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Huttunen KL, Karttunen K, Tolkkinen M, Valkama P, Västilä K, Aroviita J. Two-stage channels can enhance local biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 356:120620. [PMID: 38522279 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Field drainage causes habitat loss, alters natural flow regimes, and impairs water quality. Still, drainage ditches often are last remnants of aquatic and wetland habitats in agricultural landscapes and as such, can be important for local biodiversity. Two-stage channels are considered as a greener choice for conventional ditches, as they are constructed to mimic the structure of natural lowland streams providing a channel for drainage water and mechanisms to decrease diffuse loading. Two-stage channels could also benefit local biodiversity and ecosystem functions, but existing information on their ecological benefits is scarce and incomplete. We collected environmental and biological data from six agricultural stream systems in Finland each with consequent sections of a conventional ditch and a two-stage channel to study the potential of two-stage channels to enhance aquatic and riparian biodiversity and ecological functions. Biological data included samples of stream invertebrates, diatoms and plants and riparian beetles and plants. Overall, both section types were highly dominated by few core taxa for most of the studied organism groups. Riparian plant and invertebrate communities seemed to benefit from the two-stage channel structure with adjacent floodplains and drier ditch banks. In addition, two-stage channel sections had higher aquatic plant diversity, algal productivity, and decomposition rate, but lower stream invertebrate and diatom diversity. Two-stage channel construction did not diversify the structure of stream channels which is likely one explanation for the lack of positive effects on benthic diversity. However, both section types harbored unique taxa found only in one of the two types in all studied organism groups resulting in higher local gamma diversity. Thus, two-stage channels enhanced local biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Improvements especially in aquatic biodiversity might be achieved by increasing the heterogeneity of in-stream habitat structure and with further efforts to decrease nutrient and sediment loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaisa-Leena Huttunen
- Finnish Environment Institute, Nature Solutions, PO Box 413, 90014, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Krister Karttunen
- Finnish Environment Institute, Nature Solutions, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Mikko Tolkkinen
- Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland, PO Box 81, 90130, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Pasi Valkama
- Finnish Environment Institute, Marine and Freshwater Solutions, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Kaisa Västilä
- Finnish Environment Institute, Marine and Freshwater Solutions, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Jukka Aroviita
- Finnish Environment Institute, Marine and Freshwater Solutions, PO Box 413, 90014, Oulu, Finland.
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2
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Mostafavi H, Teimori A, Hughes RM. Habitat and river riparian assessment in the Hyrcanian Forest Ecoregion in Iran: providing basic information for the river management and rehabilitation. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:793. [PMID: 36109378 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10457-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Hyrcanian Forest holds broad leaf forest remnants dating back to the early Cenozoic Era, which once covered a vast area of the North Temperate Zone. Today, many rivers within this region have been altered by human activities and urgently need rehabilitation. In this regard, 35 wadeable rivers including 14 reference and impacted sites were investigated to determine how different human pressures altered riverine landscapes and habitats. Hence, five common human pressures (agriculture, urbanization, aquaculture, dams, aggregate mining) were identified, then the riverine landscape and habitat condition of each site were assessed. At each site, 17 aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial features, including abiotic and biotic substrate types, were investigated. The number and ratio of pressure-influenced channel features and substrate types differed from those in reference sites. Reference sites were dominated by microlithal, mesolithal, and macrolithal abiotic substrates and large wood, algae, and coarse particulate organic matter biotic substrates. Urbanized sites were most altered and dominated by single channels, steep unvegetated riprap banks, and algae substrate. The results provide valuable information for managers and decision-makers to restore riverine ecosystems considering the impaired parameters resulting from human pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Mostafavi
- Environmental Sciences Research Institute Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Azad Teimori
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
| | - Robert M Hughes
- Amnis Opes Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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3
