Dissertation Research: Carbon Dynamics in Detritus-Based Systems: Can Cave Streams Be Used to Understand Energy Flow In Surface Streams?

98-01082本菲尔德/西蒙·迪格：碎屑系统中的碳动力学：洞穴溪流能否被用来理解地表溪流中的能量流动？溪流生态系统依赖水生植物和陆地植物--树叶、木材--的有机物提供能量。这两种能源之间的复杂相互作用使溪流食物网的研究变得困难。该项目将使用洞穴溪流作为地表溪流的替代品，以更好地了解溪流食物网中有机物的使用情况。由于洞穴溪流完全依赖陆地有机物提供能量(洞穴中没有绿色植物光合作用的光线)，因此可以更容易地检查各种有机物类型的作用。PIs将通过比较有无颗粒有机物输入的多个洞穴溪流中的能量过程，确定颗粒和溶解有机物在溪流食物网中的重要性。具体地说，研究人员将研究树叶和木材输入对颗粒和溶解有机物的有效性、运输、转化和在溪流食物网中的使用的影响。

98-01082 Benfield/Simon DDIG: Carbon dynamics in detritus-based systems: Can cave streams be used to understand energy flow in surface streams Stream ecosystems rely on both aquatic plants and organic matter from terrestrial plants-leaves, wood-for energy. The complex interaction between these two energy sources makes stream food webs difficult to study. This project will use cave streams as surrogates for surface streams to better understand organic matter use in stream food webs. Because cave streams rely exclusively on terrestrial organic matter for energy (there is no light in caves for green-plant photosynthesis) the roles of various organic matter types can be more easily examined. The PIs will determine the importance of particulate and dissolved organic matter in stream food webs by comparing energy processes in multiple cave streams with and without particulate organic matter input. Specifically, the investigators will examine the effects of leaf and wood input on particulate and dissolved organic matter availability, transport, transformation, and use in stream food webs.