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Microbial Enzyme Activity, Nutrient Uptake, and Nutrient Limitation in Forested Streams
Citation:
HILL, B. H., F. MCCORMICK, B. HARVEY, S. JOHNSON, M. WARREN, AND C. M. ELONEN. Microbial Enzyme Activity, Nutrient Uptake, and Nutrient Limitation in Forested Streams . FRESHWATER BIOLOGY. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, 55(5):1005-1019, (2010).
Impact/Purpose:
The results did not support our expectation that carbon processing rates by biofilm microbial assemblages would be governed by stream nutrient availability and that resulting BEA would be an indicator of nutrient uptake. However, the relative abundances of peptidases, phosphatase, and glycosidases did yield insight into potential N-, P-, and C-limitation of stream biofilm assemblages, and our use of BEA represents a novel application for understanding nutrient limitations in forested streams.
Description:
We measured NH4 + and PO4 -3 uptake length (Sw), uptake velocity (Vf), uptake rate (U), biofilm enzyme activity (BEA), and channel geomorphology in streams draining forested catchments in the Northwestern (Northern California Coast Range and Cascade Mountains) and Southeastern (Appalachian and Ouachita mountains) regions of the United States. Our goal was to investigate the relative roles of BEA and the physical characteristics of streams in regulation of nutrient uptake in forested streams across broad regional scales. The results did not support our expectation that carbon processing rates by biofilm microbial assemblages would be governed by stream nutrient availability and that resulting BEA would be an indicator of nutrient uptake. However, the relative abundances of peptidases, phosphatase, and glycosidases did yield insight into potential N-, P-, and C-limitation of stream biofilm assemblages, and our use of BEA represents a novel application for understanding nutrient limitations in forested streams.