Flow Reduction in a Pesticide-Exposed Stream Mesocosm Affects Emerging Aquatic Insects and Alters Riparian Spider Communities.

ABSTRACT: Water scarcity can intensify streamflow reduction, alter hydromorphology, increase chemical pollution, and disrupt resource exchange between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. However, the effects of streamflow reduction on pesticide concentrations in sediment, and how these changes influence aquatic insect emergence and riparian spider communities, remain poorly understood. We conducted a 39-day mesocosm experiment in Southwest Germany using 12 artificial stream mesocosm with adjacent riparian areas, randomly assigned to low-flow (0.4 L s^-1) treatment or control (1 L s^-1) to simulate flow alteration. We sampled water daily (47 days), sediment (weeks 4 and 6), emerging insects (weekly for 5 weeks), and riparian spiders (week 6). Our results show that under low-flow c

SUBMITTER: Ogbeide C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12414100 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature