Bottom-up effects of streambed drying on consumer performance through changes in resource quality

摘要: Stream flow intermittency and subsequent streambed drying, which already occurs in most biomes worldwide, is expected to increase many regions due both climate change increased water demand. We studied the effects of drying on leaves epilithic biofilm their potential consumers. In field, resources were conditioned according following treatments: (i) continuously submerged (PERM), (ii) submerged, exposed dry then again (INT), or (iii) only allowed instream conditioning for 1 week (DRY, leaves). The results showed that affects resource quality, more severe than those leaves. Both DRY INT lower microbial colonization nitrogen accrual, whereas had similar characteristics PERM Drying resulted decreased shredder herbivore consumption rates detritivore growth. Our suggest bottom-up through changes quality can constrain growth temporary streams, potentially affecting stream secondary production invertebrate-mediated organic matter cycling under a drier scenario.