1. Impacts of detritivore diversity loss on instream decomposition are greatest in the tropics.
- Author
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Boyero L, López-Rojo N, Tonin AM, Pérez J, Correa-Araneda F, Pearson RG, Bosch J, Albariño RJ, Anbalagan S, Barmuta LA, Basaguren A, Burdon FJ, Caliman A, Callisto M, Calor AR, Campbell IC, Cardinale BJ, Jesús Casas J, Chará-Serna AM, Chauvet E, Ciapała S, Colón-Gaud C, Cornejo A, Davis AM, Degebrodt M, Dias ES, Díaz ME, Douglas MM, Encalada AC, Figueroa R, Flecker AS, Fleituch T, García EA, García G, García PE, Gessner MO, Gómez JE, Gómez S, Gonçalves JF Jr, Graça MAS, Gwinn DC, Hall RO Jr, Hamada N, Hui C, Imazawa D, Iwata T, Kariuki SK, Landeira-Dabarca A, Laymon K, Leal M, Marchant R, Martins RT, Masese FO, Maul M, McKie BG, Medeiros AO, Erimba CMM, Middleton JA, Monroy S, Muotka T, Negishi JN, Ramírez A, Richardson JS, Rincón J, Rubio-Ríos J, Dos Santos GM, Sarremejane R, Sheldon F, Sitati A, Tenkiano NSD, Tiegs SD, Tolod JR, Venarsky M, Watson A, and Yule CM
- Subjects
- Animals, Biodiversity, Biomass, Body Size, Chironomidae physiology, Climate, Ephemeroptera physiology, Insecta physiology, Plant Leaves chemistry, Rainforest, Tropical Climate, Tundra, Biota, Ecosystem, Rivers chemistry, Rivers microbiology, Rivers parasitology, Rivers virology
- Abstract
The relationship between detritivore diversity and decomposition can provide information on how biogeochemical cycles are affected by ongoing rates of extinction, but such evidence has come mostly from local studies and microcosm experiments. We conducted a globally distributed experiment (38 streams across 23 countries in 6 continents) using standardised methods to test the hypothesis that detritivore diversity enhances litter decomposition in streams, to establish the role of other characteristics of detritivore assemblages (abundance, biomass and body size), and to determine how patterns vary across realms, biomes and climates. We observed a positive relationship between diversity and decomposition, strongest in tropical areas, and a key role of abundance and biomass at higher latitudes. Our results suggest that litter decomposition might be altered by detritivore extinctions, particularly in tropical areas, where detritivore diversity is already relatively low and some environmental stressors particularly prevalent.
- Published
- 2021
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