Spatial and temporal controls on Alnus-derived nutrients and stream stoichiometry: Implications for aquatic ecosystem productivity

Abstract:

Predicting how nutrient fluxes that cross ecosystem boundaries will respond to future climate change is one of the greatest challenges for ecology in the 21^st century. In southwestern (SW) Alaska, Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and nitrogen (N)-fixation by alder (Alnus spp.) provide key nutrient subsidies to freshwater systems. The importance of alder-derived nutrients (ADN) to aquatic systems will increase as alder cover expands under climate warming and salmon harvesting reduces marine-derived nutrients. We investigate broad-scale spatial and temporal drivers of ADN and stream N:P in 26 streams in SW Alaska. Alder cover and watershed features were measured using satellite images and topographic maps in ArcGIS. Stream water samples were collected in each spring and summer from 2010-2013 and analyzed for dissolved N and total phosphorus (TP). We obtained annual growing season length (AGSL) and sum of growing degree days (GDD) data from weather stations. Elevation was inversely related to alder cover, stream N, and N:P (ρ=-0.802, -0.65, and -0.71 resp., p<0.01, n=208). Alder cover had the largest influence on stream N (mean β estimate=0.402, 90% CIs). Stream N increased with alder cover, under longer AGSL, and lower GDD (interaction effect sizes between alder and stream N=0.196 and -0.185 resp., 90% CIs), suggesting that long growing seasons with minimal heat accumulation during the spring and fall increased ADN export. Higher P was associated with lower temperatures, possibly reflecting reduced P demand under low rates of metabolic activity. Structural equation modeling revealed significant causal relationships among elevation, alder cover, and stream N:P across multiple years (r²=0.94, X²=742.8, df=9, p<0.01). All paths in the model were significant (p<0.01) except between stream N:P and weather (p=0.165). These results demonstrate that spatial variation in alder cover associated with elevation is a stronger regulator of ADN fluxes and stream N:P than temporal variation in growing season conditions. Therefore, the aquatic productivity of streams at low elevations that receive large amounts of ADN will be most resilient to climate change.