title: Does nutrient enrichment compensate fungicide effects on litter decomposition and decomposer communities in streams?
abstract: Nutrient and pesticide pollution are widespread agricultural stressors. Fungicides may affect freshwater fungi, which play an important role in litter decomposition (LD), whereas moderate nutrient enrichment can stimulate LD. We examined potential interaction effects of nutrients and fungicides on decomposer communities and LD in a 14-day two-factorial (fungicide and nutrient treatments) mesocosm experiment. Fungicide exposure was limited to 4days to simulate episodic contamination. Only the microbial community responded significantly to the experimental factors, though non-significant increases >20% were found for invertebrate decomposer weight gain and LD under high-nutrient conditions. Fungal community structure responded more strongly to fungicides than sporulation. Sporulation responded strongest to nutrients. Bacterial community structure was affected by both factors, although only nutrients influenced bacterial density. Our results suggest effects from fungicides at field-relevant levels on the microbial community. Whether these changes propagate to invertebrate communities and LD remains unclear and should be analysed under longer and recurrent fungicide exposure.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany. Electronic address: diegofgrm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany.
authors.forename: Mallikarjun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tummala
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany.
authors.forename: Verena C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Schreiner
authors.affiliation: Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pascoal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Institute for Integrated Natural Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätstraße 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany.
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winkelmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Institute for Integrated Natural Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätstraße 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mewes
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Schäfer
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000187:drug effects; D064307:Microbiota / Q000187:drug effects*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Freshwater; Fungicide; Litter decomposition; Nutrient