Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Responses to Drought and Flooding02:41

Responses to Drought and Flooding

11.1K
Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
11.1K
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss01:57

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

26.5K
Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
26.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Evaluating the vulnerability of arthropod ecosystem service providers to pesticide exposure.

Integrated environmental assessment and management·2026
Same author

Filling data gaps in soil environmental risk assessment (ERA): Species sensitivity distribution (SSD) and regulatory challenges for in-soil invertebrates exposed to chlorothalonil and chlorpyrifos.

Environmental research·2026
Same author

Risk assessment of fungicides on symbiotic phase of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Ecotoxicology (London, England)·2026
Same author

Assessing the oral toxicity of acetamiprid, spinosad, cypermethrin, and pyrethrins in the invasive hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Prof Stephen P. Long, FRS (1950-2025).

Global change biology·2025
Same author

Establishing DNA-Based Strategies for Soil Biodiversity Assessment: Insights From Carabid Beetles.

Ecology and evolution·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 29, 2025

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment
08:39

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment

Published on: October 28, 2022

3.1K

Air temperature more than drought duration affects litter decomposition under flow intermittency.

Sara Simões1, Ana Lúcia Gonçalves1, T Hefin Jones2

  • 1Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.

The Science of the Total Environment
|March 22, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Stream intermittency affects decomposition. Short droughts at 15°C boosted fungal biomass, while longer droughts reduced fungal diversity and activity, impacting leaf litter breakdown.

Keywords:
Aquatic hyphomycetesHydrological contractionIntermittencyStreams

More Related Videos

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

13.5K
Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface
13:27

Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface

Published on: June 8, 2015

8.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 29, 2025

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment
08:39

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment

Published on: October 28, 2022

3.1K
Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

13.5K
Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface
13:27

Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface

Published on: June 8, 2015

8.9K

Area of Science:

  • Aquatic ecology
  • Microbial ecology
  • Environmental science

Background:

  • Stream intermittency, characterized by periodic drying and rewetting, is a growing concern in freshwater ecosystems.
  • Temperature significantly influences microbial decomposition, but its interactive effects with drought duration on intermittent streams remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of varying drought temperatures and durations on microbial decomposition of oak leaf litter in intermittent streams.
  • To assess changes in fungal biomass, activity, sporulation, and diversity under different drought scenarios.

Main Methods:

  • A microcosm experiment using oak leaf discs colonized in a reference stream.
  • Drought conditions were simulated at three temperatures (5, 15, 25 °C) and two durations (2.5 and 5 weeks).
  • Post-drought, leaf discs were re-submerged for 2 weeks to evaluate mass loss and microbial parameters.

Main Results:

  • Higher leaf mass loss occurred at 15 °C compared to 25 °C.
  • Drought duration did not affect overall mass loss, indicating an early inhibitory effect (≤ 2.5 weeks).
  • Fungal biomass peaked after short droughts at 25 °C, while longer droughts reduced fungal biomass, activity, and diversity, especially at higher temperatures.

Conclusions:

  • Short droughts may trigger physiological responses in fungi, prioritizing biomass over decomposition.
  • Extended or severe droughts negatively impact fungal communities, leading to reduced growth and reproduction post-rewetting.
  • Riparian vegetation's role in temperature regulation is crucial for mitigating drought impacts on intermittent streams.