Interactions between geomorphology and ecosystem processes in travertine streams: Implications for decommissioning a dam on Fossil Creek, Arizona

Marks, Jane C.; Parnell, Roderic A.; Carter, Cody; Dinger, Eric C.; Haden, G. Allen

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.01.008

Cited by 31 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This study and other published studies on Fossil Creek (Overby & Neary, 1996;Malusa et al, 2003;Marks et al, 2006) provide distinct predictions about how geomorphic and ecological processes will change with increased flow. In the decades to come this system will provide a unique opportunity to test experimentally interactions and feedbacks between ecological and geomorphic processes in travertine ecosystems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

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Influences of travertine dam formation on leaf litter decomposition and algal accrual

Carter

Marks

2006

Hydrobiologia

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At the time of this study Fossil Creek was being considered as a site for the restoration of a native fish assemblage, however there was concern amongst fisheries managers about the stream being food limited due to calcium carbonate (travertine) deposition. To evaluate the effects of travertine deposition on the aquatic food base we used leaf litterbags to compare decomposition rates and nutrient diffusing artificial substrates to compare algal accrual rates and nutrient limitation between two distinct reaches in Fossil creek: a travertine dam forming reach and a reach without travertine dam formation (riffle-pool reach). Decomposition was significantly faster in the travertine dam forming reach than in the riffle-pool reach. Macroinvertebrates in the leaf packs were more diverse in the travertine reach but more abundant in the riffle-pool reach. Algae accrued more quickly in the travertine reach than in the riffle-pool reach and only responded to nutrient enrichment in the travertine reach. This study was conducted prior to a hydroelectric dam decommissioning project in Fossil Creek where full flows were reintroduced back into the stream after a century of diversion. Our results suggest concurrent increases in algal productivity, decomposition, and macroinvertebrate diversity in the next decade as travertine dams rebuild, providing a richer food base for fish and other aquatic organisms.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…1). Geomorphologists predict that within a decade after return of full flows travertine dam formation will increase substantially (Overby & Neary, 1996;Malusa et al, 2003;Marks et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of travertine dam formation on leaf litter decomposition and algal accrual

Carter

Marks

2006

Hydrobiologia

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“…Opposing results have also been documented, i.e. higher invertebrate species richness in travertine reaches compared to riffle/run reaches (Marks et al 2006). These differences might have been driven by different rates of deposition; however, these rates were not measured in the above-mentioned studies, so that no comparison can be made between these studies.…”

Section: Effects Of Flow and Nutrient Enrichment On Protozoa And Micrmentioning

confidence: 95%

Response of periphyton to nutrient addition in a tufa-depositing environment

Kepčija¹,

Miliša²,

Perić³

et al. 2011

Aquat. Microb. Ecol.

