Salt pulses effects on in-stream litter processing and recovery capacity depend on substrata quality

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2021-08, Vol.783, p.147013-147013, Article 147013
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Ricardo, Martínez, Aingeru, Gonçalves, Ana Lúcia, Almeida Júnior, Edivan S., Canhoto, Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Litter decomposition; Microbial decomposers; Resource quality; Short-term releases; Stream salinization
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147013

Human activities have greatly extended and intensified freshwater salinization, which threatens the structure and functioning of streams and rivers. Research on salt effects on in-stream processes has been strongly biased towards chronic salinization at constant levels. The aim of this study was to assess microbial mediated decomposition of two leaf species contrasting in quality (alder and oak) and associated descriptors, during salt-pulsed contamination (salinization period) and after cessation of salt additions (recovery period). Leaves were incubated in a mountain stream (central Portugal) longitudinally divided over 22 m. Half of the stream (salinized half) was subjected to daily short-term sharp salinity increases (conductivity up to ~48 mS cm−1) during 7 days while the other half (control half) was used as control. During the salinization period, salt exposure negatively affected mass loss and microbial respiration rate of alder (high-quality resource) while effects on fungal sporulation rate were independent of leaf quality. Fungal biomass was not impacted. After the recovery period, mass loss and respiration rate in both leaf species were similar between experimental stream halves. Fungal biomass associated with oak was enhanced and sporulation rate of alder, maintained in the previously salinized half, remained depressed. These results point out that the effects of salt pulses may be more deleterious in streams exclusively lined by high (vs. low) quality riparian trees as a result of a less efficient microbial-mediated leaf processing, and a reduced contribution to the conidial pool, even beyond the salinization period. [Display omitted] •Consequences of pulsed salinization on stream functioning are poorly understood.•Effects of salt inputs on leaf decomposition were gauged in a manipulated stream.•Salt had a greater inhibitory effect on high (alder) than on low (oak) quality leaf.•Inputs cessation restored alder mass loss but not fungal sporulation to control levels.•Effects of salt pulses on stream food chains depend on riparian forest composition.