Continental-Scale Effects of Nutrient Pollution on Stream Ecosystem Functioning
Queen Mary University of London · National University of Ireland · +18 more institutions
Abstract
Excessive nutrient loading is a major threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide that leads to profound changes in aquatic biodiversity and biogeochemical processes. Systematic quantitative assessment of functional ecosystem measures for river networks is, however, lacking, especially at continental scales. Here, we narrow this gap by means of a pan-European field experiment on a fundamental ecosystem process--leaf-litter breakdown--in 100 streams across a greater than 1000-fold nutrient gradient. Dramatically slowed breakdown at both extremes of the gradient indicated strong nutrient limitation in unaffected systems, potential for strong stimulation in moderately altered systems, and inhibition in highly polluted…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 40.78
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 29
Authors
23- GWGuy WoodwardCorresponding
Queen Mary University of London, National University of Ireland, University College Cork
- MOMark O. GessnerCorresponding
Fischer (Germany), ETH Zurich, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Technische Universität Berlin, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
- PSPaul S. Giller
National University of Ireland, University College Cork
- VGVladislav Gulis
Institute of Marine Research
- SHSally Hladyz
National University of Ireland, University College Cork
Topics & keywords
- Eutrophication
- Nutrient
- Environmental science
- Ecosystem
- STREAMS
- Pollution
- Litter
- Nutrient pollution
- Clean water and sanitation