2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference

March 13 - 15, 2022

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5/21/2019 | 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM | ABIOTIC DRIVERS OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF PRIMARY PRODUCERS IN A MID-SIZED RIVER | 253 AB

ABIOTIC DRIVERS OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF PRIMARY PRODUCERS IN A MID-SIZED RIVER

The identity and biomass of stream primary producers is determined by multiple abiotic factors including light, nutrients, and hydrology, which vary by season and are mediated by habitat characteristics, such as substrate type. How these abiotic factors drive patterns in primary producer identity and biomass through time and space, and how these producer shifts affect stream metabolism is not well understood. We compared monthly biomass of major primary producer types (macrophytes, benthic algae, filamentous algae, and phytoplankton) over the course of two years with river flow metrics. We hypothesized that differences in producer growth form (e.g., filamentous algae versus an erect macrophyte) would translate into differences in susceptibility to hydrologic events. Preliminary analyses showed a strong response of biomass of the dominant macrophyte, Podostemum ceratophyllum, to antecedent low flow magnitude (R2 = 0.73). We did not find similar predictive relationships for biomass of other producer types with minimum or maximum stream discharge. By determining the drivers of spatial and temporal patterns of primary producers, and later coupling these with producer types’ corresponding productivity and respiration rates, we aim to identify mechanisms by which abiotic factors affect stream metabolism.

Macrophyte
Disturbance
Hydrology

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Presenters/Authors

Caitlin Conn (), University of Georgia, caitlin.conn25@uga.edu;