Riparian Plant Litter Quality Increases With Latitude

Authors

• Luz Boyero, University of BasqueFollow
• Manuel A. S. Graça, University of CoimbraFollow
• Alan M. Tonin, Universidade de BrasíliaFollow
• Javier Pérez, University of Basque
• Andrew J. Swafford, University of California, Santa Barbara
• Verónica Ferreira, University of Coimbra
• Andrea Landeira-Dabarca, University of CoimbraFollow
• Markos A. Alexandrou, Wildlands Conservation Science, LLC.
• Mark O. Gessner, Berlin Institute of TechnologyFollow
• Brendan G. McKie, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesFollow
• Ricardo J. Albariño, Universidad Nacional ComahueFollow
• Leon A. Barmuta, University of Tasmania, AustraliaFollow
• Marcos Castillo, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
• Julián Chará, Centro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción Agropecuaria (CIPAV)
• Eric Chauvet, Université de ToulouseFollow
• Jose Checo Colón-Gaud, Georgia Southern UniversityFollow
• David Dudgeon, University of Hong Kong
• Andrea C. Encalada, Universidad San Francisco de QuitoFollow
• Ridcardo Figueroa, Universidad de ConcepciónFollow
• Alexander S. Flecker, Cornell UniversityFollow
• Tadeusz Fleituch, Polish Academy of SciencesFollow
• André Frainer, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayFollow
• José F. Gonçalves Jr., Universidade de BrasíliaFollow
• Julie E. Helson, University of Toronto, Scarborough
• Tomoya Iwata, University of YamanashiFollow
• Jude Mathooko, Egerton University
• Charles M'Erimba, Egerton UniversityFollow
• Catherine M. Pringle, University of GeorgiaFollow
• Alonso Ramírez, University of Puerto Rico, Rio PiedrasFollow
• Christopher M. Swan, University of Maryland at Baltimore
• Catherine M. Yule, Monash University
• Richard G. Pearson, James Cook University AustraliaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-5-2017

Publication Title

Scientific Reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-017-10640-3

ISSN

2045-2322

Abstract

Plant litter represents a major basal resource in streams, where its decomposition is partly regulated by litter traits. Litter-trait variation may determine the latitudinal gradient in decomposition in streams, which is mainly microbial in the tropics and detritivore-mediated at high latitudes. However, this hypothesis remains untested, as we lack information on large-scale trait variation for riparian litter. Variation cannot easily be inferred from existing leaf-trait databases, since nutrient resorption can cause traits of litter and green leaves to diverge. Here we present the first global-scale assessment of riparian litter quality by determining latitudinal variation (spanning 107°) in litter traits (nutrient concentrations; physical and chemical defences) of 151 species from 24 regions and their relationships with environmental factors and phylogeny. We hypothesized that litter quality would increase with latitude (despite variation within regions) and traits would be correlated to produce ‘syndromes’ resulting from phylogeny and environmental variation. We found lower litter quality and higher nitrogen:phosphorus ratios in the tropics. Traits were linked but showed no phylogenetic signal, suggesting that syndromes were environmentally determined. Poorer litter quality and greater phosphorus limitation towards the equator may restrict detritivore-mediated decomposition, contributing to the predominance of microbial decomposers in tropical streams.

Comments

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This article was retrieved from Scientific Reports.

Recommended Citation

Boyero, Luz, Manuel A. S. Graça, Alan M. Tonin, Javier Pérez, Andrew J. Swafford, Verónica Ferreira, Andrea Landeira-Dabarca, Markos A. Alexandrou, Mark O. Gessner, Brendan G. McKie, Ricardo J. Albariño, Leon A. Barmuta, Marcos Castillo, Julián Chará, Eric Chauvet, Jose Checo Colón-Gaud, David Dudgeon, Andrea C. Encalada, Ridcardo Figueroa, Alexander S. Flecker, Tadeusz Fleituch, André Frainer, José F. Gonçalves Jr., Julie E. Helson, Tomoya Iwata, Jude Mathooko, Charles M'Erimba, Catherine M. Pringle, Alonso Ramírez, Christopher M. Swan, Catherine M. Yule, Richard G. Pearson. 2017. "Riparian Plant Litter Quality Increases With Latitude." Scientific Reports, 7 (10562): 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-10640-3 source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-10640-3
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/biology-facpubs/27