Reservoir trophic state confounds flow-ecology relationships in regulated streams

Abstract

Cultural eutrophication and river regulation have been identified as two of the most pressing threats to global freshwater biodiversity. However, we know little about their combined ecological effects, raising questions over biomonitoring practices that typically consider such stressors in isolation. To address this inconsistency, we examined a decade-long dataset of macroinvertebrate samples and environmental data collected downstream of three reservoirs spanning a broad gradient of trophic states, from mesotrophic to hypereutrophic. We analysed the responses of routine macroinvertebrate biomonitoring indices and community composition to antecedent flow, temperature and water quality, including parameters associated with eutrophication (total phosphorous, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, chlorophyll a). Multi-model comparisons of linear regressor combinations, variation partitioning and distance-based redundancy analyses all revealed shifts in the relative significance of flow and water quality predictors across the trophic state gradient. At the mesotrophic site biomonitoring indices and community composition were most sensitive to seasonal flow variability– particularly high-flow conditions– whereas in the hypereutrophic system stronger associations with nutrient concentrations emerged, notably nitrite and nitrate. Patterns at the eutrophic site were broadly intermediate between these, with significant biotic responses to antecedent flows mediated by water quality. Based on these results we suggest that nutrient regimes should be regarded as an integral component of environmental flows science. We therefore call on practitioners to look beyond the stressor-specific indices widely used to assess ecological status in rivers to consider the interactive effects of flow and water quality.