rubrum) leaf species. Detritivore‐mediated breakdown had a higher Ea than microbial breakdown for both leaf species (Rhododendron: 1.48 > 0.56 eV; Acer: 0.97 > 0.29 eV), and Rhododendron breakdown had a higher Ea than Acer breakdown for both organismal groups. Similarly, the Ea of total (coarse‐mesh) Rhododendron breakdown was higher than the Ea of total Acer breakdown (0.89 > 0.52 eV). These effects for total breakdown were large, implying that the number of days to 95% mass loss would decline by 40% for Rhododendron and 26% for Acer between 12°C (our mean temperature value) and 16°C (+4°C, reflecting projected increases in global surface temperature due to climate change). Despite patterns in Ea, overall breakdown rates were higher for microbes than detritivores, and for Acer than Rhododendron over most of our temperature gradient. Additionally, the Ea for a subset of the microbial breakdown data declined from 0.40 to 0.22 eV when fungal biomass was included as a model predictor, highlighting the key role of fungi in determining the temperature dependence of litter breakdown. Our results imply that, as streams warm, routing of leaf litter C to detritivore‐mediated fates will increase faster than predicted by previous studies and MTE, especially for labile litter. As temperatures rise, earlier depletion of autumn‐shed, labile leaf litter combined with rapid breakdown rates of recalcitrant litter could exacerbate seasonal resource limitation and alter carbon storage and transport dynamics in temperate headwater stream networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streams store nutrients in standing stocks of organic matter (OM) and associated biologically sequestered elements. Unlike standing stocks of autotrophs, detritus is depleted by nutrient enrichment, potentially reducing areal storage of detritus‐associated nutrients. To test effects of nutrient‐loading on storage of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) by autotrophic and detrital‐pool compartments, we quantified the effects of 2 yr of continuous experimental N and P additions on fine benthic organic matter (FBOM), leaves, wood, and biofilms in five forest streams. Our design tested the relative strength of N vs. P on OM nutrient content, areal OM storage, and areal nutrient storage in OM types. Enrichment increased nutrient content of all OM types; %P increased more than %N in leaves, wood, and biofilms, but not FBOM. Biofilm %P and %N increased more than in all detrital types. Areal FBOM and leaf storage declined with nutrient enrichment. Biofilm standing stocks were generally higher with enrichment but were not related to the streamwater N and P gradients. Despite increased OM nutrient content, total areal nutrient storage in leaves and wood decreased due to reduced OM storage. Although annual nutrient storage was stabilized by FBOM, seasonal variation in nutrient storage increased with enrichment. Leaf‐associated nutrient storage was reduced in most seasons, whereas FBOM and biofilm nutrient storage increased in winter and spring, respectively, relative to pretreatment. Overall, the combined responses of all OM types to enrichment resulted in reduced storage and altered seasonal availability of carbon and nutrients, which has implications for consumers and downstream processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf breakdown is an important process in forested headwater streams. A common method used to quantify the role of macroinvertebrate and microbial communities in leaf litter breakdown involves using paired mesh bags that either allow or exclude macroinvertebrate access to leaves. We examined common assumptions of the paired litterbag method to test (1) whether mesh size alters microbial respiration and (2) whether the effects of abrasive flows (e.g., from water and sediment) differ between coarse‐ and fine‐mesh litterbags. We measured rates of microbial respiration on Acer rubrum and Rhododendron maximum leaves incubated in coarse‐ and fine‐mesh litterbags. We also measured rates of abrasion using aerated concrete blocks in pairs of coarse‐ and fine‐mesh bags in ten streams across a gradient of discharge. We found that rates of microbial respiration on Acer rubrum leaves conditioned in fine‐mesh bags were 65% greater than the rates of respiration in paired coarse‐mesh bags, but respiration rates on Rhododendron maximum were similar in coarse‐ and fine‐mesh bags. Abrasion was, on average, 56% greater in coarse‐mesh than paired fine‐mesh bags, and these effects were greater in streams with higher discharge. These results suggest that more caution is required when attributing the difference in leaf breakdown between coarse‐ and fine‐mesh bags to macroinvertebrates. Because the effect of mesh size on microbial respiration of Acer leaves and abrasion are opposite in direction, the effect that dominates and creates bias likely depends on both environmental context and experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time‐series data offer wide‐ranging opportunities to test hypotheses about the physical and biological factors that influence species abundances. Although sophisticated models have been developed and applied to analyze abundance time series, they require information about species detectability that is often unavailable. We propose that in many cases, simpler models are adequate for testing hypotheses. We consider three relatively simple regression models for time series, using simulated and empirical (fish and mammal) datasets. Model A is a conventional generalized linear model of abundance, model B adds a temporal autoregressive term, and model C uses an estimate of population growth rate as a response variable, with the option of including