Nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of Argentina

ABSTRACT One of the most important effects derived from the intensive land use is the increase of nutrient concentration in the aquatic systems due to superficial drainage. Besides, the increment of precipitations in South America connected to the global climate change could intensify these anthropic impacts due to the changes in the runoff pattern and a greater discharge of water in the streams and rivers. The pampean streams are singular environments with high natural nutrient concentrations which could be increased even more if the predictions of global climate change for the area are met. In this context, the effect of experimental nutrient addition on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream is studied. Samplings were carried out from March 2007 to February 2009 in two reaches (fertilized and unfertilized), upstream and downstream from the input of nutrients. The addition of nutrients caused an increase in the phosphorus concentration in the fertilized reach which was not observed for nitrogen concentration. From all macroinvertebrates studied only two taxa had significant differences in their abundance after fertilization: Corbicula fluminea and Ostracoda. Our results reveal that the disturbance caused by the increase of nutrients on the benthic community depends on basal nutrients concentration. The weak response of macroinvertebrates to fertilization in the pampean streams could be due to their tolerance to high concentrations of nutrients in relation to their evolutionary history in streams naturally enriched with nutrients. Further research concerning the thresholds of nutrients affecting macroinvertebrates and about the adaptive advantages of taxa in naturally eutrophic environments is still needed. This information will allow for a better understanding of the processes of nutrient cycling and for the construction of restoration measures in natural eutrophic ecosystems.

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Main Authors: Cortelezzi,Agustina, Ocón,Carolina, Oosterom,María V. López van, Cepeda,Rosana, Capítulo,Alberto Rodrigues
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Museu de Ciências Naturais 2015
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0073-47212015000200228
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spelling oai:scielo:S0073-472120150002002282015-12-02Nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of ArgentinaCortelezzi,AgustinaOcón,CarolinaOosterom,María V. López vanCepeda,RosanaCapítulo,Alberto Rodrigues Phosphorus nitrogen fertilization invertebrate abundance climate change ABSTRACT One of the most important effects derived from the intensive land use is the increase of nutrient concentration in the aquatic systems due to superficial drainage. Besides, the increment of precipitations in South America connected to the global climate change could intensify these anthropic impacts due to the changes in the runoff pattern and a greater discharge of water in the streams and rivers. The pampean streams are singular environments with high natural nutrient concentrations which could be increased even more if the predictions of global climate change for the area are met. In this context, the effect of experimental nutrient addition on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream is studied. Samplings were carried out from March 2007 to February 2009 in two reaches (fertilized and unfertilized), upstream and downstream from the input of nutrients. The addition of nutrients caused an increase in the phosphorus concentration in the fertilized reach which was not observed for nitrogen concentration. From all macroinvertebrates studied only two taxa had significant differences in their abundance after fertilization: Corbicula fluminea and Ostracoda. Our results reveal that the disturbance caused by the increase of nutrients on the benthic community depends on basal nutrients concentration. The weak response of macroinvertebrates to fertilization in the pampean streams could be due to their tolerance to high concentrations of nutrients in relation to their evolutionary history in streams naturally enriched with nutrients. Further research concerning the thresholds of nutrients affecting macroinvertebrates and about the adaptive advantages of taxa in naturally eutrophic environments is still needed. This information will allow for a better understanding of the processes of nutrient cycling and for the construction of restoration measures in natural eutrophic ecosystems.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessMuseu de Ciências NaturaisIheringia. Série Zoologia v.105 n.2 20152015-06-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articletext/htmlhttp://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0073-47212015000200228en10.1590/1678-476620151052228234
institution SCIELO
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country Brasil
countrycode BR
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databasecode rev-scielo-br
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region America del Sur
libraryname SciELO
language English
format Digital
author Cortelezzi,Agustina
Ocón,Carolina
Oosterom,María V. López van
Cepeda,Rosana
Capítulo,Alberto Rodrigues
spellingShingle Cortelezzi,Agustina
Ocón,Carolina
Oosterom,María V. López van
Cepeda,Rosana
Capítulo,Alberto Rodrigues
Nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of Argentina
author_facet Cortelezzi,Agustina
Ocón,Carolina
Oosterom,María V. López van
Cepeda,Rosana
Capítulo,Alberto Rodrigues
author_sort Cortelezzi,Agustina
title Nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of Argentina
title_short Nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of Argentina
title_full Nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of Argentina
title_fullStr Nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of Argentina
title_full_unstemmed Nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of Argentina
title_sort nutrient enrichment effect on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream of argentina
description ABSTRACT One of the most important effects derived from the intensive land use is the increase of nutrient concentration in the aquatic systems due to superficial drainage. Besides, the increment of precipitations in South America connected to the global climate change could intensify these anthropic impacts due to the changes in the runoff pattern and a greater discharge of water in the streams and rivers. The pampean streams are singular environments with high natural nutrient concentrations which could be increased even more if the predictions of global climate change for the area are met. In this context, the effect of experimental nutrient addition on macroinvertebrates in a lowland stream is studied. Samplings were carried out from March 2007 to February 2009 in two reaches (fertilized and unfertilized), upstream and downstream from the input of nutrients. The addition of nutrients caused an increase in the phosphorus concentration in the fertilized reach which was not observed for nitrogen concentration. From all macroinvertebrates studied only two taxa had significant differences in their abundance after fertilization: Corbicula fluminea and Ostracoda. Our results reveal that the disturbance caused by the increase of nutrients on the benthic community depends on basal nutrients concentration. The weak response of macroinvertebrates to fertilization in the pampean streams could be due to their tolerance to high concentrations of nutrients in relation to their evolutionary history in streams naturally enriched with nutrients. Further research concerning the thresholds of nutrients affecting macroinvertebrates and about the adaptive advantages of taxa in naturally eutrophic environments is still needed. This information will allow for a better understanding of the processes of nutrient cycling and for the construction of restoration measures in natural eutrophic ecosystems.
publisher Museu de Ciências Naturais
publishDate 2015
url http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0073-47212015000200228
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AT oosterommariavlopezvan nutrientenrichmenteffectonmacroinvertebratesinalowlandstreamofargentina
AT cepedarosana nutrientenrichmenteffectonmacroinvertebratesinalowlandstreamofargentina
AT capituloalbertorodrigues nutrientenrichmenteffectonmacroinvertebratesinalowlandstreamofargentina
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