Collaborative Research: A new paradigm for understanding how leaf litter quality affects stream ecosystems

树叶是生活在溪流中的生物的重要食物来源。当树叶落入溪流时，真菌和细菌开始分解它们，使它们成为昆虫和鱼类的良好食物来源。尽管数以百计的研究表明，不同植物物种的叶子分解速度不同，但这些差异的后果还没有被很好地理解。该项目测试河岸植物物种之间的差异是否会影响溪流食物网中的能量流动路径，从而影响微生物多样性和向昆虫和鱼类转移营养物质。特别是，研究人员将检验一个非直观的假设，即分解较慢的树叶比快速分解的树叶为食物链中更高级的生物体提供了更好的食物来源。这项工作将通过提供一个框架来预测生活在河岸上的植物的变异如何影响溪流食物网中的主要能量途径，从而推动这一领域的发展。这项研究对河流的管理和恢复具有重要意义。管理人员每年花费数百万美元重新种植河岸地带的植被，但需要更好地了解种植什么以及不同的树木将如何影响溪流的健康和功能。这项研究将提供填补这一知识空白所需的信息。

Leaves are an important food source for organisms living in streams. When leaves fall into streams fungi and bacteria begin to break them down, making them a good food source for insects and fish. Although hundreds of studies show that leaves from different plant species decompose at different rates, the consequences of these differences are not well understood. This project tests if differences among riparian plant species affect pathways of energy flow in stream food webs, with consequences for microbial diversity and transfer of nutrients to insects and fish. In particular, the investigators will test the non-intuitive hypothesis that leaves that decompose more slowly provide a better food source to organisms higher in the food web than quickly decomposing leaves. This work will advance the field by providing a framework for predicting how variation in plants living on stream banks affects major energy pathways in stream food webs. This research is important for managing and restoring streams. Managers spend millions of dollars each year re-vegetating riparian zones but need better information on what to plant and how different trees will affect the health and functioning of streams. This study will provide the information needed to fill this knowledge gap.