Ephemeral stream water contributions to United States drainage networks

Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 384(6703), P. 1476 - 1482

Published: June 27, 2024

Ephemeral streams flow only in direct response to precipitation and are ubiquitous landscape features. However, little is known about their influence on downstream rivers. Here, we modeled ephemeral stream water contributions the contiguous United States network of more than 20 million rivers, lakes, reservoirs, finding that contribute, average, 55% discharge exported from regional river systems, as defined by Geological Survey. Our results show connectivity a substantial pathway through which associated nutrients pollution may enter perennial drainage quality. We provide quantitative insight into implications differing interpretations regulatory jurisdiction under Clean Water Act, including current standard adopted Supreme Court 2023.

Language: Английский

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River network‐scale drying impacts the spatiotemporal dynamics of greenhouse gas fluxes

Limnology and Oceanography, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 69(4), P. 861 - 873

Published: Feb. 22, 2024

Abstract Rivers significantly contribute to global biogeochemical cycles; however, we have a limited understanding of how drying may influence these cycles. Drying fragments river networks, thereby influencing important ecosystem functions such as the processing carbon and nitrogen, associated fluxes greenhouse gases (GHGs) both locally, at network scale. Our objective was assess, using network‐scale approach, lateral, longitudinal, temporal dynamics GHG in naturally fragmented by drying. We used closed‐loop chamber with automated analyzers measure dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 nitrous oxide (N O) from dry sediments, flowing waters, isolated pools, riparian soils, along suite environmental variables, over 9 months 20 sites across non‐perennial France. Network‐scale had spatial legacy effect on fluxes. On average, CO were up 29 times higher perennial than under conditions. At sites, N O positively covaried time since rewetting. In addition, percent reaches upstream, indicating soil riverbed sediments markedly different magnitudes covariates. This research demonstrates that not only has local‐scale impact but also influences scale, contributing valuable insights for upscaling riverine estimates.

Language: Английский

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Towards (better) fluvial meta-ecosystem ecology: a research perspective

npj Biodiversity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3(1)

Published: Feb. 7, 2024

Rivers are an important component of the global carbon cycle and contribute to atmospheric exchange disproportionately their total surface area. Largely, this is because rivers efficiently mobilize, transport metabolize terrigenous organic matter (OM). Notably, our knowledge about magnitude globally relevant fluxes strongly contrasts with lack understanding underlying processes that transform OM. Ultimately, OM processing en route oceans results from a diverse assemblage consumers interacting equally pool resources in spatially complex network heterogeneous riverine habitats. To understand interaction between OM, we must therefore account for spatial configuration, connectivity, landscape context at scales ranging local ecosystems entire networks. Building such explicit framework fluvial across may also help us better predict poorly understood anthropogenic impacts on cycling, instance human-induced fragmentation changes flow regimes, including intermittence. Moreover, current unprecedented human-driven loss biodiversity. This least partly due mechanisms operating scales, as interference migration habitat homogenization, comes largely unknown functional consequences. We advocate here comprehensive networks connecting two aware but disparate lines research (i) metacommunities biodiversity, (ii) biogeochemistry contribution cycle. argue agenda focusing regional scale-that is, river network-to enable deeper mechanistic naturally arising biodiversity-ecosystem functioning coupling major driver biogeochemically fluxes.

Language: Английский

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A Network‐Scale Modeling Framework for Stream Metabolism, Ecosystem Efficiency, and Their Response to Climate Change

Water Resources Research, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 59(3)

Published: Feb. 22, 2023

Abstract Climate change and the predicted warmer temperatures more extreme hydrological regimes could affect freshwater ecosystems their energy pathways. To appreciate complex spatial temporal interactions of carbon cycling in flowing waters, ecosystem metabolism (gross primary production [GPP] respiration [ER]) must be resolved at scale an entire river network. Here, we propose a meta‐ecosystem framework that couples light temperature with reach‐scale model integrates network structure, catchment land cover, hydrologic regime. The simulates distributed functioning dissolved particulate organic carbon, autotrophic biomass, thus metabolism, reproduces fairly well metabolic observed 12 reaches Ybbs River network, Austria. Results show annual network–scale was heterotrophic, yet clear peak autotrophy spring. Autochthonous sources contributed 43% total ER. We further investigated effect altered thermal on efficiency. increase 2.5°C average stream water boost ER GPP by 31% (24%–57%) 28% (5%–57%), respectively. flashier is depends biomass density. analysis shows between environmental conditions biota shaping highlights existing knowledge gaps for reliable predictions effects climate these ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Expanding towards contraction: the alternation of floods and droughts as a fundamental component in river ecology

Biogeochemistry, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 168(1)

Published: Jan. 3, 2025

Abstract Climate warming is causing more extreme weather conditions, with both larger and intense precipitation events as well extended periods of drought in many regions the world. The consequence an alteration hydrological regime streams rivers, increase probability conditions. Mediterranean-climate usually experience on a seasonal basis thus, freshwater Mediterranean ecosystems can be used natural laboratories for better understanding how climate will impact ecosystem structure functioning elsewhere. In this paper, we revisited contextualized historical new datasets collected at Fuirosos, well-studied intermittent stream naturally experiencing events, to illustrate alternation floods droughts influence hydrology, microbial assemblages, water chemistry, potential biogeochemical processing. Moreover, revised some most influential conceptual quantitative frameworks river ecology assess what extent they incorporate occurrence events. Based exercise, identified knowledge gaps challenges guide future research under intensification cycle. Ultimately, aimed share lessons learned from which help understand warming-induced impacts transport cycling matter fluvial ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Ecosystem Services in Drying River Networks: A Meta‐Ecosystem Conceptual Model

