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Temporal variation in benthic primary production in streams of the Australian wet–dry tropics
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 17:09 authored by Garcia, EA, Pettit, NE, Warfe, DM, Davies, PM, Kyne, PM, Novak, P, Douglas, MMIn the Australian wet–dry tropics, seasonal changes in hydrology can influence abiotic conditions and consequently influence standing stocks of benthic biomass and production. While there is some understanding of these processes at riverscape scales, effects of seasonal hydrology on benthic biomass and production in low-order streams remain largely unquantified. We observed changes in water quality, algal and macroinvertebrate biomass, and stream benthic primary productivity over a 15-month period in three low-order streams with contrasting flow regimes in the wet–dry tropics of northern Australia. Water quantity and quality showed a distinct seasonal signature reflected in seasonal peaks in algal (maximum 1.29 µg cm−2) and macroinvertebrate biomass (maximum 0.24 g m−2), and productivity (maximum 0.41 g C m−2 days−1). In particular, transitional periods between dry and wet seasons were key times of elevated production and algal biomass. Overall, variation in biomass and benthic primary production was greater between seasons than among streams indicating that extrapolation between seasons may not be appropriate.
History
Publication title
HydrobiologiaVolume
760Pagination
43-55ISSN
0018-8158Department/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
Kluwer Academic PublPlace of publication
Van Godewijckstraat 30, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 3311 GzRights statement
Copyright 2015 Springer International Publishing, SwitzerlandRepository Status
- Restricted