01822nas a2200217   4500008004100000245011800041210006900159300001000228490000800238520108700246653001901333653001201352653001101364653001401375100001601389700001801405700002201423700001601445700001901461856012401480       1982                        eng d00aOrganic matter loading and processing in a pristine stream draining a tallgrass prairie/riparian forest watershed0 aOrganic matter loading and processing in a pristine stream drain  a1 -780 v2303 a<p>The means by which organic matter enters and leaves streams and the rates at which it does so are significant determinants of water quality. This report documents the import, storage, decomposition, and export of organic matter in a prairie stream from natural sources in a watershed on the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area that contains no human activity other than ecological research. This prairie stream has features that differ from streams in forested watersheds. During this one-year study, the headwater channels were ephemeral and drained watersheds vegetated by grasses rather than trees. They received less organic matter from the watershed but retained a larger fraction of it. Intermittent third and fourth order channels flowed through riparian gallery forest in the lower portions of the watershed and received more organic matter than headwater channels. They retained less of it during the period of flow (i.e., more was exported during storm flows) so in situ decomposition was reduced. These exports represent pulses of organic matter loading downstream</p>10aorganic matter10aprairie10astream10atallgrass1 aGurtz, M.E.1 aMarzolf, G.R.1 aKillingbeck, K.T.1 aSmith, D.L.1 aMcArthur, J.V.  uhttp://knz.lternet.edu/content/organic-matter-loading-and-processing-pristine-stream-draining-tallgrass-prairieriparian