Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams
Background Land use is a major factor determining stream water physicochemistry. However, most streams move from one land use type to another as they drain their watersheds. Here, we studied three land use scenarios in a tropical cloud forest zone in Mexico. We addressed three main goals, to: (1) as...
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PeerJ Inc.
2023-06-01
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| author | Gabriela Vázquez Alonso Ramírez Mario E. Favila M. Susana Alvarado-Barrientos |
| author_facet | Gabriela Vázquez Alonso Ramírez Mario E. Favila M. Susana Alvarado-Barrientos |
| author_sort | Gabriela Vázquez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Land use is a major factor determining stream water physicochemistry. However, most streams move from one land use type to another as they drain their watersheds. Here, we studied three land use scenarios in a tropical cloud forest zone in Mexico. We addressed three main goals, to: (1) assess how land use scenarios generate different patterns in stream physicochemical characteristics; (2) explore how seasonality (i.e., dry, dry-to-wet transition, and wet seasons) might result in changes to those patterns over the year; and (3) explore whether physicochemical patterns in different scenarios resulted in effects on biotic components (e.g., algal biomass). Methods We studied Tropical Mountain Cloud Forest streams in La Antigua watershed, Mexico. Streams drained different three scenarios, streams with (1) an upstream section draining forest followed by a pasture section (F-P), (2) an upstream section in pasture followed by a forest section (P-F), and (3) an upstream forest section followed by coffee plantation (F-C). Physicochemistry was determined at the upstream and downstream sections, and at the boundary between land uses. Measurements were seasonal, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH. Water was analyzed for suspended solids, alkalinity, silica, chloride, sulfate, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Nutrients included ammonium, nitrate, and phosphorus. We measured benthic and suspended organic matter and chlorophyll. Results Streams presented strong seasonality, with the highest discharge and suspended solids during the wet season. Scenarios and streams within each scenario had distinct physicochemical signatures. All three streams within each scenario clustered together in ordination space and remained close to each other during all seasons. There were significant scenario-season interactions on conductivity (F = 9.5, P < 0.001), discharge (F = 56.7, P < 0.001), pH (F = 4.5, P = 0.011), Cl− (F = 12.2, P < 0.001), SO42− (F = 8.8, P < 0.001) and NH4+ (F = 5.4, P = 0.005). Patterns within individual scenarios were associated with stream identity instead of land use. Both P-F and F-C scenarios had significantly different physicochemical patterns from those in F-P in all seasons (Procrustes analysis, m12 = 0.05–0.25; R = 0.86–0.97; P < 0.05). Chlorophyll was significantly different among scenarios and seasons (F = 5.36, P = 0.015, F = 3.81, P = 0.42, respectively). Concentrations were related to physicochemical variables more strongly during the transition season. Conclusion Overall, land use scenarios resulted in distinctive water physicochemical signatures highlighting the complex effects that anthropogenic activities have on tropical cloud forest streams. Studies assessing the effect of land use on tropical streams will benefit from assessing scenarios, rather than focusing on individual land use types. We also found evidence of the importance that forest fragments play in maintaining or restoring stream water physicochemistry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:53:46Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:53:46Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-03a63756c3a646b89ac5051cd416dca52023-12-03T10:08:19ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592023-06-0111e1548710.7717/peerj.15487Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streamsGabriela Vázquez0Alonso Ramírez1Mario E. Favila2M. Susana Alvarado-Barrientos3Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, MexicoDepartment of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USAInstituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, MexicoInstituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, MexicoBackground Land use is a major factor determining stream water physicochemistry. However, most streams move from one land use type to another as they drain their watersheds. Here, we studied three land use scenarios in a tropical cloud forest zone in Mexico. We addressed three main goals, to: (1) assess how land use scenarios generate different patterns in stream physicochemical characteristics; (2) explore how seasonality (i.e., dry, dry-to-wet transition, and wet seasons) might result in changes to those patterns over the year; and (3) explore whether physicochemical patterns in different scenarios resulted in effects on biotic components (e.g., algal biomass). Methods We studied Tropical Mountain Cloud Forest streams in La Antigua watershed, Mexico. Streams drained different three scenarios, streams with (1) an upstream section draining forest followed by a pasture section (F-P), (2) an upstream section in pasture followed by a forest section (P-F), and (3) an upstream forest section followed by coffee plantation (F-C). Physicochemistry was determined at the upstream and downstream sections, and at the boundary between land uses. Measurements were seasonal, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH. Water was analyzed for suspended solids, alkalinity, silica, chloride, sulfate, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Nutrients included ammonium, nitrate, and phosphorus. We measured benthic and suspended organic matter and chlorophyll. Results Streams presented strong seasonality, with the highest discharge and suspended solids during the wet season. Scenarios and streams within each scenario had distinct physicochemical signatures. All three streams within each scenario clustered together in ordination space and remained close to each other during all seasons. There were significant scenario-season interactions on conductivity (F = 9.5, P < 0.001), discharge (F = 56.7, P < 0.001), pH (F = 4.5, P = 0.011), Cl− (F = 12.2, P < 0.001), SO42− (F = 8.8, P < 0.001) and NH4+ (F = 5.4, P = 0.005). Patterns within individual scenarios were associated with stream identity instead of land use. Both P-F and F-C scenarios had significantly different physicochemical patterns from those in F-P in all seasons (Procrustes analysis, m12 = 0.05–0.25; R = 0.86–0.97; P < 0.05). Chlorophyll was significantly different among scenarios and seasons (F = 5.36, P = 0.015, F = 3.81, P = 0.42, respectively). Concentrations were related to physicochemical variables more strongly during the transition season. Conclusion Overall, land use scenarios resulted in distinctive water physicochemical signatures highlighting the complex effects that anthropogenic activities have on tropical cloud forest streams. Studies assessing the effect of land use on tropical streams will benefit from assessing scenarios, rather than focusing on individual land use types. We also found evidence of the importance that forest fragments play in maintaining or restoring stream water physicochemistry.https://peerj.com/articles/15487.pdfTropical streamsLand useCloud forestStream physicochemistryLand use scenariosSeasonality |
| spellingShingle | Gabriela Vázquez Alonso Ramírez Mario E. Favila M. Susana Alvarado-Barrientos Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams PeerJ Tropical streams Land use Cloud forest Stream physicochemistry Land use scenarios Seasonality |
| title | Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams |
| title_full | Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams |
| title_fullStr | Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams |
| title_full_unstemmed | Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams |
| title_short | Land use scenarios, seasonality, and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams |
| title_sort | land use scenarios seasonality and stream identity determine the water physicochemistry of tropical cloud forest streams |
| topic | Tropical streams Land use Cloud forest Stream physicochemistry Land use scenarios Seasonality |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/15487.pdf |
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