a term for density dependence. All models can be fit using Bayesian and non‐Bayesian methods. Simulation results demonstrated that model C tended to have greater support for long‐lived, lower‐fecundity organisms (K life‐history strategists), while model A, the simplest, tended to be supported for shorter‐lived, high‐fecundity organisms (r life‐history strategists). Analysis of real‐world fish and mammal datasets found that models A, B, and C each enjoyed support for at least some species, but sometimes yielded different insights. In particular, model C indicated effects of predictor variables that were not evident in analyses with models A and B. Bayesian and frequentist models yielded similar parameter estimates and performance. We conclude that relatively simple models are useful for testing hypotheses about the factors that influence abundance in time‐series data, and can be appropriate choices for datasets that lack the information needed to fit more complicated models. When feasible, we advise fitting datasets with multiple models because they can provide complementary information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated streamwater nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations can stimulate microbial activity on detrital C and accelerate its breakdown in stream ecosystems. Our study evaluated whether nutrient–detrital relationships are robust across a moderately altered land-use gradient and can be used to identify functional impairment of stream ecosystems. We tested the relative importance of N vs P as likely drivers of these responses, whether responses differed for labile or recalcitrant standardized substrates, and whether responses were detectable across streams with other stressors, which can potentially mask nutrient effects. Two studies were conducted in 23 sites in southeastern US streams. These streams differed in land use and exhibited low-to-moderate gradients in N and P. In study 1, we used 9 sites to compare the relationships between nutrient (N and P) concentrations and microbial respiration and breakdown of 2 standardized C substrates: recalcitrant oak wood veneer and labile cellulose sponge. Both of these substrates are low in nutrient content but differ structurally. In the best supported models, respiration and breakdown rates were positively related to streamwater P, but not N, after 4 wk of stream incubation. Microbial respiration increased 4.2 and 1.2× and breakdown increased 1.8 and 2.3× on cellulose and wood, respectively, across the P gradient. Temperature (+) and specific conductivity (−) were also in top models for wood respiration. Respiration and breakdown were highly correlated for both substrates, indicating the importance of microbial processing in driving breakdown rates. In study 2, we used 23 sites to test for association between landscape nutrient (N and P) gradients and wood veneer breakdown and whether detrital stoichiometry was a better predictor of breakdown than streamwater nutrient concentrations. Wood breakdown was related to P, but not N, and increased 4.1× in 12 wk across the P gradient. Wood nutrient content (increased %N and %P, reduced C∶N and C∶P) was also related to streamwater P and better predicted breakdown (C∶P r 2 = 0.75, C∶N r 2 = 0.87) than streamwater nutrient concentrations. Streamwater P concentrations appeared to stimulate breakdown to a degree that indicates impaired stream function. Our study showed that standardized detrital substrates responses to nutrients 1) were greater to streamwater P than N concentration gradients, 2) occurred on both labile and recalcitrant substrates, and 3) were detectable across landscape gradients with other stressors (e.g., temperature, specific conductivity). These responses likely reflect effects of excess nutrients on diverse C resources in these streams. Wood veneers integrated streamwater nutrient effects, were resistant to physical abrasion, and exhibited significant mass loss even when detritivores were excluded, indicating their value in stream functional assessments under a wide range of stream conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of terrestrial net primary production decomposes, fueling detrital food webs and converting dead plant carbon to atmospheric CO2. There is considerable interest in determining the sensitivity of this process to climate warming. A common approach has been to use spatial gradients in temperature (i.e., latitude or elevation) to estimate temperature sensitivity. However, these studies typically relate decomposition rates to average temperatures at each site along such gradients, ignoring within-site temperature variation. To evaluate the potential effects of temperature variation on estimates of temperature sensitivity, we simulated plant litter decomposition using both randomly generated and real time series of temperature. This simulation approach illustrated how temperature variation leads to higher decomposition rates at a given mean temperature than is predicted from simulations in which temperature is held constant. Increases in decomposition rate were most evident at cooler sites, where temporal variation in temperature tends to be greater than at warmer sites. This unbalanced effect of temperature variation shifted the slope of the relationships between average temperature and decomposition rate, resulting in lower estimated temperature sensitivities than were used to simulate decomposition. For example, estimates of activation energy (Ea) were as much as 0.15 eV lower than the true Ea when decomposition was simulated with the true Ea set to the canonical respiration value of 0.65 eV. We found that the estimated Ea was lower than the true Ea for surface, soil, and air