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Water, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT All river networks are virtually prone to drying, which is dramatically increasing in space and time. This threatens the functions ecosystem services (ES) rivers provide societies. Here, we introduce a new conceptual model of provision ES drying (DRN), situating as pivotal element every network. Based on meta‐ecosystem perspective, contend that determined DRN by exchange abiotic biotic flows between terrestrial aquatic ecosystems catchment. Specifically, highlight three main components involved: intensity flows, biodiversity patterns, functioning rates. How they vary time due changes hydrological connectivity catchment‐DRN determines pattern along DRN. Although events cause great diversity naturally provided DRN, must perceive their anthropogenic increase major socio‐ecological risk factor.

Language: Английский

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Riverine Particulate Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Are Decoupled From Land Cover at the Continental Scale

Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 39(3)

Published: March 1, 2025

Abstract While inland freshwater networks cover less than 4% of the Earth's terrestrial surface, these ecosystems play a disproportionately large role in global cycles [C]arbon, [N]itrogen, and [P]hosphorus, making streams rivers critical regulators nutrient balance at regional continental scales. Foundational studies have established relative importance hydrologic regime, land cover, instream removal processes for controlling transport processing C, N, P river networks. However, particulate can make up proportion total material during high flows. To constrain patterns biogeochemistry riverine particulates, we characterized modeled dissolved concentration variability scale using open‐access data from 27 National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) sites across United States. We analyzed Boosted Regression Trees (BRTs) to statistically identify if characteristics could predict quantity quality stream particulates. The BRT models revealed that does not strongly dynamics NEON but indicate might be more important catchment alone. In addition, our study demonstrates consistent particulates forms, highlighting their likely significance biogeochemical along continuum.

Language: Английский

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Drying and fragmentation drive the dynamics of resources, consumers and ecosystem functions across aquatic‐terrestrial habitats in a river network

Oikos, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2024(6)

Published: Feb. 27, 2024

Rivers form meta‐ecosystems, in which disturbance and connectivity control biodiversity, ecosystem functioning their interactions across the river network, but also connected instream riparian ecosystems. This aquatic–terrestrial linkage is modified by drying, a that naturally fragments networks thereby modifies organism dispersal organic matter (OM) transfers network. However, little evidence of effects drying on network‐scale OM cycling exists. Here, we assessed fragmentation at meta‐ecosystem scale monitoring leaf resource stocks, invertebrate communities decomposition rates, three seasons 20 sites, habitats network fragmented drying. Although quantity quality increased, leaf‐shredder richness abundance decreased with flow intermittence. Decomposition was, however, mainly driven connectivity. Shredder invertebrate‐driven both peaked sites intermediate amounts intermittent reaches upstream, suggesting upstream can promote biodiversity downstream richness, had negative effect perennial likely due to interspecific competition. Leaf quantity, became more similar between as frequency homogenization environmental conditions dried. Our study demonstrates paramount dynamics resources, rivers presents one first examples co‐drivers functions terrestrial–aquatic boundaries.

Language: Английский

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Leaf litter breakdown phenology in headwater stream networks is modulated by groundwater thermal regimes and litter type

Limnology and Oceanography Letters, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 9(5), P. 532 - 542

Published: July 4, 2024

Abstract Leaf litter dominates particulate organic carbon inputs to forest streams. Using data‐informed simulations, we explored how type (slow‐ vs. fast‐decomposing species), pulsed autumn inputs, groundwater‐mediated temperature regimes, and climate warming affect breakdown in a 3 rd ‐order stream network. We found that the time‐dependent interactions of these variables govern network‐scale phenology, with greater thermal sensitivity slow‐decomposing for both current future scenarios. Groundwater modified phenology by reducing spring summer elevating winter fluxes. Under scenarios, source depth contributing groundwater influenced detrital resources; shallow groundwater‐fed streams had reduced resources compared deep Our results demonstrate predicting in‐stream cycling requires explicit consideration resource seasonal timing environmental factors, notably regimes.

Language: Английский

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Technical note: Seamless extraction and analysis of river networks in R

Hydrology and earth system sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 27(20), P. 3733 - 3742

Published: Oct. 23, 2023

Abstract. Spatially explicit mathematical models are key to a mechanistic understanding of environmental processes in rivers. Such necessitate extended information on networks' morphology, which is often retrieved from geographic system (GIS) software, thus hindering the establishment replicable script-based workflows. Here I present rivnet, an R package for GIS-free extraction and analysis river networks based digital elevation (DEMs). The exploits TauDEM's flow direction algorithm user-provided or online accessible DEMs, allows computing covariate values assigning hydraulic variables across any network node. designed so as require minimal user input while allowing customization experienced users. It specifically intended application ecohydrological, ecological biogeochemical As such, rivnet aims make users unfamiliar with GIS-based geomorphological methods therefore enhance use spatially

Language: Английский

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