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Ecological responses of aquatic macrophytes and benthic macroinvertebrates to dams in the Henares River Basin (Central Spain)

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Abstract

The ecological responses of aquatic macrophytes and benthic macroinvertebrates to deep-release dams in three impounded rivers of the Henares River Basin (Central Spain) were studied, specially focusing on the effects of nutrient enrichment caused by deep releases on these two freshwater communities. Three sampling sites, one upstream and two downstream from the reservoir, were established in each impounded river. Sampling surveys to collect submersed macrophytes and benthic macroinvertebrates at each sampling site were carried out in spring–summer of 2009 and 2011. Water temperature tended to decrease downstream from dams, whereas nitrate and phosphate concentrations tended to increase. These abiotic changes, particularly the downstream nutrient enrichment, apparently affected the macrophyte and macroinvertebrate communities. In the case of submersed macrophytes, total coverage and taxa richness increased downstream from dams. In the case of benthic macroinvertebrates, total density and total biomass also increased downstream, but taxa richness tended to decrease. Scrapers appeared to be the macroinvertebrate feeding group most favored downstream from dams as a probable consequence of the positive effect of nutrient enrichment on periphyton and perilithon abundance. Nutrients would ultimately come from water runoff over agricultural lands and over semi-natural forests and pastures, being subsequently accumulated in the hypolimnion of reservoirs.

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Acknowledgments

Funds for this research came from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (research project CGL2011-28585). The University of Alcalá provided logistical support. Alfonso Benítez-Mora was supported by a doctoral fellowship from the Chilean National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT).

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  1. Unidad Docente de Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain

    Alfonso Benítez-Mora & Julio A. Camargo

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  1. Alfonso Benítez-Mora
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  2. Julio A. Camargo
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Correspondence to Julio A. Camargo.

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Benítez-Mora, A., Camargo, J.A. Ecological responses of aquatic macrophytes and benthic macroinvertebrates to dams in the Henares River Basin (Central Spain). Hydrobiologia 728, 167–178 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-014-1816-6

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