Global Dam‐Driven Changes to Riverine N:P:Si Ratios Delivered to the Coastal Ocean

River damming alters nutrient fluxes along the land‐ocean aquatic continuum as a result of biogeochemical processes in reservoirs. Both the changes in riverine nutrient fluxes and nutrient ratios impact ecosystem functioning of receiving water bodies. We utilize spatially distributed mechanistic models of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and silicon (Si) cycling in reservoirs to quantify changes in nutrient stoichiometry of river discharge to coastal waters. The results demonstrate that the growing number of dams decouples the riverine fluxes of N, P, and Si. Worldwide, preferential removal of P over N in reservoirs increases N:P ratios delivered to the ocean, raising the potential for P limitation of coastal productivity. By midcentury, more than half of the rivers discharging to the coastal zone will experience a higher removal of reactive Si relative to reactive P and total N, in response to the rapid pace at which new hydroelectric dams are being built. Plain Language Summary The damming of rivers is one of the most impactful modifications of the flows of water and associated materials from land to sea. Included in these materials are nutrient elements like nitrogen and phosphorus, which are elements required by all life on Earth, and silicon, which is required by diatoms, the algae that account for the largest fraction of biological productivity of the oceans. Past studies have shown that if you alter the ratios in which these nutrient elements enter the coastal oceans, plankton communities can change, even causing harmful algal blooms or “red tides” to occur. Here, we use models of nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon cycling in dam reservoirs to determine how dams change the ratios delivered to coastal zones worldwide. We predict that by midcentury, more than half of the rivers flowing to the sea will experience greater removal of silicon over nitrogen and phosphorus, in response to ongoing construction of many new hydroelectric dams. This will impact the role of diatoms in nearshore marine production, as they are increasingly outcompeted by other, potentially harmful, algae that do not need silicon to grow. Key Points Damming decouples the global river fluxes of N, P, and Si Dams increase N:P ratios delivered to the global coastal zone Current hydroelectric dam construction may drive coastal productivity toward increased Si limitation