Burdon, Francis
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Research article2021Peer reviewedOpen access
Latitude dictates plant diversity effects on instream decomposition
Boyero, Luz; Perez, Javier; Lopez-Rojo, Naiara; Tonin, Alan M.; Correa-Araneda, Francisco; Pearson, Richard G.; Bosch, Jaime; Albarino, Ricardo J.; Anbalagan, Sankarappan; Barmuta, Leon A.; Beesley, Leah; Burdon, Francis J.; Caliman, Adriano; Callisto, Marcos; Campbell, Ian C.; Cardinale, Bradley J.; Jesus Casas, J.; Chara-Serna, Ana M.; Ciapala, Szymon; Chauvet, Eric;
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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 degrees 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.
Published in
Science Advances
2021, volume: 7, number: 13, article number: eabe7860
Publisher: AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE
SLU Authors
Mckie, Brendan
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
UKÄ Subject classification
Ecology
Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abe7860
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/111411