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Predicting Light Regime Controls on Primary Productivity Across CONUS River Networks
Author(s) -
Savoy Phil,
Harvey Judson W.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl092149
Subject(s) - riparian zone , productivity , environmental science , ecosystem , primary production , hydrology (agriculture) , bank , riparian forest , primary productivity , ecology , geology , habitat , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , macroeconomics , economics , biology
Solar radiation is a fundamental driver of ecosystem productivity, but widespread estimates of light available for primary producers in rivers are lacking. We developed a model to predict light available for river primary producers and used it to estimate river primary production across the contiguous United States (CONUS). Successively accounting for riparian and water column processes improved predictions of primary production as a function of light. We calculated the ratio of river width to riparian tree height and used this metric to predict whether riparian zones or water column processes most limit productivity for over 2 million reaches. Water column processes limited productivity for 50% of the nation's river length and 80% of its surface area, with variations across ecoregions related to riparian forest cover. Our findings facilitate large‐scale predictions of stream and river ecosystem productivity, as well as understanding the processes controlling productivity across networks.