2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/25/2021 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | VARIATION IN LEAF LITTER DECOMPOSITION RATES DETERMINED BY DIFFERENCES IN SHRIMP MACROCONSUMER ABUNDANCE IN TWO TROPICAL MONTANE STREAMS, PUERTO RICO | Virtual Platform

VARIATION IN LEAF LITTER DECOMPOSITION RATES DETERMINED BY DIFFERENCES IN SHRIMP MACROCONSUMER ABUNDANCE IN TWO TROPICAL MONTANE STREAMS, PUERTO RICO

This study provides before impact data for an ongoing BACI (Before/After/Control/Impact) study of stream flow reduction effects on stream ecosystem processes. We examined leaf litter decomposition rates in two study streams draining El Yunque National Forest (EYNF) in Puerto Rico. We measured decomposition rates over 50 days (in both the presence and absence of dominant shrimp macroconsumers) in five pools along a 100m reach in each stream. Electric exclosure devices were used to prevent shrimp access to Dacryodes excelsa leaf packs, while control leaf packs (unelectrified) remained accessible to shrimp. Stream A had significantly greater rates of leaf breakdown in shrimp access (k -0.0242 ± 0.004) versus exclosures (K -0.0161 ± 0.0017). In contrast, Stream B did not display significantly different decomposition rates in shrimp access (k -0.0125 ± 0.0016) versus exclosures (k -0.0148 ± 0.0042). We attribute greater leaf decomposition rates in access versus exclusion treatments in stream A to greater macroconsumer shredding activity as reflected by 3x greater shrimp abundance in Stream A (28.34 ± 5.8) versus Stream B (9.69 ± 1.96). This baseline data will provide context for our future stream flow reduction experiment in stream B.

Tropical streams and lakes
Food webs
Tropical

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Presenters/Authors

Max Kelly (), University of Georgia, Max.kelly@uga.edu;