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Leaf litter breakdown and benthic invertebrate colonization affected by seasonal drought in headwater lotic systems of Andean Patagonia

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Abstract

We aimed to establish the effect of seasonal drought on leaf litter breakdown and invertebrate communities. Differences in breakdown rates of Nothofagus pumilio were experimentally compared using the litter bag method (coarse and fine mesh size bags) in two first-order streams, one intermittent and one perennial, during two different hydrological periods. Colonizing fauna found in coarse mesh bags was quantified, identified and compared with benthic biota from the same streams. Leaf litter decay rates in low flow conditions revealed that breakdown was principally a consequence of microbial action in the intermittent stream. In contrast, breakdown in high flow conditions was caused by invertebrate feeding in both streams. Collector–gatherers constituted most of the abundance and biomass in bags from the intermittent stream, due to their rapid benthic recolonization. Shredders peaked at approximately 50% remaining leaf litter mass in both streams only during high flow, which coincided with general models of detritus breakdown in streams. Considering global warming scenarios, with drought and water temperature increases expected for many regions of the world, these studies on the consequences for the biota and ecological processes of small streams will allow the prediction of negative effects on such vulnerable ecosystems.

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Acknowledgments

The final version of the manuscript was highly improved by the critical suggestions from two anonymous reviewers. We thank the Intergovernmental Water Bureau of the Río Negro Basin (AIC-Autoridad Interjurisdiccional de Cuencas de los Ríos Limay, Neuquén y Negro) for providing the precipitation records reported in this study. Special thanks to Nahuel Huapi Park Rangers of Zona Centro for kindly taking us to Chall-Huaco valley in winter fieldtrips. This research was supported by a Grant from the ANCYPT (National Agency of Scientific and Technical Promotion) PICT0793-2011. The first author has a CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council) doctoral fellowship.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare not to have any conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Fotobiología, INIBIOMA-CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, 8400, S. C. de Bariloche, Argentina

    Gustavo D. Mariluan & Ricardo J. Albariño

  2. Laboratorio de Limnología, INIBIOMA-CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, 8400, S. C. de Bariloche, Argentina

    Verónica Díaz Villanueva

Authors
  1. Gustavo D. Mariluan
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  2. Verónica Díaz Villanueva
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  3. Ricardo J. Albariño
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Correspondence to Gustavo D. Mariluan.

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Handling editor: Luz Boyero

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Mariluan, G.D., Díaz Villanueva, V. & Albariño, R.J. Leaf litter breakdown and benthic invertebrate colonization affected by seasonal drought in headwater lotic systems of Andean Patagonia. Hydrobiologia 760, 171–187 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2324-z

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