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Impacts of climate change on stream benthic diatoms—a nation-wide perspective of reference conditions

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Abstract

Consequences of anthropogenic climate change directly affect freshwater ecosystems and their aquatic biological communities. Diatoms are amongst the most sensitive organisms to hydric stress, making them good indicators of preceding hydrological conditions. We assume that river types with low runoff and associated high temperature and mineralization host the most tolerant diatoms to climate change. We performed a cluster analysis with reference sites throughout Spain, based on their physiographic and hydrological characteristics. We obtained seven end-groups spread in the three existing ecoregions, onto which we estimated the indicator diatom taxa (IndVal). Brackish and aerophilic diatom were indicator taxa in mineralized and low discharge rivers. We simulated the impact of climate change on the river types, to conclude that under the RCP 8.5, the most impacted of all types would be the mineralized rivers. We predict higher homogenization in the diatom assemblages’ composition, with higher proportion of planktonic taxa, and a potential increase of terrestrial and aerophilic diatoms, as the best adapted to the harsh conditions imposed by runoff reduction. Formulating clear predictions of climate change effects should rely on planned, long-term monitoring including accurate hydrological and biological data.

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Data availability

The datasets analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This research was funded by the project “Technical service for monitoring reference stations and obtaining the baseline to assess alterations due to climate change and atmospheric pollution. Current situation (21.803-0985/0421)” of the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition—DG Water.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Carrer Emili Grahit 101, 17003, Girona, Spain

    Elisabet Tornés & Sergi Sabater

  2. University of Girona, Plaça de Sant Domènec 3, 17004, Girona, Spain

    Elisabet Tornés

  3. Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico (MITECO), Dirección General del Agua, Plaza San Juan de la Cruz 10, 28071, Madrid, Spain

    Juan Alández-Rodríguez

  4. Gerencia de Planificación y Gestión Hídrica, Tragsatec, Julian Camarillo 6B, 28037, Madrid, Spain

    Alfredo Corrochano

  5. DBO5 s.l. - Del. Catalunya, Carrer de Santa Eulàlia 174, entresol B, 08902, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Pepita Nolla-Querol & Maria Carmen Trapote

  6. Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17003, Girona, Spain

    Sergi Sabater

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  1. Elisabet Tornés
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Tornés, E., Alández-Rodríguez, J., Corrochano, A. et al. Impacts of climate change on stream benthic diatoms—a nation-wide perspective of reference conditions. Hydrobiologia 849, 1821–1837 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-022-04829-5

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