Evaluating the consequences of salmon nutrients for riparian organisms: Linking condition metrics to stable isotopes

Stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) have been used extensively to trace nutrients from Pacific salmon, but salmon transfer more than carbon and nitrogen to stream ecosystems, such as phosphorus, minerals, proteins, and lipids. To examine the importance of these nutrients, metrics other than isotopes need to be considered, particularly when so few studies have made direct links between these nutrients and how they affect riparian organisms. Our study specifically examined δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of riparian organisms from salmon and non-salmon streams in Idaho, USA, at different distances from the streams, and examined whether the quality of riparian plants and the body condition of invertebrates varied with access to these nutrients. Overall, quality and condition metrics did not mirror stable isotope patterns. Most notably, all riparian organisms exhibited elevated δ¹⁵N in salmon streams, but also with proximity to both stream types suggesting that both salmon and landscape factors may affect δ¹⁵N. The amount of nitrogen incorporated from Pacific salmon was low for all organisms (<20%) and did not correlate with measures of quality or condition, probably due to elevated δ¹⁵N at salmon streams reflecting historical salmon runs instead of current contributions. Salmon runs in these Idaho streams have been declining, and associated riparian ecosystems have probably seen about a 90% reduction in salmon-derived nitrogen since the 1950s. In addition, our results support those of other studies that have cautioned that inferences from natural abundance isotope data, particularly in conjunction with mixing models for salmon-derived nutrient percentage estimates, may be confounded by biogeochemical transformations of nitrogen, physiological processes, and even historical legacies of nitrogen sources. Critically, studies should move beyond simply describing isotopic patterns to focusing on the consequences of salmon-derived nutrients by quantifying the condition and fitness of organisms putatively using those resources.