Quantitative Food Webs Indicate Modest Increases in the Transfer of Allochthonous and Autochthonous C to Macroinvertebrates Following a Large Wood Addition to a Temperate Headwater Stream
Headwaters suffer from reduced leaf and wood inputs and retention capacity from historical land actions like watershed logging and agriculture. When in-stream wood is reduced, stream retention capacity declines and subsequent changes in streamwater flow-paths and patterns of deposition alter decompo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2020.00114/full |
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| author | Sally A. Entrekin Sally A. Entrekin Emma J. Rosi Jennifer L. Tank Timothy J. Hoellein Timothy J. Hoellein Gary A. Lamberti |
| author_facet | Sally A. Entrekin Sally A. Entrekin Emma J. Rosi Jennifer L. Tank Timothy J. Hoellein Timothy J. Hoellein Gary A. Lamberti |
| author_sort | Sally A. Entrekin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Headwaters suffer from reduced leaf and wood inputs and retention capacity from historical land actions like watershed logging and agriculture. When in-stream wood is reduced, stream retention capacity declines and subsequent changes in streamwater flow-paths and patterns of deposition alter decomposition and primary production that influence secondary invertebrate production via modified habitat and resources. Wood additions are commonly used as stream restoration tools for habitat improvements that can restore or strengthen food web connections; however, changes in carbon (C) flow through food webs are rarely measured because of time and expense. We quantified allochthonous and autochthonous C flow through aquatic macroinvertebrate communities 1 year before and 2 years after an experimental addition of large wood, compared to macroinvertebrates in an upstream control, in a temperate headwater stream. We predicted wood additions increase macroinvertebrate consumption and assimilation of allochthonous and autochthonous C through retention of leaves and altered flow-paths that expose more gravel and cobble for periphyton colonization. Macroinvertebrate allochthonous C assimilation tended to increase in years with greater organic matter retention and autochthonous C increased with more exposed gravel and cobble across seasons and between reaches. While the effect of wood addition on C flow through the macroinvertebrate community was minimal, it increased by ∼20% relative to the control from an increase in production and C assimilation of common mayfly and caddisfly scrapers, Baetis and Glossossoma. Because the amount of organic matter retained and coarse substrate exposed corresponded with C form and amount consumed, restoration of large wood has the potential to increase organic matter C trophic transfer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:37:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-71738bc3fe8549aeb19c81ad84a38480 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:37:35Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-71738bc3fe8549aeb19c81ad84a384802022-12-22T01:58:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2020-05-01810.3389/fevo.2020.00114496217Quantitative Food Webs Indicate Modest Increases in the Transfer of Allochthonous and Autochthonous C to Macroinvertebrates Following a Large Wood Addition to a Temperate Headwater StreamSally A. Entrekin0Sally A. Entrekin1Emma J. Rosi2Jennifer L. Tank3Timothy J. Hoellein4Timothy J. Hoellein5Gary A. Lamberti6Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United StatesDepartment of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United StatesCary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Loyola University, Chicago, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United StatesHeadwaters suffer from reduced leaf and wood inputs and retention capacity from historical land actions like watershed logging and agriculture. When in-stream wood is reduced, stream retention capacity declines and subsequent changes in streamwater flow-paths and patterns of deposition alter decomposition and primary production that influence secondary invertebrate production via modified habitat and resources. Wood additions are commonly used as stream restoration tools for habitat improvements that can restore or strengthen food web connections; however, changes in carbon (C) flow through food webs are rarely measured because of time and expense. We quantified allochthonous and autochthonous C flow through aquatic macroinvertebrate communities 1 year before and 2 years after an experimental addition of large wood, compared to macroinvertebrates in an upstream control, in a temperate headwater stream. We predicted wood additions increase macroinvertebrate consumption and assimilation of allochthonous and autochthonous C through retention of leaves and altered flow-paths that expose more gravel and cobble for periphyton colonization. Macroinvertebrate allochthonous C assimilation tended to increase in years with greater organic matter retention and autochthonous C increased with more exposed gravel and cobble across seasons and between reaches. While the effect of wood addition on C flow through the macroinvertebrate community was minimal, it increased by ∼20% relative to the control from an increase in production and C assimilation of common mayfly and caddisfly scrapers, Baetis and Glossossoma. Because the amount of organic matter retained and coarse substrate exposed corresponded with C form and amount consumed, restoration of large wood has the potential to increase organic matter C trophic transfer.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2020.00114/fullheadwaterslarge woody debrisrestorationstable isotopesorganic matter |
| spellingShingle | Sally A. Entrekin Sally A. Entrekin Emma J. Rosi Jennifer L. Tank Timothy J. Hoellein Timothy J. Hoellein Gary A. Lamberti Quantitative Food Webs Indicate Modest Increases in the Transfer of Allochthonous and Autochthonous C to Macroinvertebrates Following a Large Wood Addition to a Temperate Headwater Stream Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution headwaters large woody debris restoration stable isotopes organic matter |
| title | Quantitative Food Webs Indicate Modest Increases in the Transfer of Allochthonous and Autochthonous C to Macroinvertebrates Following a Large Wood Addition to a Temperate Headwater Stream |
| title_full | Quantitative Food Webs Indicate Modest Increases in the Transfer of Allochthonous and Autochthonous C to Macroinvertebrates Following a Large Wood Addition to a Temperate Headwater Stream |
| title_fullStr | Quantitative Food Webs Indicate Modest Increases in the Transfer of Allochthonous and Autochthonous C to Macroinvertebrates Following a Large Wood Addition to a Temperate Headwater Stream |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantitative Food Webs Indicate Modest Increases in the Transfer of Allochthonous and Autochthonous C to Macroinvertebrates Following a Large Wood Addition to a Temperate Headwater Stream |
| title_short | Quantitative Food Webs Indicate Modest Increases in the Transfer of Allochthonous and Autochthonous C to Macroinvertebrates Following a Large Wood Addition to a Temperate Headwater Stream |
| title_sort | quantitative food webs indicate modest increases in the transfer of allochthonous and autochthonous c to macroinvertebrates following a large wood addition to a temperate headwater stream |
| topic | headwaters large woody debris restoration stable isotopes organic matter |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2020.00114/full |
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