Concetti Chiave
Water nutrient concentrations, especially phosphorus, significantly affect the elemental composition and stoichiometry of stream macroinvertebrate communities, driven by shifts in taxonomic and functional group composition.
Sintesi
This study investigated the effects of water phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations on the stoichiometry (elemental composition) of stream macroinvertebrate communities across a large spatial scale. The key findings are:
Community stoichiometry was significantly affected by water phosphorus concentration, with the effect depending on the level of nitrogen. The community's phosphorus content (%P) decreased with increasing water phosphorus, while the carbon-to-phosphorus (C:P) and nitrogen-to-phosphorus (N:P) ratios increased.
Within major taxonomic groups (e.g., Insecta, Malacostraca), community stoichiometry also responded to water nutrient levels, with Insecta and Malacostraca showing opposite trends. This suggests that shifts in taxonomic composition along the nutrient gradient drive changes in overall community stoichiometry.
Functional feeding groups (e.g., detritivores, herbivores) showed similar stoichiometric responses to water nutrients as the overall community, but the effects were less pronounced compared to taxonomic groups.
The proportions of different taxonomic and functional groups within the community changed along the water nutrient gradient, with some groups (e.g., Insecta, detritivores) favored under high phosphorus conditions and others (e.g., herbivores) declining.
These findings demonstrate that assumptions from Ecological Stoichiometry Theory hold at the community level and on a large spatial scale, with implications for nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning.
Statistiche
"Phosphorus concentration in water significantly decreased community %P."
"Community C:P and N:P ratios significantly increased with increasing water phosphorus concentration."
"The effect of water phosphorus on community stoichiometry was strongest at low levels of nitrogen."
Citazioni
"Community stoichiometry was significantly affected by water phosphorus concentration and the effect was strongest at low levels of nitrogen."
"For Insecta and Malacostraca, we could confirm our hypothesis: there seems to be a shift towards P-rich taxa under high P concentrations."
"Changes in taxonomic composition along the nutrient gradient drive changes in overall community stoichiometry."