PROJECT STILFLOW
StilFloW –
In search of stability in a flowing world is a project funded by HFRI under the 4th Call for H.F.R.I. research projects to support Postdoctoral Researchers. StilFloW aims to test the stability of river benthic diatom assemblages to changes of water discharges linked to climate change. Stability will be assessed as the resilience of the benthic biomass but also as temporal synchrony of species fluctuations in the assemblage, where stability is higher when species abundances fluctuate asynchronously. It will focus on both long-term trends, reflecting possible response to climate change, and short-term effects that could interfere with interpretation of long-term effects. Explicit effects of recurrent flooding events and river patch connectivity will be further tested in lab experiments. Finally, future predictions and identification of potential tipping points will be tested. Results of all the above aspects will give more insights into our understanding of lotic ecosystems and the structure and function of benthic primary producers.
