Multiple stressor effects on river biofilm communities: from community composition to ecosystem processes using experimental mesocosms

Human exploitation of river ecosystems, together with the increasing pressure that represents climate change, is posing rivers worldwide at risk. In rivers, microorganisms are ecologically very important. Most of these microorganisms are in close contact with river substratum, where they form a 2/1...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Romero Blanch, Ferran
Tipo de recurso: tesis doctoral
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:España
Institución:CBUC, CESCA
Repositorio:TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red
OAI Identifier:oai:www.tdx.cat:10803/668838
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10803/668838
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:River biofilm
Biofilm fluvial
Mesocosms
Mesocosmos
Ecotoxicology
Ecotoxicologia
Ecotoxicología
Bacteria
Bacteris
Bacterias
Multiple stressors
Múltiples estressors
Múltiples estresores
Metabarcoding
Metabarcodificació
Metabarcodificación
River ecosystems
Ecosistemes fluvials
Ecosistemas fluviales
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504
Descripción
Sumario:Human exploitation of river ecosystems, together with the increasing pressure that represents climate change, is posing rivers worldwide at risk. In rivers, microorganisms are ecologically very important. Most of these microorganisms are in close contact with river substratum, where they form a 2/1 jelly layer known as biofilm. There is an urgent need to evaluate the effects of these so-called “stressors” (that is, toxic chemicals, water warming, desiccation...) on river biofilms. This thesis used artificial streams to evaluate the individual and combined effects of multiple stressors on river biofilms. The results indicate that desiccation is the main stressor, and that river biofilm components (bacteria, algae) can adapt to combined stress conditions only partially, showing altered ecological functions such as oxygen production, and degradation of organic matter