Article
Environmental Sciences
Kathi Jo Jankowski, Linda A. Deegan, Christopher Neill, Hillary L. Sullivan, Paulo Ilha, Leonardo Maracahipes-Santos, Nubia Marques, Marcia N. Macedo
Summary: This study in the Brazilian Amazon found relatively subtle differences in stream function between forested and cropland streams, with cropland streams having lower OM biomass and greater seasonality in ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem production. Streams were found to be more retentive of phosphorus than nitrogen, indicating that fertilizer nitrogen reaching streams will be exported in stream networks.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mingxu Li, Changhui Peng, Kerou Zhang, Li Xu, Jianming Wang, Yan Yang, Peng Li, Zelin Liu, Nianpeng He
Summary: Research indicates that rivers globally emit CO2, CH4, and N2O, with headwater streams playing a significant role in global riverine GHG emissions due to low dissolved oxygen levels, massive terrestrial carbon/nitrogen inputs, and high gas exchange velocities.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hannah R. Field, Audrey H. Sawyer, Susan A. Welch, Ryan K. Benefiel, Devan M. Mathie, James M. Hood, Ethan D. Pawlowski, Diana L. Karwan, Rebecca M. Kreiling, Zackary I. Johnson, Brittany R. Hanrahan, Kevin W. King
Summary: This study examined changes in phosphorus (P) transport in an agricultural drainage ditch in the Maumee River Basin, Ohio, by conducting injections of a novel tracer mixture in spring, summer, and fall. The research found that thicker vegetation in the spring caused more pooling and flow stagnation, while vegetation thinning in the fall decreased these effects. Soluble P uptake lengths were longer in the fall, likely due to declines in biological uptake rates and immobile zone storage.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Faruk Djodjic, Magdalena Bieroza, Lars Bergstrom
Summary: Nutrient losses from small headwater catchments can lead to downstream eutrophication issues. The proportion of arable land has a strong positive effect on nutrient concentrations, while forest and wetland can reduce nutrient concentrations in streams. Certain soil properties, influenced by geological composition, play a key role in nutrient losses. By using soil properties as a link between geology and water quality, potentially sensitive areas were identified, with sedimentary bedrock regions showing higher dissolved nutrient concentrations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huanyao Liu, Cen Meng, Yi Wang, Yuyuan Li, Yong Li, Jinshui Wu
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between integrated landscape patterns and stream water quality in different seasons in ten Chinese subtropical catchments from 2010 to 2017. The study found that nitrogen and phosphorus levels in stream water varied significantly between the fallow season and the rice-growing season, and were influenced by different landscape configuration factors in each season. In the rainy season, stream water nitrogen and phosphorus levels were more likely to be affected by landscape composition, while in the dry fallow season, landscape configuration played a more significant role in determining nitrogen and phosphorus levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wangshou Zhang, Hengpeng Li, Steven G. Pueppke
Summary: Increasing levels of nitrogen in aquatic ecosystems due to human activities have led to a focus on nitrogen removal mechanisms to mitigate environmental damage. This study investigates the spatiotemporal variability of nitrogen removal rates in China's Zhongtian River using a water-air exchange model. The results demonstrate significant nitrogen removal in the river, with wetland areas showing higher nitrogen production and removal rates compared to non-wetland areas. The study highlights the efficacy of wetlands in nitrogen removal and provides a strong rationale for constructing artificial wetlands to mitigate nitrogen pollution and optimize riverine environmental conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianling Xu, Jiao Liu, Jiaqi Hu, Hanxi Wang, Lianxi Sheng, Xiaoliang Dong, Xiaodan Jiang
Summary: Water pollution control, especially using aquatic plants for ecological water treatment, is effective and cost-efficient. The research on the two common aquatic plants in Northeast China showed high removal rates for nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater, making them suitable for restoring urban lake water quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Kevin S. Simon, Dennis S. Anderson, Ivan J. Fernandez, Stephen A. Norton
Summary: Increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition can affect nutrient availability in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, but the responses of ecosystem processes in these components are different. This study found that nitrogen enrichment promotes litter decomposition in terrestrial environments but does not induce phosphorus limitations; however, in stream systems, it shifts decomposition from co-limitation to strong phosphorus limitation. These contrasting responses may be due to differences in water bioavailability.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcelo De Siervi, Silvana Arreghini, Alicia Fabrizio de Iorio
Summary: Rainfall participates in the soil acidification process through hydric erosion and leaching processes. Sediment detachment and transport by runoff water lead to the loss of divalent cations, while leaching processes are responsible for the loss of monovalent ions. Soils with a higher position and slope show more significant losses of sediment, divalent cations, OM, NK, and P Bray. On the other hand, CoAoMo has the lowest sediment, OM, and NK losses due to its high sodium concentration, but it also presents the highest TRP into runoff waters. Sediments are enriched in fine materials, OM, and NK.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michael Rode, Jorg Tittel, Frido Reinstorf, Michael Schubert, Kay Knoeller, Benjamin Gilfedder, Florian Merensky-Poehlein, Andreas Musolff
Summary: This study aims to differentiate potential losses and releases of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) from various sources in an agricultural headwater catchment. The results show that a short section in the upper headwater reach is responsible for most of the SRP fluxes to the stream, and groundwater is the main long-term contributor at low flow. Accurate knowledge of the different input pathways is important for effective management measures.
