2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/26/2021 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | CONSEQUENCES OF RIPARIAN DEFORESTATION ON DETRITUS-BASED FOOD-WEBS IN STREAMS | Virtual Platform

CONSEQUENCES OF RIPARIAN DEFORESTATION ON DETRITUS-BASED FOOD-WEBS IN STREAMS

Detritus-based food-webs in streams govern important ecosystem functions and services such as decomposition of leaf litter from the riparian vegetation. This process is mainly controlled by the interactive effects of aquatic hyphomycetes and invertebrate shredders. The relative importance of these decomposer groups and the resource quality however differ strongly between tropical and temperate regions. Land-use, such as agriculture, may compromise food-webs and decomposer biodiversity differently in tropical and temperate streams. In this project, we aim to elucidate the consequences of landscape transformation and to disentangle biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning in headwater streams in Switzerland (Prealps) and Brazil (Atlantic Forest). To do so, we assess leaf litter decomposition, biodiversity (leaf litter, aquatic hyphomycetes, shredders, predators) and detrital food-web configuration in forested and deforested sites. Preliminary results indicate that the influence of the landscape on decomposition rates is dependent on abiotic and biotic conditions. Our project will contribute to the understanding of environmental controls on the functioning of detritus-based food-webs in streams and the links between riparian and stream ecosystems in both tropical and temperate regions.

Decomposition
Ecosystem functioning
Land use

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Presenters/Authors

Rebecca Oester (), University of Zürich, rebecca.oester@uzh.ch;