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Kaufmann PR, Hughes RM, Paulsen SG, Peck DV, Seeliger CW, Kincaid T, Mitchell RM. Physical habitat in conterminous US streams and Rivers, part 2: A quantitative assessment of habitat condition. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS 2022; 141:109047. [PMID: 35991318 PMCID: PMC9389467 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Rigorous assessments of the ecological condition of water resources and the effect of human activities on those waters require quantitative physical, chemical, and biological data. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's river and stream surveys quantify river and stream bed particle size and stability, instream habitat complexity and cover, riparian vegetation cover and structure, and anthropogenic disturbance activities. Physical habitat is strongly controlled by natural geoclimatic factors that co-vary with human activities. We expressed the anthropogenic alteration of physical habitat as O/E ratios of observed habitat metric values divided by values expected under least-disturbed reference conditions, where site-specific expected values vary given their geoclimatic and geomorphic context. We set criteria for good, fair, and poor condition based on the distribution of O/E values in regional least-disturbed reference sites. Poor conditions existed in 22-24% of the 1.2 million km of streams and rivers in the conterminous U.S. for riparian human disturbance, streambed sediment and riparian vegetation cover, versus 14% for instream habitat complexity. Based on the same four indicators, the percentage of stream length in poor condition within 9 separate U.S. ecoregions ranged from 4% to 42%. Associations of our physical habitat indices with anthropogenic pressures demonstrate the scope of anthropogenic habitat alteration; habitat condition was negatively related to the level of anthropogenic disturbance nationally and in nearly all ecoregions. Relative risk estimates showed that streams and rivers with poor sediment, riparian cover complexity, or instream habitat cover conditions were 1.4 to 2.6 times as likely to also have fish or macroinvertebrate assemblages in poor condition. Our physical habitat condition indicators help explain deviations in biological conditions from those observed among least-disturbed sites and inform management actions for rehabilitating impaired waters and mitigating further ecological degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip R. Kaufmann
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research
and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific
Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation
Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Robert M. Hughes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation
Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Amnis Opes Institute, 2895 Southeast Glenn Street,
Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Steven G. Paulsen
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research
and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific
Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - David V. Peck
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research
and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific
Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | | | - Tom Kincaid
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research
and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific
Ecological Systems Division, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
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4
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Palt M, Le Gall M, Piffady J, Hering D, Kail J. A metric-based analysis on the effects of riparian and catchment landuse on macroinvertebrates. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151590. [PMID: 34774935 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Woody riparian vegetation along rivers and streams provides multiple functions beneficial for aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. They retain fine sediments, nutrients and pesticides, improve channel hydromorphology, control water temperature and primary production through shading and provide leaves, twigs and large wood. In a recent conceptual model (Feld et al., 2018), woody riparian functions were considered either independent from large-scale landuse stressors (e.g. shading, input of organic matter), or dependent on landuse at larger spatial scales (e.g. fine sediment, nutrient and pesticide retention). We tested this concept using high-resolution data on woody riparian vegetation cover and empirical data from 1017 macroinvertebrate sampling sites in German lowland and mountain streams. Macroinvertebrate metrics indicative for individual functions were used as response variables in structural equation models (SEM), representing the hierarchical structure between the different considered stressors at different spatial scales: catchment, upstream riparian, local riparian and local landuse cover along with hydromorphology and water quality. The analysis only partly confirmed the conceptual model: Biotic integrity and water quality were strongly related to large-scale stressors as expected (absolute total effect 0.345-0.541), but against expectations, fine sediments retention, considered scale-dependent in the conceptual model, was poorly explained by large-scale stressors (absolute total effect 0.027-0.231). While most functions considered independent from large-scale landuse were partly explained by riparian landuse cover (absolute total effect 0.023-0.091) they also were nonetheless affected by catchment landuse cover (absolute total effect 0.017-0.390). While many empirical case studies at smaller spatial scales clearly document the positive effects of restoring woody riparian vegetation, our results suggest that most effects of riparian landuse cover are possibly superimposed by larger-scale stressors. This does not negate localized effects of woody riparian vegetation but helps contextualize limitations to successful restoration measures targeting the macroinvertebrate community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Palt
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany.