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Mayra P. D. Rulli, Ann-Kristin Bergstrom, Ryan A. Sponseller, Martin Berggren
Summary: This study investigates the impact of increased loading of dissolved organic matter on nutrient bioavailability in boreal freshwaters. The study found that the relative bioavailability of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus associated with terrestrial DOM is low in these waters. The study also highlights the seasonal variation in bioavailable organic nutrient pools and their links with temperature and hydrology.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jancoba Dorley, Joel Singley, Tim Covino, Kamini Singha, Michael Gooseff, David Van Horn, Ricardo Gonzalez-Pinzon
Summary: Many studies suggest that longer residence times in stream ecosystems lead to higher biological uptake of carbon, nutrients, and oxygen. However, these studies do not consider the potential stoichiometric imbalances that can limit biologically mediated reactions. In this study, we examined how microbial respiration is affected by interactions between essential nutrients (C, N, and P) in a headwater stream in Colorado, USA. Our results show that hydrologic transport alone is not the dominant control on biogeochemical processing, and that complex interactions between hydrology, resource supply, and biological community function drive in-stream respiration.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Juliana Barros, Santosh Kumar, Sahadevan Seena
Summary: Co-contamination of freshwaters by nanoplastics and metals affects the cellular and physiological activities of aquatic fungi. Functionalised nanoplastics enhance metal adsorption, leading to reactive oxygen species accumulation and plasma membrane disruption. The impact of metals on fungal growth depends on their co-existence with nanoplastics.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ylva Sjoberg, Ahmad Jan, Scott L. Painter, Ethan T. Coon, Michael P. Carey, Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Joshua C. Koch
Summary: The presence of permafrost in Arctic landscapes affects the flow paths of water, potentially impacting stream discharge and thermal regimes. Simulations show that hillslopes with continuous permafrost have shallower flow paths and higher rates of evapotranspiration. Thawing permafrost alters groundwater flow paths, leading to decreases in summer stream temperatures and reductions in evapotranspiration.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jonathan P. Benstead, Wyatt F. Cross, Vlad Gulis, Amy D. Rosemond
Summary: This study synthesizes data sets on organic matter, microbes, and macroinvertebrates from two detritus-based stream ecosystems, providing new insights into carbon flow through forest stream ecosystems. It found a balance of carbon inputs and outputs in the reference stream, while nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment led to severe deficits of carbon. The results highlight the key roles of both microbes and metazoans in controlling carbon flow in detritus-based ecosystems.
Article
Plant Sciences
T. Herzog, A. Mehring, B. Hatt, R. Ambrose, L. Levin, B. Winfrey
Summary: The study investigated the effects of pruning on effluent concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and metals in stormwater biofilters planted with Carex appressa and Ficinia nodosa. Results showed species-specific differences in nutrient removal, with pruning treatments affecting nitrogen oxide removal in F. nodosa, but not C. appressa. Pruned plants showed high removal rates of total N and P, indicating that pruning may significantly impact long-term nutrient removal in biofilter systems.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Andrew S. Mehring, Rose M. Martin, Camille S. Delavaux, Edward B. James, Johnny J. Quispe, Daniela Yaffar
Summary: Leaf-cutting ants of the genus Atta play a significant role in soil greenhouse gas emissions, with nests showing higher fluxes of CO2 and CH4 compared to surrounding soil. Fluxes of both gases varied greatly among nests and holes within a single nest. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind these enhanced greenhouse gas emissions and their implications for carbon budgets in tropical and subtropical forests.
