Influence of aperiodic summer droughts on leaf litter breakdown and macroinvertebrate assemblages: testing the drying memory in a Central Apennines River (Aterno River, Italy)

Pinna, Maurizio; Marini, Gabriele; Cristiano, Giovanni; Mazzotta, Luca; Vignini, Patrizia; Cicolani, Bruno; Sabatino, Antonio Di

doi:10.1007/s10750-016-2854-z

Cited by 31 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Recurrent drying events negatively affect the examined genera, which are less represented in ISs than in PSs, and the narrower niches in ISs than in PSs, and their niche shift in ISs furtherly corroborate this hypothesis. According to our results, the negative effect of flow intermittency is mainly due to the reduced availability of CPOM compared to permanent sites confirming previous findings in other temperate geographical areas (Datry et al, 2011;Pinna et al, 2016). Consequently, water flow reduction and recurrent drying events are expected to reduce shredder biodiversity by altering the availability of their energetic inputs, with potential dramatic effects on stream ecosystem functionality (e.g., Ledger et al, 2008;Datry et al, 2011;Piano et al, 2019b).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…In addition, lower flow velocity reduces the removal of fine sediments, with consequent high fine sediment deposition, which can alter the quality and quantity of resources, in terms of both reduced instream production, due to the abrasion of autotrophic biofilms (Henley et al, 2000;Bona et al, 2016), and allochthonous coarse organic matter availability through burial (Doretto et al, 2016). On top of that, such dramatic consequences on organic matter availability and decomposition may persist even after several months following flow resuming, because of the so-called ''drying memory'' (Datry et al, 2011;Pinna et al, 2016), thus affecting also the late instars of shredders (Piano et al, 2019a). Physical alterations and consequent changes in food resources induced by flow intermittency thus represent strong environmental filters that may influence the ecological niche of shredders.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Flow intermittency negatively affects three phylogenetically related shredder stoneflies by reducing CPOM availability in recently intermittent Alpine streams in SW-Italian Alps

et al. 2020

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Several Alpine streams are currently facing recurrent summer drying events with detrimental consequences on stream detritivores, i.e., shredders, due to negative effects via changes the organic matter (CPOM) availability. We examined the ecological requirements of three phylogenetically related shredder genera belonging to the family of Nemouridae (Plecoptera), namely Nemoura, Protonemura and Amphinemura, in 14 Alpine streams recently facing recurrent summer flow intermittency events. We evaluated the overlap among their ecological niches measured in terms of hydraulic stress, substrate composition, changes in CPOM availability and competition with other shredder taxa (i.e., presence of individuals of other shredders) and we examined potential changes in their ecological niches between permanent and intermittent sites. The ecological niches of Protonemura and Amphinemura overlap broadly, but not with Nemoura, suggesting only partial potential competition. The reduced CPOM availability decreased the individual abundance of the three genera in intermittent sites, where they consistently preferred microhabitats with high CPOM availability and low competition with other shredder taxa, possibly due to food limitation. Overall, our results emphasize how the negative effect of flow intermittency on shredders in Alpine streams is mainly due to the decrease in CPOM availability, with consequent potential bottom up effects on stream ecosystem functionality.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow intermittency negatively affects three phylogenetically related shredder stoneflies by reducing CPOM availability in recently intermittent Alpine streams in SW-Italian Alps

et al. 2020

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“…Moreover, mountain lotic ecosystems are increasingly impacted by heavy flow regulation and water abstraction (Fenoglio, Bo, Cucco, & Malacarne, ; Gorbach, Shoda, Burky, & Benbow, ). Therefore, Alpine streams are changing from perennial to intermittent systems with possible but still largely unknown detrimental ecological effects (Leigh et al, ; Pinna et al, ). In this context, a great attention has been paid on the response of stream macroinvertebrates because of their importance in terms of biomass, diversity, and functionality (Allan & Castillo, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating the role of refuges and drift on the resilience of macroinvertebrate communities to drying conditions: An experiment in artificial streams

Doretto

Piano

Falasco

et al. 2018

River Research & Apps

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Flow intermittence occurs in an increasing number of streams, due to climate change, local land-use alteration and water abstraction. In particular, droughts represent a new element in Alpine river regimes, and their ecological consequences are poorly explored. We here used artificial streams to investigate the resilience of macroinvertebrates to drought in Alpine streams based on the presence of pools (i.e., refuges) and drift (i.e., recolonization). Three flumes were selected: 1 with permanent flowing water (Control), whereas the other 2 (Drift+Pools, Only Drift) were subjected to 2 consecutive drought-rewetting phases. Moreover, to better monitor the recolonization pattern by drift, quantitative samples of drifting taxa were collected using an additional flume (Incoming Drift). The effects of droughts on benthic invertebrate communities and their recovery were assessed in terms of composition, structure, diversity, and stability. Droughts dramatically reduced the taxa richness, especially with regard to the most sensitive and specialized macroinvertebrates, such as Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa. Macroinvertebrate assemblages of the flumes that experienced drying phases were dominated by few generalist taxa and showed a higher degree of dissimilarity. Overall, no significant differences were observed in relation to the presence of pools, suggesting a limited role of this habitat in the recovery process. This finding suggests that in shallow and fast-flowing Alpine lotic ecosystems the drift rather than pool availability represents the main driver of the macroinvertebrate resilience to droughts and provides insights into factors that can facilitate the recovery of aquatic communities after droughts.

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“…Cogoni et al (2016) explain the influence of environmental variables on the distribution of a less-studied organism group in MTPs, bryophytes, and their tolerance to floods. Finally, at ecosystem level, Romo et al (2016), Pinna et al (2016) andÀ vila et al (2016) evaluated the differences in nutrient content between restored temporary and permanent dune ponds, the effect of summer droughts on leaf litter breakdown in temporary waters and the relative abundance of autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms in microbial food webs of temporary ponds located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, respectively.…”

Section: Special Issue Contentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediterranean Temporary Ponds: new challenges from a neglected habitat

et al. 2016

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Influence of aperiodic summer droughts on leaf litter breakdown and macroinvertebrate assemblages: testing the drying memory in a Central Apennines River (Aterno River, Italy)

Cited by 31 publications

References 57 publications

Flow intermittency negatively affects three phylogenetically related shredder stoneflies by reducing CPOM availability in recently intermittent Alpine streams in SW-Italian Alps

Flow intermittency negatively affects three phylogenetically related shredder stoneflies by reducing CPOM availability in recently intermittent Alpine streams in SW-Italian Alps

Investigating the role of refuges and drift on the resilience of macroinvertebrate communities to drying conditions: An experiment in artificial streams

Mediterranean Temporary Ponds: new challenges from a neglected habitat

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