Coarse particulate organic matter transport in low-gradient streams of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Abstract

AbstractSmall forested streams typically are dominated by heterotrophic processes and rely on retained allochthonous material, including coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM), to support stream food webs. Within the Ottawa National Forest (ONF), Michigan, 3 small streams of similar size (discharge <130 L/s) were used to measure the retention (e.g., particle travel distance) of various allochthonous particles. Allochthonous CPOM consisted of natural (Ginkgo biloba leaves, white pine needles, and sugar maple sticks) and analog (wood dowels of 3 lengths, paper triangles, and paper rectangles) particles to test if particle type affected travel distance and if analog particles would be a good surrogate for natural particles. Travel distances of the particles were measured monthly from June to November 2003. Physical parameters, such as velocity, depth, wood density and volume, and substrate size, were measured in each reach to determine if instream characteristics affected coarse particle travel distances. ...