Article
Biology
C. Rhett Jackson, Kristen K. Cecala, Seth J. Wenger, Joseph E. Kirsch, Jackson R. Webster, David S. Leigh, Jennifer M. Sanders, Jason P. Love, Jennifer D. Knoepp, Jennifer M. Fraterrigo, Amy D. Rosemond
Summary: The water quality of oligotrophic mountain streams in rural Southern Appalachian Mountains is significantly degraded by rural land-use activities. These activities alter landscape-stream connections, leading to changes in basal resources and shifts in aquatic species assemblages. Mitigating rural water quality problems requires adoption of best management practices.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Charles B. van Rees, Laura Naslund, Darixa D. Hernandez-Abrams, S. Kyle McKay, C. Brock Woodson, Amy Rosemond, Brian McFall, Safra Altman, Seth J. Wenger
Summary: This article introduces a monitoring framework and practical guidelines for natural infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of research and development monitoring to provide scientifically rigorous evidence. It also calls for greater adoption of research and development monitoring at larger scales to increase the evidence base for natural infrastructure implementation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nathan J. Tomczyk, Amy D. Rosemond, Phoenix A. Rogers, Carolyn S. Cummins
Summary: Research found that shredders generally have lower temperature preferences, optima, and maxima, while other FFGs had higher thermal trait values. FFG explained 40% of the variation in critical thermal maximum, while Phylogeny explained 26%-88% of the variation in thermal and feeding traits. Phylogeny and FFG are both important predictors of thermal traits in aquatic macroinvertebrates.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nathan J. Tomczyk, Amy D. Rosemond, Phillip M. Bumpers, Carolyn S. Cummins, Carol Yang, Seth J. Wenger
Summary: Leaf breakdown is crucial in forested headwater streams. This study examines the use of mesh bags to measure the microbial respiration and abrasion rates during leaf breakdown. It is found that mesh size affects microbial respiration but not abrasion, and the effect of mesh size depends on the environmental context and experimental design.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nathan J. Tomczyk, Amy D. Rosemond, John S. Kominoski, David W. P. Manning, Jonathan P. Benstead, Vladislav Gulis, Steven A. Thomas, Erin R. Hotchkiss, Ashley M. Helton
Summary: Nutrient uptake and release in forest streams are linked to the supply ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus, with the highest likelihood of net nutrient uptake observed at intermediate N:P supply. The flexibility of nutrient stoichiometry in the streams suggests changes in nutrient recycling or community structure, which may take longer to manifest.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Marina Feraud, Sean P. Ahearn, Emily A. Parker, Sumant Avasarala, Megyn B. Rugh, Wei-Cheng Hung, Dong Li, Laurie C. Van De Werfhorst, Timnit Kefela, Azadeh Hemati, Andrew S. Mehring, Yiping Cao, Jennifer A. Jay, Haizhou Liu, Stanley B. Grant, Patricia A. Holden
Summary: This study found that nitrogen in urban runoff can be treated with biofilters during simulated storms, but the nitrogen transformation within the biofilters is insufficient, mainly undergoing ammonification and nitrification, without much denitrification. Therefore, it is necessary to redesign biofilters to promote plant assimilation and/or denitrification of nitrogen in order to reduce the nitrogen generation and export caused by nitrification.
Article
Ecology
Caleb J. Robbins, Beth C. Norman, Halvor M. Halvorson, David W. P. Manning, Elliot Bastias, Cristiane Biasi, Allyn K. Dodd, Rebecca A. Eckert, Alice Gossiaux, Jeremy Jabiol, Andrew S. Mehring, Ada Pastor
Summary: The decomposition of coarse detritus in freshwater ecosystems has been well studied in terms of mass loss, but less is known about the temporal changes in the elemental composition of these materials during decomposition. This dataset synthesizes published measurements of detrital nutrients and stoichiometry to provide a basis for understanding the temporality of elemental content in freshwater detritus.
