Drying Halves Decomposition Rates in River Networks by Decreasing Decomposer Diversity

Abstract

River drying is intensifying worldwide due to climate change and increasing water abstraction, with major consequences for riverine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In river networks, drying not only alters local environmental conditions but also disrupts hydrological connectivity, reshaping the movement of organisms and resources at the river network scale. Leaf litter decomposition—a key ecosystem function in freshwater systems—is particularly sensitive to changes in the structure of decomposer communities. We hypothesized that spatiotemporal patterns of drying regulate decomposition by altering the diversity and composition of detritivorous macroinvertebrates, bacteria and fungi. We combined data from six European river networks spanning a wide latitudinal gradient to assess how local drying intensity and regional hydrological connectivity affect decomposition through changes in these decomposer groups. We found that short drying events (≤ 6 dry days) reduced decomposition rates by up to 50% mainly mediated by changes in the composition and diversity of decomposer communities. Drying decreased the diversity of groups contributing to decomposition, shifting the control of this function from a balanced contribution of fungi, bacteria and detritivores in perennial rivers to dominance by dry‐tolerant but less efficient bacteria in drying rivers. These community shifts persisted for months after flow resumption, causing sustained reductions in decomposition also in flowing conditions. Regional hydrological connectivity alleviated these negative effects of local drying by facilitating the recovery of more efficient aquatic decomposers. However, this effect depended on the river network. In more arid networks, stronger fragmentation hindered the recovery of decomposer communities after flow resumption. Overall, our results evidence that spatiotemporal patterns of drying can regulate the linkages between community structure and ecosystem functioning in river networks. As drying events become more frequent and prolonged, shifts in decomposers' diversity are likely to alter carbon cycling and energy fluxes in freshwater ecosystems under global change.

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