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Coupling Nutrient Uptake and Energy Flow in Headwater Streams

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Abstract

Nutrient cycling and energy flow in ecosystems are tightly linked through the metabolic processes of organisms. Greater uptake of inorganic nutrients is expected to be associated with higher rates of metabolism [gross primary production (GPP) and respiration (R)], due to assimilatory demand of both autotrophs and heterotrophs. However, relationships between uptake and metabolism should vary with the relative contribution of autochthonous and allochthonous sources of organic matter. To investigate the relationship between metabolism and nutrient uptake, we used whole-stream and benthic chamber methods to measure rates of nitrate–nitrogen (NO3–N) uptake and metabolism in four headwater streams chosen to span a range of light availability and therefore differing rates of GPP and contributions of autochthonous carbon. We coupled whole-stream metabolism with measures of NO3–N uptake conducted repeatedly over the same stream reach during both day and night, as well as incubating benthic sediments under both light and dark conditions. NO3–N uptake was generally greater in daylight compared to dark conditions, and although day-night differences in whole-stream uptake were not significant, light–dark differences in benthic chambers were significant at three of the four sites. Estimates of N demand indicated that assimilation by photoautotrophs could account for the majority of NO3–N uptake at the two sites with relatively open canopies. Contrary to expectations, photoautotrophs contributed substantially to NO3–N uptake even at the two closed-canopy sites, which had low values of GPP/R and relied heavily on allochthonous carbon to fuel R.

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Acknowledgements

For unflagging assistance in field and lab work, we thank Jim Thibault, Chelsea Crenshaw, Chris Thomas, Andrea Shriver, Michelle Baker, John Craig, Todd Royer, Laura Bean, Doug Moyer, John Morrice, Miranda Fleig, and Diana Northup. Special thanks to P. Valero and A. Bearce for access to the New Mexico sites. Comments from Nancy Grimm, Wade Hadwen, and two anonymous reviewers improved the manuscript. Funding for this research was provided by NSF DEB grants 9902324 to C.N.D. and C.S.F, 9815868 to H.M.V. and P.J.M., 9816087 to C.N.D and P. Unnikrishna, 9420510 to H.M.V. and M.E. Campana, and a NSF Graduate Fellowship to C.S.F.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Riverine Landscapes, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia

    C. S. Fellows

  2. Department of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061, USA

    H. M. Valett

  3. Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, USA

    C. N. Dahm

  4. Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37831-6036, USA

    P. J. Mulholland

  5. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Corson Hall, Ithaca, New York, 14853-2701, USA

    S. A. Thomas

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  1. C. S. Fellows
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Correspondence to C. S. Fellows.

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Fellows, C.S., Valett, H.M., Dahm, C.N. et al. Coupling Nutrient Uptake and Energy Flow in Headwater Streams. Ecosystems 9, 788–804 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-006-0005-5

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