Articles | Volume 22, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-6411-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-6411-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
06 Nov 2025
Research article |
| 06 Nov 2025
| 06 Nov 2025
Breathing storms: Enhanced ecosystem respiration during storms in a heterotrophic headwater stream
Carolina Jativa
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Integrative Freshwater Ecology Group, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, 17300, Spain
Anna Lupon
Integrative Freshwater Ecology Group, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, 17300, Spain
Emma Lannergård
Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden
José L. J. Ledesma
Department of Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences – Spanish National Research Council (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
Department of Hydrogeology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
Gerard Rocher-Ros
Integrated Science Lab, Department of Ecology, Environment and Geoscience, Umeå University, Umeå, 90187, Sweden
Xavier Peñarroya
Integrative Freshwater Ecology Group, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, 17300, Spain
Susana Bernal
Integrative Freshwater Ecology Group, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, 17300, Spain
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Short summary
Over 4.5 years, we studied 53 storms to assess stream metabolism's resistance to change and resilience (recover capacity). Resistance was low, as storms easily disrupted metabolism, with energy consumption rising in larger events. Resilience decreased with storm size, prolonging recovery, but stabilized after 6 d. While storms temporarily boost activity, larger ones hinder recovery. Our findings highlight how changing storm patterns could alter stream health and their role in nutrient cycles.
Over 4.5 years, we studied 53 storms to assess stream metabolism's resistance to change and...
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