A Conceptual Framework for Understanding the Biogeochemistry of Dry Riverbeds Through the Lens of Soil Science

Authors

Maria Isabel Arce, Leibniz Institut fur Gewasserokologie Und Binnenfischerei, Berlin, Germany
Clara Mendoza, Arstea, Antony, France
Maria Almagro, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Leoia, Spain
Nuria Catalan, Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona, Spain
Anna M. Romani, Universitat de Girona, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Girona, Spain
Eugenia Marti, CSIC Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CEAB), Integrative Freshwater Ecology Group, Blanes, Spain
R. Gomez, Universidad de Murcia, Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Murcia, Spain
Susana Bernal, CSIC - Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CEAB), Blanes, Spain
Arnaud Foulquier, Universite Grenoble Alpes, Saint Martin d'Heres, France
Michael Mutz, BTU-Cottbus Senftenberg, Department of Freshwater Conservation, Bad Saarow, Germany
Rafael Marce, Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona, Spain
Annamaria Zoppini, Instituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, Italy, Monterotondo, Italy
Giulia Gionchetta, Universitat de Girona, Institute of Aquative Ecology, Girona, Spain
Gabriele Weigelhofer, Universitat fur Bodenkultur Wien, Vienna, Austria
R. Del Campo, Universidad de Murcia, Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Murcia, Spain
Christopher T. Robinson, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquative Science and Technology, Dubendorf, Switzerland
Alan Gilmer, Technological University of DublinFollow
Martin Rulik, Univerzita Palackeho v Olomouci, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Olomouc, Czech Republic
Obrador Biel, Universitat de Barcelone, Barcelona, Spain
Oleksandra Shumilova, Leibniz Institut fur Gewasserokologie Und Binnenfischerei, Berlin, Germany
Sanja Zlatanovic, BTU-Cottbus Senftenberg, Department of Freshwater Conservation, Bad Saarow, Germany
Shai Arnon, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Beer Sheba, Israel
Petr Baldrian, Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Praque, Czech Republic
Gabriel Andreas Singer, Leibniz Institut fur Gewasserokologie Und Binnenfischerei, Berlin, Germany
Thibault Datry, Irstea, Antony, France
Nikolaos Th Skoulikidis, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Athens, Greece
Britta Tietjen, Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
Daniel Von Schiller, Universidad del Pais Vasco - Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Campus Bizkaia, Faculty of Science and Technology, Leioa, Spain

Document Type

Article

Disciplines

1.5 EARTH AND RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, Geochemistry and geophysics, Environmental sciences

Publication Details

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001282521830059X

Abstract

Intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) encompass fluvial ecosystems that eventually stop flowing and run dry at some point in space and time. During the dry phase, channels of IRES consist mainly of dry riverbeds (DRBs), prevalent yet widely unexplored ecotones between dry and wet phases that can strongly influence the biogeochemistry of fluvial networks. DRBs are often overlooked because they do not strictly belong to either domain of soil or freshwater science. Due to this dual character of DRBs, we suggest that concepts and knowledge from soil science can be used to expand the understanding of IRES biogeochemistry. Based on this idea, we propose that DRBs can be conceptually understood as early stage soils exhibiting many similarities with soils through two main forces: i) time since last sediment transport event, and ii) the development status of stabilizing structures (e.g. soil crusts and/or vascular plants). Our analysis suggests that while DRBs and soils may differ in master physical attributes (e.g. soil horizons vs fluvial sedimentary facies), they become rapidly comparable in terms of microbial communities and biogeochemical processes. We further propose that drivers of DRBs biogeochemistry are similar to those of soils and, hence, concepts and methods used in soil science are transferable to DRBs research. Finally, our paper presents future research directions to advance the knowledge of DRBs and to understand their role in the biogeochemistry of intermittent fluvial networks.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2018.12.001

Recommended Citation

Arce, M.I., Mendoza-Lera, C. & Almagro, M. (2018). A conceptual framework for understanding the biogeochemistry of dry riverbeds through the lens of soil science. Earth Science Reviews, vol. 188, pg. 441-453. Arce, M.I., Mendoza-Lera, C. & Almagro, M. (2018). A conceptual framework for understanding the biogeochemistry of dry riverbeds through the lens of soil science. Earth Science Reviews, vol. 188, pg. 441-453. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2018.12.001

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