| | | | - Jérémy Piffady
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, EcoFlowS, F-69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Daniel Hering
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany; Centre of Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
| | - Jochem Kail
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
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5
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Paz LE, Rodriguez M, Gullo B, Rodrigues Capítulo A. Impacts of urban and industrial pollution on functional traits of benthic macroinvertebrates: Are some traits advantageous for survival? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150650. [PMID: 34597538 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization and industrialization produce substantial changes in biodiversity and in the functionality of ecosystems. However, little is known about how anthropic pressures might drive these changes and about their functional consequences. We aimed to determine the responses of macroinvertebrate biological traits to urban and industrial pollution and assess the impacts of these disturbances on the functional diversity of these assemblages. We sampled benthic macroinvertebrates in 27 sites of four basins with different urban disturbance gradients (rural, peri-urban, and urban-industrial), among them the Matanza-Riachuelo River, one of the most polluted basins in the world. We classified macroinvertebrates into 11 traits and 56 categories. Then, we performed an RLQ analysis and computed functional richness, evenness, divergence and Rao diversity indexes for each site and community weighted means for each trait category. The urban and industrial sites (mainly low and middle Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin) showed high concentrations of ammonium, SRP, conductivity, COD, BOD, and organic matter, as well as the lowest values of DO. The functional richness and Rao index of these sites were significantly lower than that of the other sites. Macroinvertebrate traits associated with urban and industrial sites were aerial respiration (spiracles), forms of resistance (eggs or statoblast), cylindrical body shape, oviparity, feeding on microinvertebrates, and full water swimmers. These traits potentially enabled tolerant species persistence at polluted sites while gills, grazers, and crawlers were sensitive to these disturbances. Urban and industrial activities influence biological traits, producing the disappearance or dominance of certain traits in macroinvertebrate assemblages. As a consequence, extreme pollution caused predictable trait-based community changes resulting in reduced functional diversity, and potentially altered the ecosystem function.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E Paz
- Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Campus Universitario, Paraje Arroyo Seco s/n, Tandil 7000, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - M Rodriguez
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud (FCS), Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos (UNER), Lorenzo P. Sartorio 2160, 3260 Concepción del Uruguay, Provincia de Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - B Gullo
- Cátedra Zoología Invertebrados I, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo (FCNyM), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), 122 y 60, 1900 La Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - A Rodrigues Capítulo
- Instituto de Limnología Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet, CONICET, UNLP-CC 712, La Plata 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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6
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Defining Recovery Potential in River Restoration: A Biological Data-Driven Approach. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13233339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Scientists and practitioners working on river restoration have made progress on understanding the recovery potential of rivers from geomorphological and engineering perspectives. We now need to build on this work to gain a better understanding of the biological processes involved in river restoration. Environmental policy agendas are focusing on nature recovery, reigniting debates about the use of “natural” reference conditions as benchmarks for ecosystem restoration. We argue that the search for natural or semi-natural analogues to guide restoration planning is inappropriate due to the absence of contemporary reference conditions. With a catchment-scale case study on the invertebrate communities of the Warwickshire Avon, a fifth-order river system in England, we demonstrate an alternative to the reference condition approach. Under our model, recovery potential is quantified based on the gap between observed biodiversity at a site and the biodiversity predicted to occur in that location under alternative management scenarios. We predict that commonly applied restoration measures such as reduced nutrient inputs and the removal of channel resectioning could be detrimental to invertebrate diversity, if applied indiscriminately and without other complementary measures. Instead, our results suggest considerable potential for increases in biodiversity when restoration measures are combined in a way that maximises biodiversity within each water body.
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7
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Clark C, Krall M, Roni P, Ceder K. Reach‐scale stream temperature response to large wood placement. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Clark
- Eastern Interior Field Office Bureau of Land Management 222 University Avenue Fairbanks AK 99709 U.S.A
| | - Michelle Krall
- Watershed Sciences Lab Cramer Fish Sciences 1125, 12th Avenue NW Issaquah WA 98027 U.S.A
| | - Phil Roni
- Watershed Sciences Lab Cramer Fish Sciences 1125, 12th Avenue NW Issaquah WA 98027 U.S.A
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington 1122 NE Boat Street Seattle WA 98105 U.S.A
| | - Kevin Ceder
- Woodland Creek Consulting 8057, 20th Avenue NW Seattle WA 98117 U.S.A
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Baho DL, Arnott D, Myrstad KD, Schneider SC, Moe TF. Rapid colonization of aquatic communities in an urban stream after daylighting. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Didier L. Baho
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), CIENS Science Park, Gaustadalléen 21 Oslo N‐0349 Norway
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences P.O. Box 7050 Uppsala SE‐750‐07 Sweden
| | - David Arnott
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation Norwegian University of Life Sciences P.O. Box 5003 Ås N‐1430 Norway
| | - Karoline D. Myrstad
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation Norwegian University of Life Sciences P.O. Box 5003 Ås N‐1430 Norway
