Abstract
Litterfall inputs, benthic storage and the transport of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) were studied in two headwater streams, one flowing through a mixed deciduous forest and one through a plantation of Eucalyptus globulus. Vertical and lateral traps, transported CPOM and benthic CPOM were sampled monthly to biweekly and sorted into four categories: leaves, twigs and bark, fruits and flowers and debris. The litterfall inputs were about 20% lower at the eucalyptus site but this reduction was unevenly distributed among the litter categories. The reduction of the nitrogen and phosphorus inputs was larger (50%) than that of CPOM because of the low nutrient concentration of the CPOM at the eucalyptus site. Transported CPOM was also lower at the eucalyptus site. Although total CPOM inputs to the stream were reduced in the eucalyptus plantation, benthic storage of CPOM was 50% higher due to (1) high inputs of CPOM and low discharge during summer, (2) more twig and bark inputs, (3) eucalyptus leaves being retained more efficiently in the stream than deciduous leaves (4) a lower discharge, which may in part be attributable to eucalyptus-induced changes in the hydrological cycle. Increased retention balanced lower nitrogen and phosphorus content of CPOM, so benthic storage of nitrogen and phosphorus was similar at both sites. This work demonstrates that the timing, quality and quantity of inputs and benthic storage of CPOM in streams changes substantially because of the substitution of natural deciduous forest with eucalyptus plantation. Maintenance of buffer strips of natural vegetation may be the best way to protect ecological functioning of small, forested streams.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abelho, M. & M. A. S. Graça, 1996. Effects of eucalyptus afforestation on leaf litter dynamics and macroinvertebrate community structure of streams in Central Portugal. Hydrobiologia 324: 195-204.
Abelho, M. & M. A. S. Graça, 1998. Litter in a first-order stream of a temperate deciduous forest (Margaraça Forest, central Portugal). Hydrobiologia 386: 147-152.
Allen, S. E., H. M. Grimshaw, J. A. Parkinson & C. Quarmby, 1974. Chemical Analysis of Ecological Materials. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
Ascasibar, J., 1997. La situación forestal de cara al siglo XXI. Revista Internacional de Estudios Vascos 42: 309-323.
Bará, S., J. L. Montero & A. Rigueiro, 1990. Sobre el eucalipto. Asociación para el progreso forestal, Madrid, Spain.
Bargali, S. S. & S. P. Singh, 1991. Aspects of productivity and nutrient cycling in an 8-year-old Eucalyptus plantation in a moist plain area adjacent to central Himalaya, India. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 21: 1362-1365.
Bärlocher, F. & M. A. S. Graça, 2002. Exotic riparian vegeta tion lowers fungal diversity but not leaf decomposition in Portuguese sterams. Freshwater Biology 47: 1123-1135.
Bärlocher, F., C. Canhoto & M. A. S. Gracça, 1995. Fungal colonization of alder and eucalypt leaves in two streams in Central Portugal. Archive für Hydrobiologie 233: 457-470.
Benfield, E. F., J. R. Webster, J. L. Tank & J. J. H utchens, 2001. Long-term patterns in leaf breakdown in streams in response to watershed logging. Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie 86: 467-474.
Benson, L. J. & R. G. Pearson, 1993. Litter inputs to a tropical Australian rainforest stream. Australian Journal of Ecology 18: 377-383.
Bilby, R. E. & G. E. Likens, 1980. Importance of organic debris dams in the structure and function of stream ecosystems. Ecology 61: 1107-1113.
Bretschko, G. & H. Moser, 1993. Transport and retention of matter in riparian ecotones. Hydrobiologia 251: 95-101.
Briggs, S. V. & M. T. Maher, 1983. Litter fall and leaf decomposition in a river red gum (Eucalyptus calmaldulensis) swamp. Australian Journal of Botany 31: 307-316.
Brookshire, E. N. J. & K. A. Dwire, 2003. Controls on patterns of coarse organic particle retention in headwater streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 22: 17-34.
Canhoto, C. & M. A. S. Graça, 1995. Food value of introduced eucalypt leaves for a Mediterranean stream detritivore Tipula lateralis. Freshwater Biology 34: 209-214.
Canhoto, C. & M. A. S. Gracça, 1996. Decomposition of Eucalyptus globulus leaves and three native leaf species (Al-nus glutinosa, Castanea sativa and Quercus faginea) ina Portuguese low order stream. Hydrobiologia 333: 79-85.
