Leaf-litter breakdown in streams of East Malaysia (Borneo) along an altitudinal gradient: Initial nitrogen content of litter limits shredder feeding

T Jinggut; Catherine M Yule

doi:10.1086/681256

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Leaf-litter breakdown in streams of East Malaysia (Borneo) along an altitudinal gradient: Initial nitrogen content of litter limits shredder feeding

Journal article

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Leaf-litter breakdown in streams of East Malaysia (Borneo) along an altitudinal gradient: Initial nitrogen content of litter limits shredder feeding

T Jinggut and Catherine M Yule

Freshwater Science, Vol.34(2), pp.691-701

2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/681256

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Abstract

altitude

Borneo

latitude

litter decomposition

macroinvertebrates

resource quality

tropical

Breakdown of litter in streams is an important terrestrial-aquatic C pathway in forests. Macroinvertebrate detritivore shredders that feed on litter may be more abundant in temperate than tropical streams because the feeding guild is generally restricted to cool waters and because temperate streams may have more high-quality resources. However, rich shredder communities have been found in some high-altitude tropical streams. We investigated litter breakdown and the variation in resource quality of native riparian vegetation in tropical streams at different altitudes (86-3393 m) in eastern Malaysia (Borneo). At each stream, we collected 3 native local leaf species, analyzed their initial resource quality, and incubated them for 56 d in coarse- (shredder and microbial colonization) and fine- (only microbial colonization) mesh bags. We incubated Macaranga tanarius litter in all streams to compare breakdown rates directly. Shredder-mediated breakdown of native litter was detected in only 5 of 24 cases and was not accompanied by altitudinal trends, whereas Macaranga shreddermediated breakdown rates increased with elevation when rates were normalized for temperature (/degree-day). Regressions of resource quality and breakdown rates revealed consistent effects of initial N concentration in predicting breakdown rates that transcended decomposer and temperature effects. Shredder abundance, but not diversity, increased with altitude. The shredder guild may be important in tropical streams, particularly streams at higher altitudes and when litter N is not limiting. © 2015 by The Society for Freshwater Science.

Details

Title: Leaf-litter breakdown in streams of East Malaysia (Borneo) along an altitudinal gradient: Initial nitrogen content of litter limits shredder feeding
Authors: T Jinggut (Author) - Monash University Malaysia, Malaysia
Catherine M Yule (Author) - Monash University Malaysia, Malaysia
Publication details: Freshwater Science, Vol.34(2), pp.691-701
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Date published: 2015
DOI: 10.1086/681256
ISSN: 2161-9549
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450763802621
Output Type: Journal article

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