This study looked at the impact of high nutrient loads from non-point source pollution on the stoichiometry of detrital food webs in suburban streams: basal food resources, primary consumers, predators, and nutrient imbalances between food and consumer.
Basal food resource nutrient content differed between stream classes, with differences in the magnitude of variation between food resource types. Epilithon and fine benthic organic matter were highly correlated to in-stream nutrient loads. Stream benthic macroinvertebrates did not exhibit strict homeostasis for either N or P; however, the macroinvertebrate nutrient content was not always highest in those streams with highest nutrient concentrations. Overall, these results show that the nutrient loads from typical suburban streams can cause serious disruptions in nutrient flows through stream food webs without physically altering the in-stream habitats or riparian zones. These changes have the capacity to alter in-stream nutrient cycling, nutrient storage and transfer, and other related ecosystem functions.