Plant-mediated effects of elevated ultraviolet-B radiation on peat microbial communities of a subarctic mire

Elevated ultraviolet‐B (UVB) radiation has been reported to have few effects on plants but to alter the soil microbial community composition. However, the effects on soil microorganisms have to be mediated via plants, because direct radiation effects are only plausible on the uppermost millimeters of soil. Here, we assessed secondary effects of UVB on soil microbes. The responses in the dominant plant Eriophorum russeolum, peat pore water and microbial communities in the peat were recorded at a subarctic mire in the middle of the third growing season under field exposure simulating 20% depletion in the ozone layer. The UVB treatment significantly reduced the sucrose and the total soluble sugar (sucrose+glucose+fructose) concentration of the plant leaves while increasing the sucrose concentration in the belowground storage organ rhizome. The starch concentration of the leaves was also slightly reduced by elevated UVB. In the plant roots, carbohydrate concentrations remained unaffected but the total phenolics concentration increased under elevated UVB. We suggest that the simultaneously observed decrease in bacterial growth rate and the altered bacterial community composition are due to UVB‐induced changes in the plant photosynthate allocation and potential changes in root exudation. There were no effects of elevated UVB on microbial biomass, peat pore water or nutrient concentrations in the peat. The observed responses are in line with the previously reported lower ecosystem dark respiration under elevated UVB, and they signify that the changed plant tissue quality and lower bacterial activity are likely to reduce decomposition.     

Re‐building brown trout populations in dredged boreal forest streams: in‐stream restoration combined with stocking of young trout

1. Rivers in boreal forested areas were often dredged to facilitate the transport of timber resulting in channels with simplified bed structure and flow fields and reduced habitat suitability for stream organisms, especially lotic fishes. Currently, many streams are being restored to improve their physical habitat, by replacing boulders and gravel and removing constraining embankments. The most compelling justification behind stream restoration of former floatways has been the enhancement of native fish populations, specifically salmonids. 2. We examined the success of a stream management programme aimed at re‐building diminished brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations by monitoring densities of young‐of‐year and older trout in 18 managed and three reference streams during 2000–2005. Rehabilitation included in‐stream restoration combined with a 5‐year post‐restoration period of stocking young brown trout. Our space‐for‐time substitution design comprised four pre‐management, four under‐management, 10 post‐management and three reference streams. 3. Densities of young‐of‐year brown trout, indicating population establishment, were significantly higher in post‐ compared with pre‐management streams. However, density of young‐of‐year brown trout in post‐management streams was significantly lower compared with near‐pristine reference streams. Furthermore, success of managed brown trout population re‐building varied, indicating stream‐specific responses to management measures. Density of burbot (Lota lota), a native generalist predator, was associated with low recruitment of brown trout. 4. Stream‐specific responses imply that rehabilitation of brown trout populations cannot be precisely predicted thereby limiting application. Our findings support the importance of adaptive stream restoration and management, with focus on identifying factor(s) limiting the establishment of target fish populations.     

APPLIED ISSUES: Effects of habitat rehabilitation on brown trout (Salmo trutta) in boreal forest streams

1. Degradation of stream habitat because of anthropogenic activities (e.g. channelisation) has had a dramatic impact on fluvial environments and their biota, and as a consequence, increasing effort has been directed towards the restoration of degraded rivers. However, a major problem is that the success (or failure) of restoration has been rarely tested using a well‐designed monitoring programme to allow reliable detection of an impact, if any exists. We used a spatially and temporally replicated, balanced Before‐After‐Control‐Impact design to assess the impact of stream habitat rehabilitation on the densities and growth of brown trout of three age‐classes in North Finnish forest streams. 2. Three separate sections in each of six streams were selected for the study. After 3 years of pre‐rehabilitation monitoring, two randomly selected sections in each stream were restored; one using large woody debris and boulders and the other using only boulders. A third section remained as an unmodified control. Monitoring of fish densities continued for 3 years after rehabilitation. 3. Rehabilitation clearly increased streambed complexity, but did not have detectable effects on brown trout stocks in either of the rehabilitation schemes (LWD or stones), except for age‐2+ and older fish which decreased in abundance compared to control reaches. A severe drought after rehabilitation in late summer 2002 reduced densities of trout to a low level in all streams, overriding any local effects of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation structures seemed to provide some safeguard against drought for age‐2 and older, but not for the younger age‐classes. 4. Our results add to the growing body of literature suggesting that large‐scale regional factors may overwhelm local management efforts. To be successful in the future, stream rehabilitation schemes must include drought refuge areas for fish and other stream biota.