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Strong and recurring seasonality revealed within stream diatom assemblages

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
Article number3313
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>1/03/2019
<mark>Journal</mark>Scientific Reports
Issue number1
Volume9
Number of pages7
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Improving stream water quality in agricultural landscapes is an ecological priority and a legislative duty for many governments. Ecosystem health can be effectively characterised by organisms sensitive to water quality changes such as diatoms, single-celled algae that are a ubiquitous component of stream benthos. Diatoms respond within daily timescales to variables including light, temperature, nutrient availability and flow conditions that result from weather and land use characteristics. However, little consideration has been given to the ecological dynamics of diatoms through repeated seasonal cycles when assessing trajectories of stream function, even in catchments actively managed to reduce human pressures. Here, six years of monthly diatom samples from three independent streams, each receiving differing levels of diffuse agricultural pollution, reveal robust and repeated seasonal variation. Predicted seasonal changes in climate-related variables and anticipated ecological impacts must be fully captured in future ecological and water quality assessments, if the apparent resistance of stream ecosystems to pollution mitigation measures is to be better understood.