| | - Susanne C. Schneider
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), CIENS Science Park, Gaustadalléen 21 Oslo N‐0349 Norway
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation Norwegian University of Life Sciences P.O. Box 5003 Ås N‐1430 Norway
| | - Therese F. Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), CIENS Science Park, Gaustadalléen 21 Oslo N‐0349 Norway
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Guzelj M, Hauer C, Egger G. The third dimension in river restoration: how anthropogenic disturbance changes boundary conditions for ecological mitigation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13106. [PMID: 32753674 PMCID: PMC7403433 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69796-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The goals of the European Water Framework Directive changed the perspective on rivers from human to ecosystem-based river management. After decades of channelizing and damming rivers, restoration projects are applied with more or less successful outcomes. The anthropogenic influence put on rivers can change their physical parameters and result in a different morphological type of river. Using the Ammer River as an example, a comparison between applied systems of corridor determination based on historical maps and data; calculation of regime width; and the change in parameters and river typology are pointed out. The results showed (a) a change in stream power and morphology (b) great difference between the historical and the predicted river type and (c) that regulated rivers can have a near-natural morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Guzelj
- Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Water Management, Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering, BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Christoph Hauer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sediment Research and Management, Institute of Water Management, Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering, BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregory Egger
- Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
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Anim DO, Fletcher TD, Vietz GJ, Burns MJ, Pasternack GB. How alternative urban stream channel designs influence ecohydraulic conditions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 247:242-252. [PMID: 31247371 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Streams draining urban catchments ubiquitously undergo negative physical and ecosystem changes, recognized to be primarily driven by frequent stormwater runoff input. The common management intervention is rehabilitation of channel morphology. Despite engineering design intentions, ecohydraulic benefits of urban channel rehabilitation are largely unknown and likely limited. This investigation uses an ecohydraulic modeling approach to investigate the performance of alternative channel design configurations intended to restore key ecosystem functioning in urban streams. Channel reconfiguration design scenarios, specified to emulate the range of channel topographic complexity often used in rehabilitation are compared against a reference 'natural' scenario using ecologically relevant hydraulic metrics. The results showed that the ecohydraulic conditions were incremental improved with the addition of natural oscillations to an increasing number of individual topographic variables in a degraded channel. Results showed that reconfiguration reduced excessive frequency of bed mobility, loss of habitat and hydraulic diversity particularly as more topographic variables were added. However, the results also showed that none of the design scenarios returned the ecohydraulics to their reference conditions. This indicate that channel-based restoration can offer some potential changes to hydraulic habitat conditions but are unlikely to completely mitigate the effects of hydrologic change. We suggest that while reach-scale channel modification may be beneficial to restore urban stream, addressing altered hydrology is critical to fully recover natural ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desmond O Anim
- Waterway Ecosystem Research Group, School of Ecosystem and Forest Science, The University of Melbourne, Burnley, Victoria, 3121, Australia.
| | - Tim D Fletcher
- Waterway Ecosystem Research Group, School of Ecosystem and Forest Science, The University of Melbourne, Burnley, Victoria, 3121, Australia
| | - Geoff J Vietz
- Waterway Ecosystem Research Group, School of Ecosystem and Forest Science, The University of Melbourne, Burnley, Victoria, 3121, Australia
| | - Matthew J Burns
- Waterway Ecosystem Research Group, School of Ecosystem and Forest Science, The University of Melbourne, Burnley, Victoria, 3121, Australia
| | - Gregory B Pasternack
- University of California Davis, Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Pilotto F, Tonkin JD, Januschke K, Lorenz AW, Jourdan J, Sundermann A, Hering D, Stoll S, Haase P. Diverging response patterns of terrestrial and aquatic species to hydromorphological restoration. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:132-141. [PMID: 29947087 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Although experiences with ecological restoration continue to accumulate, the effectiveness of restoration for biota remains debated. We complemented a traditional taxonomic analysis approach with information on 56 species traits to uncover the responses of 3 aquatic (fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes) and 2 terrestrial (carabid beetles, floodplain vegetation) biotic groups to 43 hydromorphological river restoration projects in Germany. All taxonomic groups responded positively to restoration, as shown by increased taxonomic richness (10-164%) and trait diversity (habitat, dispersal and mobility, size, form, life history, and feeding groups) (15-120%). Responses, however, were stronger for terrestrial than aquatic biota, and, contrary to our expectation, taxonomic responses were stronger than those of traits. Nevertheless, trait analysis provided mechanistic insights into the drivers of community change following restoration. Trait analysis for terrestrial biota indicated restoration success was likely enhanced by lateral connectivity and reestablishment of dynamic processes in the floodplain. The weaker response of aquatic biota suggests recovery was hindered by the persistence of stressors in the aquatic environment, such as degraded water quality, dispersal constraints, and insufficient hydromorphological change. Therefore, river restoration requires combined local- and regional-scale approaches to maximize the response of both aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Due to the contrasting responses of aquatic and terrestrial biota, the planning and assessment of river restoration outcomes should consider effects on both components of riverine landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pilotto
- Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Jonathan D Tonkin
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, U.S.A
| | - Kathrin Januschke
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstrasse 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Armin W Lorenz
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstrasse 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Jonas Jourdan
- Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Andrea Sundermann
- Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Daniel Hering
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstrasse 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Stefan Stoll
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstrasse 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
- Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, University of Applied Sciences Trier, Post Box 1380, 55761 Birkenfeld, Germany
| | - Peter Haase
- Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstrasse 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
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12
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Fraaije RGA, Poupin C, Verhoeven JTA, Soons MB. Functional responses of aquatic and riparian vegetation to hydrogeomorphic restoration of channelized lowland streams and their valleys. J Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rob G. A. Fraaije
- Ecology & Biodiversity GroupInstitute of Environmental BiologyUtrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Claire Poupin
- Ecology & Biodiversity GroupInstitute of Environmental BiologyUtrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Jos T. A. Verhoeven
- Ecology & Biodiversity GroupInstitute of Environmental BiologyUtrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Merel B. Soons
- Ecology & Biodiversity GroupInstitute of Environmental BiologyUtrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
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13
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Maceda-Veiga A, Mac Nally R, de Sostoa A. Environmental correlates of food-chain length, mean trophic level and trophic level variance in invaded riverine fish assemblages. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 644:420-429. [PMID: 29981992 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 06/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Examining how the trophic structure of biotic assemblages is affected by human impacts, such as habitat degradation and the introduction of alien species, is important for understanding the consequences of such impacts on ecosystem functioning. We used general linear mixed models and hierarchical partitioning analyses of variance to examine for the first time the applicability of three hypotheses (ecosystem-size, productivity and disturbance) for explaining food-chain length (FCL) in invaded fish assemblages. We used Fishbase trophic level (TL) estimates for 16 native and 18 alien fish species in an extensive riverine system in north-eastern Spain (99,700 km2, 15 catchments, 530 sites). The FCL of assemblages ranged from 2.7 to 4.42. Ecosystem size-related variables (Strahler stream order, physical habitat diversity) and human-disturbance (conductivity) made the largest contribution to the explained variance in the FCL model after accounting for spatial confounding factors and collinearity among predictors. Within-assemblage TL also was positively associated with Strahler stream order, suggesting that large rivers have the highest trophic diversity. High conductivity was negatively associated with FCL, as did with the mean TL of fish assemblages. However, an inverse association was found between mean TL and Strahler stream order, possibly because the presence of fish species of high TL may be offset by larger numbers of alien species of lower TL in large rivers. Given that there may be trophic replacements among native and alien species, this inference needs to be addressed with detailed trophic studies. However, reducing water conductivity by improved wastewater treatment and better agricultural practices probably would help to conserve the fish species on the apices of aquatic food-webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Maceda-Veiga
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Institute of Research in Biodiversity, Universitat de Barcelona (IRBio-UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Ralph Mac Nally
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce 2617, ACT, Australia
| | - Adolfo de Sostoa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Institute of Research in Biodiversity, Universitat de Barcelona (IRBio-UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Lorenz AW, Haase P, Januschke K, Sundermann A, Hering D. Revisiting restored river reaches - Assessing change of aquatic and riparian communities after five years. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 613-614:1185-1195. [PMID: 28954379 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Hydromorphological restructuring of river sections, i.e. river restoration measures, often has little effects on aquatic biota, even in case of strong habitat alterations. It is often supposed that the biotic response is simply delayed as species require additional time to recolonize the newly generated habitats and to establish populations. To identify and specify the supposed lag time between restoration and biotic response, we investigated 19 restored river reaches twice in a five-year interval. The sites were restored one to ten years prior to the first sampling. We sampled three aquatic (fish, benthic invertebrates, macrophytes) and two riparian organism groups (ground beetles and riparian vegetation) and analyzed changes in assemblage composition and biotic metrics. With the exception of ground beetle assemblages, we observed no significant changes in richness and abundance metrics or metrics used for biological assessment. However, indicator taxa for near-natural habitat conditions in the riparian zone (indicators for regular inundation in plants and river bank specialists in beetles) improved significantly in the five-year interval. Contrary to general expectations in river restoration planning, we neither observed a distinct succession of aquatic communities nor a general trend towards "good ecological status" over time. Furthermore, multiple linear regression models revealed that neither the time since restoration nor the morphological status had a significant effect on the biological metrics and the assessment results. Thus, the stability of aquatic assemblages is strong, slowing down restoration effects in the aquatic zone, while riparian assemblages improve more rapidly. When defining restoration targets, the different timelines for ecological recovery after restoration should be taken into account. Furthermore, restoration measures should not solely focus on local habitat conditions but also target stressors acting on larger spatial scales and take other measures (e.g. species reintroduction) into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin W Lorenz
