Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 11:30 AM
411

Woody expansion effects on prairie stream metabolism

Alyssa J. Riley and Walter K. Dodds. Division of Biology, Kansas State University, 104 Ackert Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506

Historically, prairie streams were surrounded by grasslands and had limited leaf input and shading from deciduous trees.  Riparian woody vegetation encroachment is common along Kings Creek (a stream with the entire watershed inside Konza Prairie Biological Station).  Land surveys from 1859 indicated less than 5 ha of tree cover on Konza.  Now there are more than 270 ha.  Woody vegetation may evapotranspirate water away from the stream and reduce sunlight available for primary producers.  Canopied stream reaches also receive more leaves and invertebrate leaf consuming species (shredders) increase in these reaches.  Seasonal whole-stream metabolism has been measured in Kings Creek in canopied reaches in naturally and artificially open reaches after vegetation removal.  Daily gross primary production in natural open canopy reaches was more than 3 times greater than in canopy covered reaches.  Daily respiration was two times greater in open than in covered canopy reaches. 


Web Page: streams, woody expansion, metabolism

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