Chauvet, E. & A. M. Jean-Louis, 1988. Production de litiére de la rypisylve de la Garonne et apport au fleuve. Acta Oecologica 9: 265-279.
Cole, D. W. & M. Rapp, 1981. Elemental cycling in forest ecosystems. In Reichle, D. E. (ed.), Dynamic Properties of Forest Ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 341-409.
Crockford, R. H. & P. Richardson, 1998. Litterfallflow. Hydrological Processes 12: 385-400.
Cummins, K. W., J. R. Sedell, F. J. Swanson, G. W. Minshall, S. G. Fisher, C. E. Cushing, R. C. Petersen & R. L. Vannote, 1983. Organic matter budgets for stream ecosystems: problems in their evaluation. In Barnes, J. R. & G. W. Minshall (eds), Stream Ecology: Application and Testing of General Ecological Theory. Plenum Press, New York: 299-353.
Cushing, C. E., 1988. Allochthonous detritus inputs to a small, cold desert spring-stream. Verhandlungen der Internationalen Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie 23: 1107-1113.
Delong, M. D. & M. A. Brusven, 1994. Allochthonous input of organic matter from different riparian habitats of an agriculturally impacted stream. Environmental Management 18: 59-71.
Díez, J. R., S. Larrañaga, A. Elosegi & J. Pozo, 2000. Effect of removal of wood on streambed stability and retention of organic matter. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 19: 621-632.
Dobson, M. & A. G. Hildrew, 1992. A test of resource limita-tion among shredding detritivores in low order stream in southern England. Journal of Animal Ecology 61: 69-77.
Duvigneaud, P. & S. Denaeyer-De Smet, 1970. Biological cycling of minerals in temperate deciduous forests. In Jacobs, J., O. L. Lange, J. S. Olson & W. Wieser (eds), Ecological Studies 1: Analysis of Temperate Forest Ecosystems. Springer-Verlag, Berlin (Germany): 199-225.
Elósegui, A. & J. Pozo, 1994. Spatial versus temporal variability in the physical and chemical characteristics of the Agüera stream (Northern Spain). Acta Oecologica 15:543-559.
Elosegi, A., J. R. Díez & J. Pozo, 1999. Abundance, charac-teristics, and movement of woody debris in four Basque streams. Archive für Hydrobiologie 144: 455-471.
Findlay, S., G. E. Likens, L. Hedin, S. G. Fisher & W. H. McDowell, 1997. Organic matter dynamics in Bear Brook, Hubbard Brook experimental forest, New Hampshire, USA. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 43-46. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
Fisher, S. G. & G. E. Likens, 1973. Energy flow in Bear Brook, New Hampshire: an integrative approach to stream ecosystem metabolism. Ecological Monographs 43: 421-439.
Frost, P. C., R. S. Stelzer, G. A. Lamberti & J. J. Elser, 2002. Ecological stoichiometry of trophic interactions in the ben-thos: understanding the role of C: N: P ratios in lentic and lotic habitats. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 21: 525-528.
Gallardo, J. F., A. Martín & I. Santa Regina, 1998. Nutrient cycling in deciduous forest ecosystems of the Sierra de Gata mountains: aboveground litter production and potential nutrient return. Annales des Sciences Forestieres 55: 749-769.
Garman, G. C. & J. R. Moring, 1991. Initial effects of deforestation on physical characteristics of a boreal river. Hydrobiologia 209: 29-37.
Gessner, M. O. & E. Chauvet, 1994. Importance of stream microfungi in controlling breakdown rates of leaf litter. Ecology 75: 1807-1817.
Graça, M. A. S., 1993. Patterns and processes in detritus-based streams systems. Limnologica 23: 107-114.
Graça, M. A. S., 2001. The role of invertebrates on leaf litter de composition in streams-a review. Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie 86: 389-393.
Graça, M. A. S., J. Pozo, C. Canhoto & A. Elosegi, 2002. Effects of Eucalyptus plantations on detritus, decomposers, and detritivores in streams. The Scientific World Journal 2: 1173-1185.
Gray, L. J., 1997. Organic matter dynamics in Kings Creek, Konza Prairie, Kansas, USA. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 50-54. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
Heede, B. H., 1991. Response of a stream in disequlibrium to timber harvest. Environmental Management 15: 251-255.
Ittekot, V. & R. W. P. M. Laane, 1991. Fate of riverine particulate matter. In Degens, E. T., S. Kempe & J. E. Richey (eds), Biogeochemistry of Major World Rivers. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., New York: 233-243.
