Coweeta Home : Data : Online Data :  Stream Organic Matter Budgets 

The information on this web site comes from the following paper: Webster, J.R., and J.L. Meyer. 1997. Stream organic matter budgets. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 16:3-161. These data should not be used without first looking at that paper, and any use of these data must cite that paper and/or chapters in that paper. A list of chapters is included here. Questions can be addressed to Jack Webster, Judy Meyer, or any of the chapter authors.

This study began as a workshop, which was held on 23 and 24 May 1993 prior to the NABS meeting in Calgary, Alberta. We invited individuals that we thought had data on and interest in organic matter dynamics in streams and encouraged them to suggest additional people who could contribute to the workshop. Fifty-seven scientists participated in this workshop at their own expense. At the workshop, we attempted to compile and analyze organic matter budgets for 27 streams. As a result of these discussions, we requested modified data sets from each site, and, over the next 2 y, we reanalyzed those data, sent them back to the sites for verification and feedback, and synthesized the resulting information. This summary is the product of those efforts by many individuals. In addition to the sites represented at the workshop, we have added data from several other streams based on published information

Three objectives guided organization of the workshop and subsequent analyses: 1) to explore relationships between physical variables of streams and their watersheds (climate, geomorphology) and organic matter dynamics using data from a broad geographic area; 2) to compare stream organic matter dynamics in a diverse array of streams in order to suggest determinants of observed patterns; and 3) to reveal deficiencies in currently available data on organic matter dynamics in streams.

The collection of sites that we used is not a random sample of streams throughout the world. It includes those sites represented by a participant at the workshop who took time to compile the data, plus sites where sufficient data were already published. There is a clear North American, temperate zone bias to the sites. This bias reflects the fact that most stream organic matter studies have been done in temperate North America. We feel fortunate to have at least some data from sites outside this area. Perhaps this synthesis will encourage studies at a greater variety of sites.

The data included in this synthesis are of 2 types, physical and organic matter. The 8 physical variables are latitude, stream order, watershed area, stream width, stream gradient, mean annual water temperature, mean annual discharge, and mean annual precipitation. These variables give a very limited description of a site but do provide the basic template for analysis of organic matter dynamics. The organic matter variables are similarly limited. Inputs include allochthonous inputs of direct litterfall (leaves, wood, and other material), GPP, and DOM carried in groundwater entering the stream. (Acronyms and abbreviations are given in enclosed tables) The standing crop of organic matter is separated into FBOM (< 1mm), CBOM (> 1 mm, not including wood), and wood. Outputs are autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration and export of POM and DOM carried by the stream as part of dissolved, suspended, or bed load. All variables are expressed as ash-free mass of organic matter (AFDM).

Introduction (J. R. Webster and J. L. Meyer)

Canada Stream: a glacial meltwater stream in Taylor Valley, South Victoria Land, Antarctica (D. M. McKnight and C. M. Tate )

Organic matter dynamics in the Kuparuk River, a tundra river in Alaska, USA (C. J. Harvey, B. J. Peterson, W. B. Bowden, L. A. Deegan, J. C. Finlay, A. E. Hershey, and M. C. Miller)

Organic matter dynamics in three subarctic streams of interior Alaska, USA (J. G. Irons and M. W. Oswood )

Organic matter dynamics in the Breitenbach, Germany (J. Marxsen, H. Schmidt, and D. M. Fiebig )

Organic matter dynamics in five subarctic streams, Quebec, Canada (R. J. Naiman and G. L. Link )

Organic matter dynamics in Rattlesnake Springs, Washington, USA (C. E. Cushing)

Organic matter dynamics in Bear Brook, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA (S. Findlay, G. E. Likens, L. Hedin, S. G. Fisher, and W. H. McDowell )

Organic matter dynamics in White Clay Creek, Pennsylvania, USA (J. D. Newbold, T. L. Bott, L. A. Kaplan, B. W. Sweeney, and R. L. Vannote )

Organic matter dynamics in Kings Creek, Kansas, USA (L. J. Gray )

Organic matter dynamics in Buzzards Branch, a blackwater stream in Virginia, USA (L. A. Smock )

Organic matter dynamics in Keppel Creek, southeastern Australia (S. A. Treadwell, I. C. Campbell, and R. T. Edwards )

Organic matter dynamics in the West Fork of Walker Branch, Tennessee, USA (P. J. Mulholland )

Stream organic matter inputs, storage, and export for Satellite Branch at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, North Carolina, USA (J. B. Wallace, T. F. Cuffney, S. L. Eggert, and M. R. Whiles )

Organic matter dynamics in Hugh White Creek, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, North Carolina, USA (J. R. Webster, J. L. Meyer, J. B. Wallace, and E. F. Benfield )

Organic matter dynamics in Sycamore Creek, a desert stream in Arizona, USA (J. B. Jones, J. D. Schade, S. G. Fisher, and N. B. Grimm)

Organic matter dynamics in the Ogeechee River, a blackwater river in Georgia, USA (J. L. Meyer, A. C. Benke, R. T. Edwards, and J. B. Wallace )

A regional analysis of the physical characteristics of streams (J. R. Webster and D. J. D'Angelo )

A comparison of primary production in stream ecosystems (G. A. Lamberti and A. D. Steinman )

Comparisons of litterfall input to streams (E. F. Benfield )

Benthic organic matter storage in streams: influence of detrital import and export, retention mechanisms, and climate (J. B. Jones)

Large-scale trends for stream benthic respiration (R. L. Sinsabaugh)

Suspended particulate organic matter concentration and export in streams (S. W. Golladay)

Dissolved organic matter concentration and flux in streams (P. J. Mulholland)

Organic matter budgets for streams: a synthesis (J. R. Webster and J. L. Meyer)

Map caption. Sites used in this organic matter synthesis. OR includes all 5 Oregon sites: DCOR, MCOR, LCOR, MROR, and both years for WS 10 (W3OR, W4OR). IAK includes the 3 sites in Interior Alaska: MCAK, C2AK, and C3AK. KNZ includes both the prairie (KPKA) and gallery forest (KGKA) sites in Kansas. PR includes 3 sites in Puerto Rico: QSPR, QTPR, and RIPR. QB includes the 5 streams in Quebec: FCQB, BCQB, MTQB, MRQB, and MOQB. CWT includes both sites at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory: HWNC and SBNC.

In the following tables the data are given exactly as published. However, since publication the following corrections have been noted. For Walker Branch (WBTN), GPP should be changed from 190 to 85 g/m²/y, autotrophic respiration from 95 to 42 g/m²/y, and heterotrophic respiration from 1505 to 558 g/m²/y (communication from Pat Mulholland).

To obtain copies of the following tables in text, Excel, or MS-Word format, e-mail directly to Jack Webster at jwebster@vt.edu. Be sure to specify the desired format.