Watershed Scale Patterns of Terrestrial Subsidies to Stream Food Webs

Riparian subsides to aquatic food webs are spatially and temporally variable through a watershed. The effect of these subsides on aquatic foodwebs is mostly influenced by both the type and timing of the riparian input, as well as the characteristic of stream ecosystems. In this study, we compared riparian-derived carbon across an array of river-riparian types in a mountainous network. We evaluated the spatial and temporal variability of benthic and drift invertebrate composition (chlorophyll a, biomass, functional feeding groups) over four seasons and stream characteristics (water chemistry, geomorphology, allochthonous inputs and sunlight).  We asked: 1) how do stocks and flows of riparian subsides and aquatic invertebrate communities change seasonally? And, 2) which drivers predict the presence and biomass of the aquatic invertebrate community structure? With these data, we will be better prepared understand the spatial and temporal controls on river-riparian linkages. Findings are relevant to food web studies of resource subsidies.