- University of Duisburg-Essen, Faculty of Biology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; University of Duisburg-Essen, Centre of Water and Environmental Research, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
| | - Peter Haase
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Clamecy Straße 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany; University of Duisburg-Essen, Faculty of Biology, Department of River and Floodplain Ecology, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; University of Duisburg-Essen, Centre of Water and Environmental Research, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Januschke
- University of Duisburg-Essen, Faculty of Biology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Andrea Sundermann
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Clamecy Straße 12, 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Evolution & Diversity, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Daniel Hering
- University of Duisburg-Essen, Faculty of Biology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; University of Duisburg-Essen, Centre of Water and Environmental Research, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
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15
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Belletti B, Nardi L, Rinaldi M, Poppe M, Brabec K, Bussettini M, Comiti F, Gielczewski M, Golfieri B, Hellsten S, Kail J, Marchese E, Marcinkowski P, Okruszko T, Paillex A, Schirmer M, Stelmaszczyk M, Surian N. Assessing Restoration Effects on River Hydromorphology Using the Process-based Morphological Quality Index in Eight European River Reaches. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 61:69-84. [PMID: 29150720 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-017-0961-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The Morphological Quality Index (MQI) and the Morphological Quality Index for monitoring (MQIm) have been applied to eight case studies across Europe with the objective of analyzing the hydromorphological response to various restoration measures and of comparing the results of the MQI and MQIm as a morphological assessment applied at the reach scale, with a conventional site scale physical-habitat assessment method. For each restored reach, the two indices were applied to the pre-restoration and post-restoration conditions. The restored reach was also compared to an adjacent, degraded reach. Results show that in all cases the restoration measures improved the morphological quality of the reach, but that the degree of improvement depends on many factors, including the initial morphological conditions, the length of the restored portion in relation to the reach length, and on the type of intervention. The comparison with a conventional site scale physical-habitat assessment method shows that the MQI and MQIm are best suited for the evaluation of restoration effects on river hydromorphology at the geomorphologically-relevant scale of the river reach.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Belletti
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy.
| | - L Nardi
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - M Rinaldi
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - M Poppe
- University of Natural Resources and Life Science (BOKU), Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, Vienna, Austria
| | - K Brabec
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - M Bussettini
- National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), ISPRA, Italy
| | - F Comiti
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - M Gielczewski
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
| | - B Golfieri
- Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - S Hellsten
- Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - J Kail
- University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
| | - E Marchese
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - P Marcinkowski
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
| | - T Okruszko
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
| | - A Paillex
- Aquatic Ecology Department, EAWAG, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - M Schirmer
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, EAWAG, Switzerland
| | - M Stelmaszczyk
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
| | - N Surian
- Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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16
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Bednarska AJ, Wyżga B, Mikuś P, Kędzior R. Ground beetle communities in a mountain river subjected to restoration: The Raba River, Polish Carpathians. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 610-611:1180-1192. [PMID: 28851139 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Effects of passive restoration of mountain rivers on the organisms inhabiting exposed riverine sediments are considerably less understood than those concerning aquatic biota. Thus, the effects of a recovery of the Raba River after abandonment of maintenance of its channelization scheme on ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities were investigated by comparing 6 unmanaged cross-sections and 6 cross-sections from adjacent channelized reaches. In each cross-section, ground beetles were collected from 12 sampling sites in spring, summer, and autumn, and 8 habitat parameters characterizing the cross-sections and sampling sites were determined. Within a few years after abandonment of the Raba River channelization scheme, the width of this gravel-bed river increased up to three times and its multi-thread pattern became re-established. Consequently, unmanaged river cross-sections had significantly larger channel width and more low-flow channels and eroding cutbanks than channelized cross-sections. Moreover, sampling sites in the unmanaged cross-sections were typified by significantly steeper average surface slope and larger average distance from low-flow channels than the sites in channelized cross-sections. In total, 3992 individuals from 78 taxa were collected during the study. The ground beetle assemblages were significantly more abundant and richer in species in the unmanaged than in the channelized cross-sections but no significant differences in carabid diversity indices between the two cross-section types were recorded. Redundancy Analysis indicated active river zone width as the only variable explaining differences in abundance and species richness among the cross-sections. Multiple regression analysis indicated species diversity to predominantly depend on the degree of plant cover and substrate grain size. The study showed that increased availability of exposed sediments in the widened river reaches allowed ground beetles to increase their abundance and species richness within a few years after the onset of river restoration, but more time may be needed for development of more diverse carabid communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka J Bednarska
