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Headwater streams subjected to anthropogenic impacts are prone to environmental quality decay, which may affect stream functioning. To investigate the effects of loss of environmental quality in stream functioning, we tested the hypothesis that leaf breakdown is faster in streams with higher environmental quality, and that invertebrate community structure and microbial biomass are negatively affected by habitat simplification resulting from environmental degradation. We submerged Alchornea glandulosa leaves in litter bags in nine streams, in Southern Brazil, in an environmental gradient. We characterized breakdown rates (k), physical in-stream characteristics, abundance of invertebrate taxa, and functional groups and microbial biomass for each stream, with three mesh exclusions (fine, medium, coarse). Breakdown was faster in the most preserved stream (k = − 0.032 ± 0.005) and decreased towards the most disturbed stream (k = − 0.0034 ± 0.001). Breakdown rates were positively associated with underwater habitat complexity, equitability of macroinvertebrate taxa, and abundance of Stenochironomus sp., which together explained 51% of breakdown rate variability. Breakdown rates from the less disturbed streams (n = 7, excluding urban-influenced) were lowest in medium-mesh, intermediate in fine-mesh, and highest in coarse-mesh bags, and the only taxon that differed according to this pattern was the mining-chironomid Stenochironomus sp., which suggests that this taxon had a significant activity of leaf processing.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T16:17:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-06-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Climate change threatens freshwater fish by severely modifying water quality and hydrological dynamics, hence altering the species distribution. We assessed the climate change effects on the geographical distribution of Salminus brasiliensis, a keystone species of economic interest in the La Plata River basin. Using ecological niche models, we estimated the species range in the present time and assessed the range shift phenomena through climatically suitable areas in the future. We also quantified the predictive uncertainty from niche models, atmosphere–ocean general circulation models, and carbon emission scenarios. Our predictions indicated a great range contraction of S. brasiliensis in the future. The south-central portion of the basin should retain the climate refuge function for the species at 2050. Nonetheless, the segregation of this climate refuge in two smaller parts was predicted at the end of the century. Our study also revealed that the greatest source of uncertainty in forecasts of species range shifts arises from using alternative niche algorithms in modeling process. Our results contribute to more effective measures for conservation of S. brasiliensis, thus helping to ensure the ecosystem processes and socioeconomic activities in the basin dependent on this species. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia Ictiologia e Aquicultura - Nupelia Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Av. Colombo 5790 Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia – Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Instituto de Ciências Biológicas- ICB, Campus Universitário, Bairro São Pedro Departamento de Zoologia Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro Universidade Estadual Júlio Mesquita Filho – UNESP Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução Universidade Federal de Goiás Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul – UEMS Departamento de Zoologia Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro Universidade Estadual Júlio Mesquita Filho – UNESP CNPq: 141371/2016-1