Algal Nutrient Limitation Bioassays in Sycamore Creek, Arizona, USA (2010-2020)

The primary objective of this project is to understand how long-term climate variability and change influence the structure and function of desert streams via effects on hydrologic disturbance regimes. Climate and hydrology are intimately linked in arid landscapes; for this reason, desert streams are particularly well suited for both observing and understanding the consequences of climate variability and directional change. Researchers try to (1) determine how climate variability and change over multiple years influence stream biogeomorphic structure (i.e., prevalence and persistence of wetland and gravel-bed ecosystem states) via their influence on factors that control vegetation biomass, and (2) compare interannual variability in within-year successional patterns in ecosystem processes and community structure of primary producers and consumers of two contrasting reach types (wetland and gravel-bed stream reaches). This dataset addresses patterns of nutrient limitation by primary producers as indicated by *in situ* growth on artificial substrates.本项目的核心目标为厘清长期气候变异性与气候变化如何通过作用于水文干扰制度，进而影响荒漠溪流的结构与功能。干旱景观中气候与水文过程紧密关联，正因如此，荒漠溪流成为观测并解析气候变异性与趋势性变化所产生影响的理想研究对象。研究人员拟开展两项研究：其一，明确多年尺度的气候变异性与气候变化如何通过调控植被生物量的影响因子，进而影响溪流的生物地貌结构（即湿地与砾石底栖生态系统状态的分布范围与存续时长）；其二，对比两类迥异河段（湿地河段与砾石底溪流河段）的生态系统过程、初级生产者与消费者群落结构的年内演替模式的年际变异性。本数据集聚焦于通过人工基质原位（in situ）生长实验表征的初级生产者养分限制模式。