Journal article

Authors list: Iniguez-Armijos, C; Tapia-Armijos, MF; Wilhelm, F; Breuer, L

Publication year: 2022

Journal: Journal of Environmental Management

Volume number: 304

ISSN: 0301-4797

eISSN: 1095-8630

Open access status: Bronze

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114211

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
The tropical Andes are experiencing rapid population growth and urbanisation has become a major driver impairing stream ecosystems. However, knowledge about multiple-stressors effects on urbanised Andean streams is lacking. In southern Ecuador, we assessed how multiple stressors determine the structural (aquatic invertebrate metrics) and functional (organic matter breakdown and delta N of primary consumers) attributes of streams in a densely populated watershed without wastewater treatment and with contrasting land uses. We found that urbanised streams exhibited individual-stressor effects and that stressor interactions were rare. While structural and function attributes responded negatively to urbanisation, ecosystem functioning metrics were influenced most. Stream ecosystem functions were influenced by water-chemistry stressors, whereas aquatic invertebrate metrics were influenced by physical-habitat stressors. We suggest that managers of urbanised streams in the Andes immediately focus on the most important stressors by reducing inputs of inorganic N and P, re-establishing stream flow and substrate heterogeneity, and restoring riparian vegetation instead of attempting to elucidate intricate interactions among stressors. Our result also demonstrate that stream biomonitoring programs would benefit from a combination of structural and functional indicators to assess anthropogenic effects in a multiplestressors scenario.

Harvard Citation style: Iniguez-Armijos, C., Tapia-Armijos, M., Wilhelm, F. and Breuer, L. (2022) Urbanisation process generates more independently-acting stressors and ecosystem functioning impairment in tropical Andean streams, Journal of Environmental Management, 304, Article 114211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114211

APA Citation style: Iniguez-Armijos, C., Tapia-Armijos, M., Wilhelm, F., & Breuer, L. (2022). Urbanisation process generates more independently-acting stressors and ecosystem functioning impairment in tropical Andean streams. Journal of Environmental Management. 304, Article 114211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114211