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. A. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Bartłomiej Wyżga
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. A. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Mikuś
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. A. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Renata Kędzior
- Department of Ecology, Climatology and Air Protection, University of Agriculture, al. A. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
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17
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Thompson MSA, Brooks SJ, Sayer CD, Woodward G, Axmacher JC, Perkins DM, Gray C. Large woody debris “rewilding” rapidly restores biodiversity in riverine food webs. J Appl Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Murray S. A. Thompson
- Department of Life Sciences; Natural History Museum; London UK
- Environmental Change Research Centre (ECRC); Department of Geography; University College London; London UK
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science; Lowestoft Laboratory; Suffolk UK
| | | | - Carl D. Sayer
- Environmental Change Research Centre (ECRC); Department of Geography; University College London; London UK
| | - Guy Woodward
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot Berkshire UK
| | - Jan C. Axmacher
- Environmental Change Research Centre (ECRC); Department of Geography; University College London; London UK
| | - Daniel M. Perkins
- Department of Life Sciences; Whitelands College; University of Roehampton; London UK
| | - Clare Gray
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; Ascot Berkshire UK
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18
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Turunen J, Aroviita J, Marttila H, Louhi P, Laamanen T, Tolkkinen M, Luhta PL, Kløve B, Muotka T. Differential responses by stream and riparian biodiversity to in-stream restoration of forestry-impacted streams. J Appl Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jarno Turunen
- Finnish Environment Institute; Freshwater Centre; PO Box 413 Oulu 90014 Finland
- Department of Ecology; University of Oulu; PO Box 3000 Oulu 90014 Finland
| | - Jukka Aroviita
- Finnish Environment Institute; Freshwater Centre; PO Box 413 Oulu 90014 Finland
| | - Hannu Marttila
- Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Research Unit; University of Oulu; PO Box 4300 Oulu 90014 Finland
| | - Pauliina Louhi
- Department of Ecology; University of Oulu; PO Box 3000 Oulu 90014 Finland
- Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland; Veteraanikatu 5 Oulu 90100 Finland
| | - Tiina Laamanen
- Finnish Environment Institute; Freshwater Centre; PO Box 413 Oulu 90014 Finland
| | | | - Pirkko-Liisa Luhta
- Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland; Karhukunnaantie 2 Pudasjärvi 93100 Finland
| | - Bjørn Kløve
- Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Research Unit; University of Oulu; PO Box 4300 Oulu 90014 Finland
| | - Timo Muotka
- Department of Ecology; University of Oulu; PO Box 3000 Oulu 90014 Finland
- Finnish Environment Institute; Natural Environment Centre; PO Box 413 Oulu 90014 Finland
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19
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McGoff E, Dunn F, Cachazo LM, Williams P, Biggs J, Nicolet P, Ewald NC. Finding clean water habitats in urban landscapes: professional researcher vs citizen science approaches. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 581-582:105-116. [PMID: 28069307 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Revised: 11/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated patterns of nutrient pollution in waterbody types across Greater London. Nitrate and phosphate data were collected by both citizen scientists and professional ecologists and their results were compared. The professional survey comprised 495 randomly selected pond, lake, river, stream and ditch sites. Citizen science survey sites were self-selected and comprised 76 ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. At each site, nutrient concentrations were assessed using field chemistry kits to measure nitrate-N and phosphate-P. The professional and the citizen science datasets both showed that standing waterbodies had significantly lower average nutrient concentrations than running waters. In the professional datasets 46% of ponds and lakes had nutrient levels below the threshold at which biological impairment is likely, whereas only 3% of running waters were unimpaired by nutrients. The citizen science dataset showed the same broad pattern, but there was a trend towards selection of higher quality waterbodies with 77% standing waters and 14% of rivers and streams unimpaired. Waterbody nutrient levels in the professional dataset were broadly correlated with landuse intensity. Rivers and streams had a significantly higher proportion of urban and suburban land cover than other waterbody types. Ponds had higher percentage of semi-natural vegetation within their much smaller catchments. Relationships with land cover and water quality were less apparent in the citizen-collected dataset probably because the areas visited by citizens were less representative of the landscape as whole. The results suggest that standing waterbodies, especially ponds, may represent an important clean water resource within urban areas. Small waterbodies, including ponds, small lakes<50ha and ditches, are rarely part of the statutory water quality monitoring programmes and are frequently overlooked. Citizen scientist data have the potential to partly fill this gap if they are co-ordinated to reduce bias in the type and location of the waterbodies selected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine McGoff
- Freshwater Habitats Trust, Bury Knowle House, North Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY, UK
| | - Francesca Dunn
- Freshwater Habitats Trust, Bury Knowle House, North Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY, UK
| | - Luis Moliner Cachazo
- Freshwater Habitats Trust, Bury Knowle House, North Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY, UK
| | - Penny Williams
- Freshwater Habitats Trust, Bury Knowle House, North Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY, UK.