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We examined the effects of added nutrients on primary producers, protozoans and meiofauna -as well as on tufa deposition -in a short-term in situ experiment using nutrientdiffusing substrata. The study was carried out in the tufa-depositing barrage lake system National Park Plitvice Lakes (Croatia). To address the question of whether the extent of tufa deposition and the flow velocity modify the response of periphyton to nutrient addition, we selected 2 sites -fast flow (FF) and slow flow (SF) -on each of the 2 barriers, one barrier having a low rate of tufa deposition (LTD) and the other having a high rate of tufa deposition (HTD). The nutrients examined were nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and their combination (N+P). Both N and P were limiting nutrients for autotrophs in periphyton, and the response to nutrient enrichment was lower at HTD sites. A combination of HTD and FF was the most limiting factor for periphyton. Nutrient enrichment did not impede calcite deposition; P enrichment even enhanced calcite deposition -probably as a result of a denser autotrophic periphyton matrix. HTD supported a lower taxa richness of heterotrophs in the periphyton, and flow velocity had taxa-specific effects. The addition of nutrients led to a decrease in the number of heterotrophic taxa at FF sites, while there was no effect at SF sites. The response of ciliates to flow velocity was taxa-specific. The effect of nutrients on the abundance of heterotrophs was rather weak, except for omnivorous and bacterivorous ciliates. Our results showed a direct effect of N and P on autotrophic periphyton in this tufa-depositing system, and only a weak effect on protozoans and micro-metazoans. KEY WORDS: Flow velocity · Chlorophyll a · Protozoa · Nutrient limitation Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherAquat Microb Ecol 65: [183][184][185][186][187][188][189][190][191][192][193][194][195] 2011 ( Andrushchyshyn et al. 2006). Bernhardt & Likens (2004) showed that eutrophication does not have an effect on the biomass of periphyton. To date, the effects of nutrient enrichment on protozoa have been examined in lakes (Hillebrand et al. 2002), rivers (Rublee & Partusch-Talley 1995) and streams (Domènech et al. 2006). While weak effects of nutrient enrichment on ciliate biomass were reported by Hillebrand et al. (2002), Rublee & Partusch-Talley (1995) ob served a significant increase in the abundance and biomass of heterotrophic microfauna after the addition of N+P, but no significant difference after the addition of P alone. Domènech et al. (2006) attributed an increase in ciliate density to the addition of N+P, whereas flagellates and testate amoebae were reported to be less sensitive to nutrient enrichment.Tufa develops under specific physico-chemical conditions as an ambient temperature freshwater carbonate deposit in which biological remains (particularly those of macrophyte stands) may comprise significant parts of deposited frameworks (Pedley 2000). Tufa formation is also responsible for i...

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“…1; Malusa et al, 2003;Marks et al, 2006). Historical accounts of pre-diversion conditions at Fossil Creek describe a series of travertine terraces and pools reaching up to 3 m and extending some 6.3 km downstream from the springheads (Malusa et al, 2003;Marks et al, 2006).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Spring-fed, karst streams with supersaturated levels of CaCO 3 (frequently 5-10 times saturation with respect to calcite), high CO 2 levels, and attributes promoting CO 2 -outgassing (e.g., steep gradients and sufficient flow) have a unique geomorphology characterized by the presence of travertine dams or terraces (Lu et al, 2000, Malusa et al, 2003Hammer et al, 2007). These channel-spanning dams can have a profound effect on stream morphology, effectively widening channel width and lowering stream velocity by creating large, upstream pools (see Pentecost et al, 2000;Malusa et al, 2003;Marks et al, 2006). Despite the influence of travertine on stream morphology and the distribution of particulate organic matter (Casas & Gessner, 1999;Miliša et al, 2006), no study has examined travertine as a mechanism of leaf retention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of travertine and flow on leaf retention in Fossil Creek, Arizona

2009

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Leaf retention is important in transferring energy from riparian trees to stream food webs. Retention increases with geomorphic complexity such as substrate coarseness, sinuosity, and the presence of debris dams. High discharge can reduce retention, particularly when streams lack physical trapping features. Travertine formations, caused by calcium carbonate deposition, can alter stream morphology. To date, however, we know of no study testing the effect of travertine on leaf retention. This study capitalized on a river restoration project in Fossil Creek, Arizona, where water was returned to the channel after a century of diversion. We examined how the fixed factors Flow (before and after restoration) and Morphology (travertine and rifflepool sites) affected leaf retention. Leaf retention was higher in sites where travertine forms barriers across the river, relative to sites with riffle-pool morphology.Most leaves retained in travertine reaches were concentrated at the bottom of pools formed between dams. Although flow restoration did not alter retention rates across all sites, it diminished them at travertine sites, indicating an interaction between stream flow and morphology. We conclude that stream complexity and leaf retention are enhanced by travertine deposition but that high discharge can reduce the retentive capacity of in-stream structures.

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Interactions between geomorphology and ecosystem processes in travertine streams: Implications for decommissioning a dam on Fossil Creek, Arizona

Cited by 31 publications

References 19 publications

Influences of travertine dam formation on leaf litter decomposition and algal accrual

Influences of travertine dam formation on leaf litter decomposition and algal accrual

Response of periphyton to nutrient addition in a tufa-depositing environment

Effects of travertine and flow on leaf retention in Fossil Creek, Arizona

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