Article
Ecology
Caleb J. J. Robbins, David W. P. Manning, Halvor M. M. Halvorson, Beth C. C. Norman, Rebecca A. A. Eckert, Ada Pastor, Allyn K. K. Dodd, Jeremy Jabiol, Elliot Bastias, Alice Gossiaux, Andrew S. S. Mehring
Summary: Decomposing organic matter is a vital resource for aquatic ecosystems, providing fuel for their biogeochemical function and secondary production. However, the dynamics of detrital nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in aquatic ecosystems have been less explored compared to terrestrial ecosystems, despite their fundamental connection with microbial processes and ecosystem function. This study synthesized published time series data from stream ecosystems to analyze the nutrient dynamics of decomposing litter. The results showed that detritus contributed as a net source of N to the environment, regardless of the initial N content. On the other hand, the sink/source dynamics of P were more influenced by the initial P content, shifting from P sinks to net P mineralization after a certain level of mass loss. However, variations in N and P predictions indicated the importance of nonmicrobial factors such as invertebrate fragmentation. Overall, this analysis helps to bridge the gap between organic matter decomposition in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and provides insights for future research on detrital nutrient dynamics.
Article
Ecology
Kelly M. Murray-Stoker, Joseph V. McHugh, Arthur C. Benke, Keith A. Parsons, David Murray-Stoker, Amy D. Rosemond, Seth J. Wenger, Darold P. Batzer
Summary: Researchers report declines in insect fauna globally. They studied the changes in an invertebrate community in a blackwater river and found biomass declines. The decline was associated with reduced densities of large-bodied, filter-feeding insects.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Nathan J. Tomczyk, Amy D. Rosemond, Ally M. Whiteis, Jonathan P. Benstead, Vladislav Gulis
Summary: Saprotrophic fungi play important roles in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus transformations in aquatic environments, but the effects of warming on their cycling of these elements are still unclear. In this study, we conducted an experiment with four aquatic hyphomycetes to investigate how temperature affects their carbon and nutrient use. We found that biomass accrual and carbon use efficiency showed quadratic relationships with temperature, with peaks between 7°C and 15°C. The carbon-to-phosphorus ratio of one species increased significantly with temperature, while other species were unaffected. Changes in carbon-to-nitrogen ratios were relatively small across temperatures. Biomass carbon isotope composition also varied with temperature, indicating differences in carbon isotope fractionation. Furthermore, interactions among different species affected biomass accrual, carbon-to-phosphorus ratios, carbon isotope composition, and carbon use efficiency, highlighting the importance of temperature and interspecific interactions in shaping the carbon and nutrient cycling of aquatic fungi.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Nathan J. Tomczyk, Amy D. Rosemond, Anna Kaz, Jonathan P. Benstead
Summary: Heterotrophic microbes play important roles in regulating energy and nutrient fluxes, but their nutrient uptake rates under changing environmental conditions are not well studied. In this study, we examined the temperature dependence of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) uptake and respiration in microbial communities from temperate headwater streams. We also investigated the influence of initial SRP concentration on the temperature dependence of P uptake. Our results showed that the temperature dependence of P uptake was lower than that of respiration, and it increased with the initial concentration of SRP. Furthermore, our simulation models predicted declines in cumulative P uptake with warming due to increased rates of respiration depleting carbon substrates. The combined effects of warming, nutrient availability, and resource magnitude on carbon processing are important controls of nutrient processing in heterotrophic ecosystems.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Megan A. Rippy, Gregory Pierce, David Feldman, Brandon Winfrey, Andrew S. Mehring, Patricia A. Holden, Richard Ambrose, Lisa A. Levin
Summary: Natural treatment systems (NTS) have the potential to provide various ecosystem services for stormwater management. However, there are significant differences in the perception of NTS among different groups, and engineering students generally lack familiarity with the appearance of NTS and its placement in the broader landscape context. Collaboration with expertise from urban planning and ecology can help bridge the knowledge gaps and enhance the capacity of engineers in designing NTS.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gregory Pierce, Kyra Gmoser-Daskalakis, Kelsey Jessup, Stanley B. Grant, Andrew Mehring, Brandon Winfrey, Megan A. Rippy, David Feldman, Patricia Holden, Richard Ambrose, Lisa Levin
Summary: Despite progressive environmental practices in areas like energy and water conservation, campus stormwater management practices are constrained by factors such as infrastructure financing limitations, lack of transparent and coordinated decision-making, limited campus resident involvement, and regulatory inflexibility, compared to cities. This study provides new insights for understanding campuses as sustainable 'cities within cities' and urban environmental compliance regimes globally.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
