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Decomposition rates appear stable despite elevated shrimp abundances following hurricanes in montane streams, Puerto Rico

January 29, 2024

Leaf litter decomposition is a key ecosystem process in headwater streams, influenced by physical fragmentation, microbial degradation and feeding activity by stream biota. In some tropical streams, feeding by freshwater shrimps can exert strong top-down control on leaf litter decomposition, however, variation in shrimp macroconsumer effects across small spatial scales or among years is not well-known. We ran 50-day macroconsumer exclusion experiments to measure shrimp effects on leaf decomposition in two adjacent headwater streams in Puerto Rico, in 2017 (immediately prior to two Category 4 and 5 hurricanes) and again in 2018 and 2019, to assess shrimp effects in the context of post-hurricane conditions that included reduced canopy cover and higher shrimp (Atya and Xiphocaris) counts. Leaf decomposition was faster when shrimp had access to leaf packs, but only in the study stream with larger pools, which also had higher overall shrimp counts. However, increased shrimp abundances following the hurricanes did not result in faster decomposition, potentially because shrimp diets shifted toward algae post-hurricanes when canopies were more open. We conclude that shrimp effects on leaf litter breakdown may vary between adjacent streams that differ in habitat conditions and that increasing local shrimp abundances may fail to accelerate decomposition.

Publication Year 2024
Title Decomposition rates appear stable despite elevated shrimp abundances following hurricanes in montane streams, Puerto Rico
DOI 10.1007/s10750-023-05458-2
Authors Max Kelly, Mary Freeman, Pablo E. Gutiérrez-Fonseca, Jesus E. Gomez, Rafael Perez, Lulu Lacey, Alonso Ramírez, Catherine M. Pringle
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Hydrobiologia
Index ID 70251295
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Patuxent Wildlife Research Center; Eastern Ecological Science Center
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