Jones, J. B. & L. A. Smock, 1991. Transport and retention of particulate organic matter in two low-gradient headwater streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 10: 115-126.
Johnson, D. W. & G. S. Henderson, 1989. Terrestrial nutrient cycling. In Johnson, D. W. & R. I. Van Hook (eds), Analysis of Biochemical Cycling Processes in Walker Branch Watershed. Springer-Verlag, New York: 233-300.
Killingbeck, K. T., 1986. Litterfall dynamics and element use efficiency in a Kansas gallery forest. American Midland Naturalist 116: 180-189.
Lamb, R. J., 1985. Litter fall and nutrient turnover in two eucalypt woodlands. Australian Journal of Botany 33: 1-14.
Larned, S. T., 2000. Dynamic of coarse riparian detritus in a Hawaiian stream ecosystem: a comparison of drought and post-drought conditions. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 19: 215-234.
Lisanework, N. & A. Michelsen, 1994. Litterfall and nutrient release by decomposition in three plantations compared with a natural forest in the Ethiopian higland. Forest Ecology and Management 65: 149-164.
Madeira, M., M. C. Araújo & J. S. Pereira, 1995. Effects of water and nutrient supply on amount and on nutrient con-centration of litterfall and forest. oor litter in Eucalyptus globulus plantations. Plant and Soil 168-169: 287-295.
Marxen, J., H. Schmidt & D. M. Fiebig, 1997. Organic matter dynamics in the Breitenbach, Germany. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 28-32. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
McIvor, J. G., 2001. Litterfall from trees in semiarid woodlands of north-east Queensland. Austral Ecology 26: 150-155.
Meyer, J. L., W. H. McDowell, T. L. Bott, J. W. Elwood, C. Ishizaki, J. M. Melack, B. L. Peckarsky, B. J. Peterson & P. A. Rublee, 1988. Elemental dynamics in streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 7: 410-432.
Meyer, J. L., A. C. Benke, R. T. Edwards & J. B. Wallace, 1997. Organic matter dynamics in the Ogeechee river, a blackwater river in Georgia, USA. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 82-87. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
Molinero, J. & J. Pozo, 2002. Impact of eucalyptus plantations on the benthic storage of coarse particulate organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus in small streams. Verhandlungen der Internationalen Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie 28: 540-544.
Molinero, J., J. Pozo & E. González, 1996. Litter breakdown in streams of the Agüera catchmen: influence of dissolved nutrients and land use. Freshwater Biology 36: 745-756.
Mulholland, P. J., 1997a. Dissolved organic matter concentration and flux in streams. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 131-141. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
Mulholland, P. J., 1997b. Organic matter dynamics in the West Fork of Walker Branch, Tennesse, USA. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 61-67. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
Nambiar, E. K. S., 1984. Plantation forests: their scope and a perspective on plantation nutrition. In Bowen, G. D. & E. K. S. Nambiar (eds), Nutrition on Plantation Forests. Academic Press, London: 1-15.
Newbold, J. D., T. L. Bott, L. A. Kaplan, B. W. Sweeney & R. L. Vannote, 1997. Organic matter dynamics in White Clay Creek, Pennsilvania, USA. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 46-50. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
O 'Connell, A. M. & P. M. A. Menagé, 1982. Litter fall and nutrient cycling in karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor F. Muell.) forest in relation to stand age. Australian Journal of Ecology 7: 49-62.
Petersen, R. C., K. W. Cummins & G. M. Ward, 1989. Microbial and animal processing of detritus in a woodland stream. Ecological Monographs 59: 21-39.
Polglase, P. J. & P. M. Attiwill, 1992. Nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in relation to stand age of Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell. Plant and Soil 142: 157-166.
Poore, D. & C. Fries, 1986. Efectos ecológicos de los eucaliptos. Technical report, FAO.
Pozo, J., 1993. Leaf litter processing of alder and eucalyptus in the Agu ¨era stream system (North Spain) I. Chemical chan-ges. Archive für Hydrobiologie 127: 299-317.
Pozo, J., A. Basaguren & A. Elósegui, 1994. Transported and benthic coarse particulate organic matter in the Agu ¨era stream (North Spain). Verhandlungen der Internationalen Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie 25: 1723-1726.
Pozo, J., E. González, J. Díez & A. Elosegi, 1997a. Leaf litter budgets in two contrasting forested streams. Limnética 13: 77-84.
