Multiple stressor effects act primarily on microbial leaf decomposers in stream mesocosms

At the global level, stream ecosystems are influenced by multiple anthropogenic stressors such as eutrophication, habitat deterioration, and water scarcity. Multiple stressor effects on stream biodiversity are well documented, but multiple stressor effects on stream ecosystem processes have received only limited attention. We conducted one mesocosm (stream channel) and one microcosm (feeding trial) experiment to study how combinations of reduced flow, increased nutrient concentrations, and increased fine sediment coverage would influence fungal and macroinvertebrate decomposer assemblages and their active contribution to leaf decomposition. In the stream channels, increased fine sediment coverage significantly reduced fungal biomass, occurrence frequencies of most aquatic hyphomycete species, and microbial leaf decomposition rates compared to untreated controls. Macroinvertebrate-induced leaf decomposition rates were mainly correlated to total fungal biomass and community composition. Neither increased nutrient concentrations, nor reduced flow conditions significantly influenced leaf decomposer communities or decomposition rates. The feeding trials revealed significantly reduced leaf consumption in the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex when feeding on leaf material from treatments with increased fine sediment coverage in the mesocosm experiment. When offered a food choice between sterile, unconditioned leaf material and leaf material from treatments with increased fine sediment coverage, G. pulex foraged mainly on sterile material. This study showed that increased fine sediment coverage can alter the flux of energy and material in the detrital food chain through bottom-up regulation of leaf conditioning by fungal decomposers. Our results suggest that increasing attention should be given to mitigating fine sediment transport and deposition in stream systems to preserve ecosystem functioning within the detrital food chain. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.