| | - Jeremy Biggs
- Freshwater Habitats Trust, Bury Knowle House, North Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY, UK
| | - Pascale Nicolet
- Freshwater Habitats Trust, Bury Knowle House, North Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY, UK
| | - Naomi C Ewald
- Freshwater Habitats Trust, Bury Knowle House, North Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY, UK
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20
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A Long-Term Study of Ecological Impacts of River Channelization on the Population of an Endangered Fish: Lessons Learned for Assessment and Restoration. WATER 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/w8060240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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21
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Turunen J, Muotka T, Vuori KM, Karjalainen SM, Rääpysjärvi J, Sutela T, Aroviita J. Disentangling the responses of boreal stream assemblages to low stressor levels of diffuse pollution and altered channel morphology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 544:954-962. [PMID: 26706766 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/06/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Non-point diffuse pollution from land use and alteration of hydromorphology are among the most detrimental stressors to stream ecosystems. We explored the independent and interactive effects of morphological channel alteration (channelization for water transport of timber) and diffuse pollution on species richness and community structure of four organism groups in boreal streams: diatoms, macrophytes, macroinvertebrates, and fish. Furthermore, the effect of these stressors on stream condition was evaluated by Ecological Quality Ratios (EQR) from the national Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessment system. We grouped 91 study sites into four groups that were impacted by either diffuse pollution or hydromorphological alteration, by both stressors, or by neither one. Macroinvertebrate richness was reduced by diffuse pollution, whereas other biological groups were unaltered. Hydromorphological modification had no effect on taxon richness of any of the assemblages. Community structure of all groups was significantly affected by diffuse pollution but not by hydromorphology. Similarly, EQRs indicated negative response by diatoms, macroinvertebrates and fish to diffuse pollution, but not to hydromorphological alteration. Agricultural diffuse pollution thus affected species identities and abundances rather than taxonomic richness. Our results suggest that channelization of boreal streams for timber transport has not altered hydromorphological conditions sufficiently to have a strong impact on stream biota, whereas even moderate nutrient enrichment may be ecologically harmful. Controlling diffuse pollution and associated land use stressors should be prioritized over restoration of in-stream habitat structure to improve the ecological condition of boreal streams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarno Turunen
- Finnish Environment Institute, Freshwater Centre, PO Box 413, 90014 Oulu, Finland; Department of Ecology, PO Box 3000, 90014, University of Oulu, Finland.
| | - Timo Muotka
- Department of Ecology, PO Box 3000, 90014, University of Oulu, Finland; Finnish Environment Institute, Natural Environment Centre, PO Box 413, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Kari-Matti Vuori
- Finnish Environment Institute, Laboratory Centre, PO Box 35, 40014, University of Jyväskylä, Finland; Lappeenranta University of Technology, PO Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland
| | | | - Jaana Rääpysjärvi
- Finnish Environment Institute, Freshwater Centre, PO Box 413, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Tapio Sutela
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, PO Box 413, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Jukka Aroviita
- Finnish Environment Institute, Freshwater Centre, PO Box 413, 90014 Oulu, Finland
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22
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Friberg N, Angelopoulos N, Buijse A, Cowx I, Kail J, Moe T, Moir H, O’Hare M, Verdonschot P, Wolter C. Effective River Restoration in the 21st Century. ADV ECOL RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2016.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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