temperatures, but not for stream temperatures, for which there was only a weak relationship between temperature variation and mean temperature. Our results suggest that commonly used methods may underestimate the temperature dependence of litter decomposition, particularly in terrestrial environments. We encourage publication of temperature data that include variation estimates and suggest an alternative method for calculating temperature sensitivity that accounts for variation in temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-flowing river segments provide refuges for many imperiled aquatic biota that have been extirpated elsewhere in their native ranges. These biodiversity refuges are also foci of conservation concerns because species persisting within isolated habitat fragments may be particularly vulnerable to local environmental change. We have analyzed long-term (14- and 20-y) survey data to assess evidence of fish species declines in two southeastern U.S. rivers where managers and stakeholders have identified potentially detrimental impacts of current and future land uses. The Conasauga River (Georgia and Tennessee) and the Etowah River (Georgia) form free-flowing headwaters of the extensively dammed Coosa River system. These rivers are valued in part because they harbor multiple species of conservation concern, including three federally endangered and two federally threatened fishes. We used data sets comprising annual surveys for fish species at multiple, fixed sites located at river shoals to analyze occupancy dynamics and temporal changes in species richness. Our analyses incorporated repeated site-specific surveys in some years to estimate and account for incomplete species detection, and test for species-specific (rarity, mainstem-restriction) and year-specific (elevated frequencies of low- or high-flow days) covariates on occupancy dynamics. In the Conasauga River, analysis of 26 species at 13 sites showed evidence of temporal declines in colonization rates for nearly all taxa, accompanied by declining species richness. Four taxa (including one federally endangered species) had reduced occupancy across the Conasauga study sites, with three of these taxa apparently absent for at least the last 5 y of the study. In contrast, a similar fauna of 28 taxa at 10 sites in the Etowah River showed no trends in species persistence, colonization, or occupancy. None of the tested covariates showed strong effects on persistence or colonization rates in either river. Previous studies and observations identified contaminants, nutrient loading, or changes in benthic habitat as possible causes for fish species declines in the Conasauga River. Our analysis provides baseline information that could be used to assess effectiveness of future management actions in the Conasauga or Etowah rivers, and illustrates the use of dynamic occupancy models to evaluate evidence of faunal decline from time-series data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient enrichment is a key stressor of lakes and streams globally, affecting the relative availability of important basal resources such as algae and detritus. These effects are controlled by responses of autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms that subsequently affect primary consumers and higher level predators. Despite the potential for propagation of these bottom-up effects, few studies have examined how nutrients affect 'green' (autotrophic) versus 'brown' (heterotrophic) energy pathways to predators via changes in the quantity or type of prey consumed., We studied the pathways by which nutrient enrichment affected two predatory salamander species ( Desmognathus quadramaculatus and Eurycea wilderae) using detailed diet analyses before and during 2-year nutrient additions to five headwater forest streams. The streams were continuously enriched with different concentrations of dissolved nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), creating relatively greater N or P concentrations and distinct N:P ratios (2:1, 8:1, 16:1, 32:1 and 128:1) in each stream., Nutrient addition resulted in greater prey number, size and biomass consumed by D. quadramaculatus, an effect driven more by P than by N additions. Some of these effects were greater in the second year of enrichment and were greater for larger individuals. Shifts in the prey composition of D. quadramaculatus included increases in algivores and decreases in detritivores, tracking observed treatment effects on basal resource quantity (e.g. algivore abundance in guts was related to algal biomass, which increased with enrichment, and detritivore abundance in guts was related to detrital standing stocks, which declined with enrichment). For E. wilderae diets, there was limited evidence for increased prey size and number, or for alteration of prey composition with enrichment despite evidence of increased larval growth. We hypothesise that body size differences between the two salamander species partially explain their different dietary responses to enrichment., Our results show that nutrient addition, primarily of P, affected the quantity and composition of predator diets in our nutrient-poor streams. These effects on diet were consistent with concurrent studies showing that P enrichment resulted in faster growth of salamanders and occurred partly via effects on algal biofilm or 'green' food-web pathways, despite the dominance of detrital or 'brown' resources in our heavily shaded forest stream sites. Thus, nutrient enrichment can promote algae- versus detritus-based energy-flow pathways in nominally light-limited stream ecosystems, with associated changes in food-web characteristics and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]