Human activities shape global patterns of decomposition rates in rivers
Authors: Tiegs S. D. , Capps K. A. , Costello D. M. , Schmidt J. P. , Patrick C. J. , Follstad Shah J. J. , LeRoy C. J. ,   the CELLDEX Consortium‡, Acuña Vicenç , Albariño Ricardo , Allen Daniel C. , Alonso Cecilia , Andino Patricio , Arango Clay , Aroviita Jukka , Barbosa Marcus V.M. , Barmuta Leon A. , Baxter Colden , Bellinger Brent , Boyero Luz , Bragina Lyubov , Brown Lee E. , Bruder Andreas , Bruesewitz Denise A. , Burdon Francis , Callisto Marcos , Camacho Antonio , Canhoto Cristina , Castillo María M. , Chauvet Eric , Clapcott Joanne , Colas Fanny , Colón-Gaud Checo , Cornut Julien , Crespo-Pérez Verónica , Cross Wyatt F. , Culp Joseph , Danger Michael , Dangles Olivier , de Eyto Elvira , Derry Alison M. , Villanueva Veronica Díaz , Douglas Michael M. , Elosegi Arturo , Encalada Andrea C. , Entrekin Sally , Espinosa Rodrigo , Ferreira Verónica , Ferriol Carmen , Flanagan Kyla M. , Flecker Alexander S. , Fleituch Tadeusz , Frainer André , Friberg Nikolai , Frost Paul C. , Garcia Erica A. , García-Lago Liliana , Soto Pavel Ernesto García , Gessner Mark O. , Ghate Sudeep , Giling Darren P. , Gilmer Alan , Gonçalves José Francisco , Gonzales Rosario Karina , Graça Manuel A.S. , Grace Mike , Griffiths Natalie A. , Grossart Hans-Peter , Guérold François , Gulis Vlad , Gutiérrez-Fonseca Pablo E. , Hepp Luiz U. , Higgins Scott , Hishi Takuo , Huddart Joseph , Hudson John , Imberger Moss , Iñiguez-Armijos Carlos , Isken Mark W. , Iwata Tomoya , Janetski David J. , Kirkwood Andrea E. , Koning Aaron A. , Kosten Sarian , Kuehn Kevin A. , Laudon Hjalmar , Leavitt Peter R. , Lemes da Silva Aurea L , Leroux Shawn , Lisi Peter J. , MacKenzie Richard , Marcarelli Amy M. , Masese Frank O. , McIntyre Peter B. , McKie Brendan G. , Medeiros Adriana , Meissner Kristian , Miliša Marko , Mishra Shailendra , Miyake Yo , Moerke Ashley , Mombrikotb Shorok , Mooney Rob , Moulton Timothy , Muotka Timo , Negishi Junjiro , Neres-Lima Vinicius , Nieminen Mika L. , Nimptsch Jorge , Ondruch Jakub , Paavola Riku , Pardo Isabel , Peeters Edwin T.H.M. , Pozo Jesus , Prussian Aaron , Quenta Estefania , Reid Brian , Richardson John S. , Rigosi Anna , Rincón José , Risnoveanu Geta , Robinson Christopher T. , Rodríguez-Gallego Lorena , Royer Todd V. , Rusak James A. , Santamans Anna C. , Selmeczy Géza B. , Simiyu Gelas , Skuja Agnija , Smykla Jerzy , Sponseller Ryan , Sridhar Kandikere R. , Stoler Aaron , Swan Christopher M. , de Mello Franco Teixeira , Tonkin Jonathan D. , Uusheimo Sari , Veach Allison M. , Vilbaste Sirje , Vought Lena B.-M. , Wang Chiao-Ping , Webster Jackson R. , Wilson Paul B. , Woelfl Stefan , Woodward Guy , Xenopoulos Marguerite A. , Yates Adam G. , Yoshimura Chihiro , Yule Catherine M. , Zhang Yixin , Zwart Jacob A. 
Published: May 2024

Rivers and streams contribute to global carbon cycling by decomposing immense quantities of terrestrial plant matter. However, decomposition rates are highly variable and large-scale patterns and drivers of this process remain poorly understood. Using a cellulose-based assay to reflect the primary constituent of plant detritus, we generated a predictive model (81% variance explained) for cellulose decomposition rates across 514 globally distributed streams. A large number of variables were important for predicting decomposition, highlighting the complexity of this process at the global scale. Predicted cellulose decomposition rates, when combined with genus-level litter quality attributes, explain published leaf litter decomposition rates with high accuracy (70% variance explained). Our global map provides estimates of rates across vast understudied areas of Earth and reveals rapid decomposition across continental-scale areas dominated by human activities.