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Stream temperature in the Basque Mountains during winter: thermal regimes and sensitivity to air warming

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Abstract

Winter stream temperature variability is important for detritus decomposition and over-wintering of aquatic organisms. However, winter temperatures are rarely studied. We studied water temperatures in 33 streams of the Basque Mountains in Northern Spain. High coherence of stream temperature within the study area and high correlation between stream and air temperature indicate a similar thermal response of streams to daily changes in atmospheric conditions at regional scale. Linear regression models of air temperature against water temperature successfully predict daily stream temperature in watersheds between 1 and 1000 km2 in Northern Spain during winter, but it is not suitable for making long-term predictions because it failed to account for inter-annual trends in stream temperature. Averaging temperature observations collected in different streams to form regional stream temperature indicators enhanced the relationship between air and water temperature and improved the performance of the daily stream temperature model. Four thermal classes (lowland, pluvial, nival and geo streams) defined as a function of the mean water temperature of the coldest day and the winter and daily temperature ranges showed different sensitivity to changes in weather conditions. Therefore, spatial differences in the thermal sensitivity of streams at local scale should be addressed for making predictions about the effects of global warming.

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Acknowledgments

The Confederación Hidrográfica del Norte (CHN) has provided water temperature data from the the Asón river. The Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia (BFA) has provided stream temperature data from 7 water quality monitoring sites. Air temperature and wind direction and velocity at Sondika meteorological station have been provided by the Agencia Española de Meteorología (AEMET). Cartography (raster and vectorial layers) has been provided by the Instituto Cartográfico Nacional (ICN), Ur Agentzia and Eusko Jaurlaritza (EJ). Research funds have been provided by Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (projects CGL2007-66664-C04 and CGL2010-22129-C04) and by the Eusko Jaurlaritza (Research grant IT-302-10). Jon Molinero is currently a PROMETEO researcher for the Secretaría de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SENESCYT) of Ecuador. The authors thank J. Saenz and two anonymous reviewers for useful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Stream Ecology, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country, PO Box 644, 48080, Bilbao, Spain

    Jon Molinero, Aitor Larrañaga, Javier Pérez, Aingeru Martínez & Jesús Pozo

  2. Escuela de Gestión Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador Sede Esmeraldas PUCESE, Espejo y Subida a Santa Cruz s/n, 080150, Esmeraldas, Ecuador

    Jon Molinero

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  1. Jon Molinero
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Correspondence to Jon Molinero.

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Molinero, J., Larrañaga, A., Pérez, J. et al. Stream temperature in the Basque Mountains during winter: thermal regimes and sensitivity to air warming. Climatic Change 134, 593–604 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-015-1546-4

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