Data from: Gone with the flow: Flow reduction coincides with reduced metabolism and chlorophyll-a concentrations of benthic algae across seven desert rivers
Data files
Sep 25, 2026 version files 389.51 KB
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Daily_Metabolism_Estimates.csv
378.16 KB
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Monthly_mean_daily_metabolism_and_chl-a.csv
8.44 KB
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README.md
2.91 KB
Abstract
To investigate the linkages between flow reduction (defined as the difference between 21st century and 20th century flows), metabolism, and benthic algae, we measured metabolism and chlorophyll-a concentrations as a proxy of benthic algal biomass in seven desert rivers with varying degrees of flow reduction during July-November in 2023 and 2024. Using linear mixed-effects regression models, we assessed the relationships between a suite of environmental predictors and the responses of river metabolism and chlorophyll-a.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.931zcrk3f
Description of the data and file structure
We collected dissolved oxygen and temperature time series at eights sites in seven rivers in 2023 and 2024. We also collected local covariates monthly during visits to maintain miniDOT sondes. Flow data and landuse data were obtained from the nearest USGS gaging station and the national land cover map, respectively.
Files and variables
File: Monthly_mean_daily_metabolism_and_chl-a.csv
Description:
Variables
- year: Year of data collection
- River: River where data was collected
- month: Month of data collection
- GPP: Monthly mean daily GPP (g O m2 d-1)
- ER: Monthly mean daily ER(g O m2 d-1)
- Chla: Monthly mean Chlorophyll-a (ug cm2)
- sc_flowreduction: scaled flow reduction
- sc_turbidity: scaled turbidity
- sc_drainagearea: scaled drainage area
- sc_salinity: scaled salinity
- sc_PctAg: scaled percent agricultural land use in the catchment
- sc_GPP: scaled monthly mean daily GPP
- PC1: Principal component scores for axis 1 of mean monthly flow metrics
- PC2: Principal component scores for axis 2 of mean monthly flow metrics
File: Daily_Metabolism_Estimates.csv
Description:
Variables
- date: Date of data collection
- GPP_mean: Mean daily GPP (g O m2 d-1)
- GPP_Rhat: Gelman-Rubin statistic for GPP
- ER_mean: Mean daily ER (g O m2 d-1)
- ER_Rhat: Gelman-Rubin statistic for ER
- DO_R2_mean: R2 for observed daily dissolved oxygen timeseries vs predicted dissolved oxygen from StreamMetabolizer
- K600_daily_mean: Mean daily K600 (d-1)
- K600_daily_Rhat: Gelman-Rubin statistic for K600
- River: River where data was collected
- Sensor: Sensor (a or b), at each site we deployed two miniDOT sondes. Missing data is due to sensor failure, burial, or other data artifacts.
- GPP_2.5pct: 2.5th quantile of daily GPP (g O m2 d-1)
- GPP_50pct: Median daily GPP (g O m2 d-1)
- GPP_97.5pct: 97.5th quantile of daily GPP (g O m2 d-1)
- ER_2.5pct: 2.5th quantile of daily ER (g O m2 d-1)
- ER_50pct: Median daily ER (g O m2 d-1)
- ER_97.5pct: 97.5th quantile of daily ER (g O m2 d-1)
- year: Year of data collection
- site_no: gage number of the nearest USGS gaging station
- Flow: mean daily discharge (m3 s-1)
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- Flow data was obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/)
- Landcover data was obtained using the StreamCat database (https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/streamcat-dataset)