1. Biotic and abiotic variables influencing plant litter breakdown in streams: a global study
- Author
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Verónica Ferreira, Catherine M. Pringle, Markos A. Alexandrou, Jude M. Mathooko, Andrea C. Encalada, Lavenia Ratnarajah, Bradley J. Cardinale, Andrew J. Boulton, Ricardo Figueroa, José Rincón, Javier Pérez, Tomoya Iwata, Marcelo S. Moretti, Richard G. Pearson, Catherine M. Yule, Charles M'Erimba, Luz Boyero, Tajang Jinggut, Muthukumarasamy Arunachalam, Eric Chauvet, Marcos Callisto, Andreas Bruder, Catherine Mathuriau, Julie E. Helson, Alonso Ramírez, David Dudgeon, Leon A. Barmuta, José F. Gonçalves, Russell G. Death, Alexander S. Flecker, Ricardo J. Albariño, Cang Hui, Mark O. Gessner, Manuel A. S. Graça, Ikerbasque - Basque Foundation for Science, James Cook University (JCU), Stellenbosch University, African Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB), Leibniz Association, Technical University of Berlin / Technische Universität Berlin (TU), University of California [Santa Barbara] (UC Santa Barbara), University of California (UC), Universidade de Coimbra [Coimbra], University of Michigan [Ann Arbor], University of Michigan System, Universidad Nacional del Comahue [Neuquén] (UNCOMA), Manonmaniam Sundaranar university (INDIA), University of Tasmania [Hobart, Australia] (UTAS), University of New England (UNE), Swiss Federal Insitute of Aquatic Science and Technology [Dübendorf] (EAWAG), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology [Zürich] (ETH Zürich), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais [Belo Horizonte] (UFMG), Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (LEFE), Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université de Toulouse (UT), The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Universidad de Concepción - University of Concepcion [Chile], Cornell University [New York], Universidade de Brasilia [Brasília] (UnB), University of Toronto, Yamanashi University, Monash University [Malaysia], Egerton University, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México = National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Universidad Vila Velha - UVV (BRAZIL), University of Georgia [USA], University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Universidad del Zulia (LUZ), Universidad del Azuay (UDA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS (FRANCE), Universidade de Coimbra (PORTUGAL), Cornell University (USA), University of Hong Kong - HKU (CHINA), Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei - IGB (GERMANY), IKERBASQUE (SPAIN), Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse - Toulouse INP (FRANCE), James Cook University - JCU (AUSTRALIA), Massey University (NEW ZEALAND), Monash University (MALAYSIA), Technische Universität Berlin - TU Berlin (GERMANY), Universidad de Concepción - UDEC (CHILE), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México - UNAM (MEXICO), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier - UT3 (FRANCE), Universidad del País Vasco - Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea - EHU (SPAIN), University of Toronto (CANADA), University of Yamanashi (JAPAN), African Institute for Mathematical Sciences - AIMS (SOUTH AFRICA), Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology - EAWAG (SWITZERLAND), Egerton university (KENYA), Stellenbosch University - SU (SOUTH AFRICA), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich - ETHZ (SWITZERLAND), Universidade de Brasília - UnB (BRAZIL), Universidad del Azuay - UDA (ECUADOR), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG (BRAZIL), University of Georgia - UGA (USA), University of Michigan - U-M (USA), Universidad Nacional del Comahue (ARGENTINA), University of New England - UNE (AUSTRALIA), Universidad de Puerto Rico - UPR (PUERTO RICO), Universidad San Francisco de Quito - USFQ (ECUADOR), University of Tasmania (AUSTRALIA), Universidad del Zulia - LUZ (VENEZUELA), University of California - UC Santa Barbara (USA), Universidade Vila Velha - UVV (BRAZIL), Laboratoire Ecologie fonctionnelle et Environnement - EcoLab (Toulouse, France), Basque Foundation for Science (Ikerbasque), Technische Universität Berlin (TU), University of California [Santa Barbara] (UCSB), University of California, Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (ECOLAB), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (EQUATEUR), Universidad de Concepción [Chile], Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), and Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse - INPT (FRANCE)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Litter quality ,Climate ,Detritivore shredders ,Biodiversity ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Freshwater ecosystem ,Alder ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Carbon Cycle ,Rivers ,Ecosystem ,14. Life underwater ,Research Articles ,Phylogeny ,General Environmental Science ,Abiotic component ,Ecologie, Environnement ,[SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,Decomposition ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,biology ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,General Medicine ,15. Life on land ,Plant litter ,Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ,Plants ,biology.organism_classification ,Latitudinal gradient ,Biota ,Alnus glutinosa ,Biodegradation, Environmental ,13. Climate action ,Litter ,Environmental science ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences - 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.
- Published
- 2016
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