Data from: Leaf-associated macroinvertebrate assemblage and leaf litter breakdown in headwater streams depend on local riparian vegetation

Headwater streams harbor diverse macroinvertebrate communities and are
hotspots for leaf litter breakdown. The process of leaf litter breakdown
mediated by macroinvertebrates forms an important link between terrestrial
and aquatic ecosystems. Yet, how the vegetation type in the local riparian
zone influences leaf-associated macroinvertebrate assemblages and leaf
litter breakdown rates is still not resolved. We investigated how
leaf-associated macroinvertebrate assemblages and leaf litter
fragmentation rates differ between forested and non-forested sites using
experimental leaf litter bags in sixteen sites paired across eight
headwater streams in Switzerland. Our results show that sensitive taxa of
the invertebrate orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT)
and the functional group of shredders were strongly associated with
forested sites with overall higher values of abundance, diversity, and
biomass of EPTs in forested compared to non-forested sites. However, the
importance of riparian vegetation differed between study regions,
especially for shredders. Fragmentation rates, which are primarily the
result of macroinvertebrate shredding, were on average three times higher
in forested compared to non-forested sites. Our results demonstrate that
not only the composition of the aquatic fauna but also the functioning of
an essential ecosystem process depend on the vegetation type in the local
riparian zone.