Pozo, J., E. González, J. R. Díz, J. Molinero & A. Elósegui, 1997b. Inputs of particulate organic matter to streams with different riparian vegetation. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 602-611.
Pozo, J., A. Basaguren, A. Elísegui, J. Molinero, E. Fabre & E. Chauvet, 1998. A. orestation with Eucalyptus globulus and leaf litter decomposition in streams of northern Spain. Hydrobiologia 373/374: 101-109.
Reice, S. R., 1980. The role of sustratum in benthic macroin-vertebrate microdistribution and litter decomposition in a woodland stream. Ecology 61: 580-590.
Richardson, J. S., 1992. Coarse particulate detritus dynamics in small, montane streams of southwestern British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 49: 337-346.
Rode, M. W., 1995. Aboveground nutrient cycling and forest development on poor sandy soil. Plant and Soil 168-169: 337-343.
Ruiz de la Torre, J., 1990. Distribución y características de las masas forestales españolas. Ecología, fuera de serie 1: 11-30.
Smith, C. M., 1992. Riparian afforestation effects on water yields and water quality in pasture catchments. Journal of Environmental Quality 21: 237-245.
Smock, L. A., 1990. Spatial and temporal variation in organic matter storage in low-gradient, headwater streams. Archive für Hydrobiologie 118: 169-184.
Smock, L. A., G. M. Metzler & J. E. Gladden, 1989. Role of debris dams in the structure and functioning of low-gradient headwater streams. Ecology 70: 764-775.
Speaker, R., K. Moore & S. Gregory, 1984. Analysis of the process of retention of organic matter in stream ecosystems. Verhandlungen der Internationalen Vereinigung für theo-retische und angewandte Limnologie 22: 1835-1841.
Treadwell, S. A., I. C. Campbell & R. T. Edwards, 1997. Organic matter dynamics in Keppel Creek, southeastern Australia. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 58-61. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
Tuchman, N. C. & R. H. King, 1993. Changes in mechanisms of summer detritus processing between wooded and agri-cultural sites in a Michigan headwater stream. Hydrobiologia 268: 115-127.
Wallace, J. B., T. F. Cuffney, S. L. Eggert & M. R. Whiles, 1997. Stream organic matter inputs, storage and export for Satellite Branch at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, North Carolina, USA. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 67-74. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
Wallace, J. B., S. L. Eggert, J. L. Meyer & J. R. Webster, 1999. Effects of resource limitation on a detrital-based ecosystem. Ecological Monographs 69: 409-442.
Waring, R. H. & W. H. Sohlesinger, 1984. Forest ecosystems: concepts and management. Academic Press, Orlando, Florida, USA.
Webster, J. R., A. P. Covich, J. L. Tank & T. V. Crockett, 1994. Retention of coarse organic particles in streams in the southern Appalachian mountains. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 13: 140-150.
Webster, J. R., J. B. Wallace & E. F. Benfield, 1995. Organic processes in streams of the eastern United States. In Cushing, C. E., K. W. Cummins & G. W. Minshall (eds), River and Stream Ecosystems. Ecosystems of the World, 22. Elsevier, Amsterdam: 117-187.
Webster, J. R., J. L. Meyer, J. B. Wallace & E. F. Benfield, 1997. Organic matter dynamics in Hugh White Creek, Coweeta Hidrologic Laboratory, North Carolina, USA. In Webster, J. R. & J. L. Meyer (eds), Stream Organic Matter Budgets: 74-78. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16: 3-161.
Webster, J. R., E. F. Benfield, T. P. Ehrman, M. A. Schaeffer, J. L. Tank, J. J. Hutchens & D. J. D 'Agelo, 1999. What happens to allochthonous material that falls into streams? A synthesis of new and published information from Coweeta. Freshwater Biology 41: 687-705.
Weigelhofer, G., & J. A. Waringer, 1994. Allochtonous input of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) in a rst to four order Australian forest stream. Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie 79: 461-471.
Whiles, M. R. & J. B. Wallace, 1997. Leaf litter decomposition and macroinvertebrate communities in headwater streams draining pine and hardwood catchments. Hydrobiologia 353: 107-119.
Zar, J. H., 1984. Biostatistical Analysis. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Molinero, J., Pozo, J. Impact of a eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) plantation on the nutrient content and dynamics of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) in a small stream. Hydrobiologia 528, 143–165 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-004-2338-4
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-004-2338-4