Carolina Jativa presents 'Effect of storm events on the metabolic activity in a Mediterranean headwater stream' in IceLab September 19th 14.00, in IceLab and in Zoom.
Hydrological disturbances caused by storm events strongly influence the structure and functioning of headwater streams; however, understanding how these disturbances impact critical processes such as stream metabolism is challenging. In this presentation, I will explore how storms impact two fundamental processes: gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER). We analyzed stream metabolic activity before, during, and after 53 storms over 4.5 years, which allowed us to evaluate the resistance (short-term response) and resilience (recovery) of these processes.
Our results show that both GPP and ER generally have low resistance to storm events. In many cases, storms stimulated metabolic activity by supplying new resources, but larger events often suppressed it through biofilm damage. Recovery times were usually short, though they increased with the size of the storm for ER. These findings highlight how storm dynamics affect stream metabolism and suggest that future changes in rainfall patterns could alter the role of streams in carbon cycling.
Drop in to IceLab (find using mazemap) or join via Zoom: IceLab Living Room Zoom 612 568 7586
Guest researcher Carolina Jativa is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Advanced Studies (CEAB-CSIC, Girona, Spain). Her research evaluates the effects of hydrological disturbances, including floods and droughts, on metabolic activity and CO₂ emissions in a Mediterranean headwater stream.
Carolina is a guest researcher in IceLab visiting assistant professor Gérard Rocher-Ros. She is also taking part in IceLab Camp September 23-26.
Carolina Jativa, PhD candidate at the Centre for Advanced Studies (CEAB-CSIC, Girona, Spain)