Environmental Data Initiative logo
EDI Staging Environment

This data package was submitted to a staging environment for testing purposes only. Use of these data for anything other than testing is strongly discouraged.

This data package is not the most recent revision of a series.  (View Newest Revision)

Data Package Summary    View Full Metadata

  • Spatial heterogeneity of nitrogen fixation and denitrification in streams
  • Eberhard, Erin K; Michigan Technological University
    Techtmann, Stephen M; Michigan Technological University
    Baxter, Colden V; Idaho State University
    Marcarelli, Amy M; Michigan Technological University
  • 2023-07-06
  • Eberhard, E.K., S.M. Techtmann, C.V. Baxter, and A.M. Marcarelli. 2023. Spatial heterogeneity of nitrogen fixation and denitrification in streams ver 1. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/DOI_PLACE_HOLDER (Accessed 2024-12-28).

  • Stream ecosystems exhibit high degrees of spatial heterogeneity in environmental conditions and biological assemblages at nested scales from watersheds to microhabitats. This heterogeneity may facilitate the co-occurrence of biogeochemical processes that are favored under incompatible environmental conditions, like dinitrogen (N2 gas) fixation and denitrification. We hypothesized that environmental variation at the patch scale (1 - 10’s m) would facilitate the co-occurrence of N2 fixation and denitrification through the formation of hot spots, which we identified as patches with high reaction rates relative to the surrounding spatial matrix. We measured rates of N2 fixation and denitrification and relative abundances of the genes nifH and nirS in patches determined by channel geomorphic units and substrate type in 4 Idaho and 3 Michigan streams encompassing a gradient of N and P concentrations. We found that hot spots of N2 fixation and denitrification where process rates were 1 to 4 times higher than reach-average rates occurred in all 7 study streams. All N2 fixation hot spots were in patches with rock substrates, while denitrification rates and relative abundances of both nifH and nirS were higher in fine sediment patches. Yet, in three of the Idaho streams, rates in the top 25% of all patches for both denitrification and N2 fixation occurred in the same patches, suggesting that variation in conditions at the sub-patch scale can also facilitate co-occurrence of these processes. Predictive modeling across all streams and patches showed that organic matter and dissolved oxygen concentrations were important predictors of rates of N2 fixation, denitrification, and nifH relative abundance, while P concentration was important to N2 fixation, denitrification and nirS. Ammonium concentration was also important to relative abundances of nifH and nirS. Together, our results demonstrate that understanding the spatial ecology of microbially-driven nutrient cycling is required to characterize nutrient fluxes more completely in stream ecosystems.

  • Geographic Coordinates
    • N: 47.3371, S: 47.10096, E: -88.44758, W: -88.55307
    • N: 43.5368, S: 42.70815, E: -112.01438, W: -112.43628
  • This information is released under the Creative Commons license - Attribution - CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The consumer of these data ("Data User" herein) is required to cite it appropriately in any publication that results from its use. The Data User should realize that these data may be actively used by others for ongoing research and that coordination may be necessary to prevent duplicate publication. The Data User is urged to contact the authors of these data if any questions about methodology or results occur. Where appropriate, the Data User is encouraged to consider collaboration or co-authorship with the authors. The Data User should realize that misinterpretation of data may occur if used out of context of the original study. While substantial efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of data and associated documentation, complete accuracy of data sets cannot be guaranteed. All data are made available "as is." The Data User should be aware, however, that data are updated periodically and it is the responsibility of the Data User to check for new versions of the data. The data authors and the repository where these data were obtained shall not be liable for damages resulting from any use or misinterpretation of the data. Thank you.
  • DOI PLACE HOLDER
  • Analyze this data package using:           

Copyright 2024 Environmental Data Initiative. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grants #2223103 and #2223104. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Please contact us with questions, comments, or for technical assistance regarding this web site or the Environmental Data Initiative. Please read our privacy policy to know what information we collect about you and to understand your privacy rights.

EDI is a collaboration between the University of New Mexico and the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Center for Limnology:

UNM logo UW-M logo