Subsidy-stress response of bacterial respiration and nutrient uptake rates to freshwater salinization

Human activity is increasing salt concentrations in freshwaters worldwide. Brackish and marine salinities change bacterial ecology and biogeochemical cycling with negative impacts on water quality and ecosystem functioning; however, the effects of increasing freshwater salt concentrations , which are orders of magnitute lower, are less understood. Using controlled mesocosms, I characterized the short-term (one to five days) responses of bacterial respiration and N and P uptake rates across a freshwater salinity gradient of multiple salt-types.