Inferences based on diatom compositions improve estimates of nutrient concentrations in streams.

ABSTRACT: Nutrient concentrations in streams vary strongly with flow conditions, and routinely gathered field measurements of nutrients reflect this variability. Diatom assemblage composition has been used in previous studies to infer nutrient concentrations, and because diatoms integrate nutrient concentrations over longer periods of time, diatom inferences may be less susceptible to fluctuations in streamflow. We tested this hypothesis by leveraging differences in the flashiness of streams across a large continental data set. More specifically, we tested whether the variabilities of direct measurements and diatom inferences of dissolved phosphorus and nitrate were greater in flashy versus non-flashy streams. We further considered whether models linking landscape predictor variables to nutrient con

SUBMITTER: Yuan LL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11481158 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature