Zimin Yuan

Editor’s summary River organisms are the most important influence on the transport of carbon and other nutrients from land to sea. These ecosystems have been considered predominantly net heterotrophic, but Maavara et al. reveal that the rivers of the continental US also display a broad range from extreme heterotrophy to autotrophy. Increases in riverine gross primary productivity are particularly sensitive to drought conditions, and more than 70% of river metabolism occurs in the western US.

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