Influences of travertine dam formation on leaf litter decomposition and algal accrual

At the time of this study Fossil Creek was being considered as a site for the restoration of a native fish assemblage, however there was concern amongst fisheries managers about the stream being food limited due to calcium carbonate (travertine) deposition. To evaluate the effects of travertine deposition on the aquatic food base we used leaf litterbags to compare decomposition rates and nutrient diffusing artificial substrates to compare algal accrual rates and nutrient limitation between two distinct reaches in Fossil creek: a travertine dam forming reach and a reach without travertine dam formation (riffle-pool reach). Decomposition was significantly faster in the travertine dam forming reach than in the riffle-pool reach. Macroinvertebrates in the leaf packs were more diverse in the travertine reach but more abundant in the riffle-pool reach. Algae accrued more quickly in the travertine reach than in the riffle-pool reach and only responded to nutrient enrichment in the travertine reach. This study was conducted prior to a hydroelectric dam decommissioning project in Fossil Creek where full flows were reintroduced back into the stream after a century of diversion. Our results suggest concurrent increases in algal productivity, decomposition, and macroinvertebrate diversity in the next decade as travertine dams rebuild, providing a richer food base for fish and other aquatic organisms. Electronic supplementary material Electronic supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users. Handling editor: K. Martens     

Community–habitat relationships in coastal streams in Big Sur, California, USA: travertine influences macroinvertebrate abundance and community structure

Travertine deposition occurs in streams worldwide but its effects on stream communities are poorly understood. I sampled benthic macroinvertebrates, periphyton, and reach-scale environmental variables in coastal streams in Big Sur, central California, USA, to determine the specific effects of travertine that occurred at some sites as well as to provide a broader assessment of community–habitat relationships. Total density and biomass of macroinvertebrates varied 6- and 9-fold across sites, respectively, and chlorophyll a concentrations varied 10-fold, but invertebrate and periphyton abundances were not correlated. Baetis tricaudatus (Ephemeroptera), Simuliidae (Diptera), and Chironomidae (Diptera) dominated macroinvertebrate communities across all sites, although differences in the relative abundances of these and other taxa produced moderate variation in community structure among sites (Bray-Curtis similarity coefficients of 47–84). Variation in community structure was related to a number of habitat features, notably travertine but also including variables reflecting channel morphology, flow, substrate size, and riparian tree type. Median density and biomass of macroinvertebrates were more than twice as high at sites without travertine than sites with travertine. Taxa richness also was higher at sites without travertine, and community structure differed moderately between sites with and without travertine, although there were no particular assemblages associated with either group. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis of similarities in community structure appeared to separate sites with either travertine or high fines from sites without those conditions. These results demonstrate that travertine can have strong effects on stream communities, and additional studies are needed to identify the full range of effects on ecosystems and to evaluate the potential consequences of travertine for conservation efforts such as biomonitoring programs and threatened species management. Handling editor: R. Bailey     

Interacting Effects of Discharge and Channel Morphology on Transport of Semibuoyant Fish Eggs in Large,Altered River Systems

Habitat fragmentation and flow regulation are significant factors related to the decline and extinction of freshwater biota. Pelagic-broadcast spawning cyprinids require moving water and some length of unfragmented stream to complete their life cycle. However, it is unknown how discharge and habitat features interact at multiple spatial scales to alter the transport of semi-buoyant fish eggs. Our objective was to assess the relationship between downstream drift of semi-buoyant egg surrogates (gellan beads) and discharge and habitat complexity. We quantified transport time of a known quantity of beads using 2–3 sampling devices at each of seven locations on the North Canadian and Canadian rivers. Transport time was assessed based on median capture time (time at which 50% of beads were captured) and sampling period (time period when 2.5% and 97.5% of beads were captured). Habitat complexity was assessed by calculating width∶depth ratios at each site, and several habitat metrics determined using analyses of aerial photographs. Median time of egg capture was negatively correlated to site discharge. The temporal extent of the sampling period at each site was negatively correlated to both site discharge and habitat-patch dispersion. Our results highlight the role of discharge in driving transport times, but also indicate that higher dispersion of habitat patches relates to increased retention of beads within the river. These results could be used to target restoration activities or prioritize water use to create and maintain habitat complexity within large, fragmented river systems.     

Modeling the effects of lowland stream restoration projects on stream–subsurface water exchange

The relative effect of individual elements of restoration projects on stream–subsurface water exchange was studied by identifying elements that were most effective in increasing downwelling stream water (DSW) into subsurface environments using groundwater flow modeling. Several restoration projects studied in lowland streams involved riffle-pool construction, lateral gravel bar construction and channel re-meandering. Simulations using a homogeneous field of mean hydraulic conductivity that removed heterogeneity showed a large decline in DSW in the four restoration projects studied, suggesting that use of coarse sediments in construction initially increases stream–subsurface water exchange, but the effects may not persist in streams where fine sediments clog streambeds. In two riffle-pool construction projects studied, modification of the channel gradient showed a greater effect on DSW than the alteration of substrate texture. In the gravel bar construction site, modeling results indicated that the construction of a riffle-pool sequence along the bar had a greater effect than the construction of the gravel bar itself. In contrast in the channel re-meandering site, the combination of a greater sinuosity and a lower hydraulic head along the small riffles resulted in re-meandering having a greater effect than the associated riffle-pool construction. A simulation in which the floodplain sediments of low saturated hydraulic conductivity at the re-meandered site were replaced with sandy gravels increased DSW by 10 times. This modeling suggests that the addition of coarse sediments in combination with re-meandering would be required to significantly enhance stream–subsurface water exchange in reaches with fine-grained floodplain sediments. Designing the size and type of morphologic features constructed in restoration projects is somewhat flexible, and the use of modeling to simulate stream–groundwater interactions may help to enhance the hydrologic link with a stream and the subsurface environment in restored stream reaches.     

Identifying indicators and quantifying large-scale effects of dams on fishes

Although localized effects of individual dams on stream fish assemblages have been relatively well-studied, less is known about the effects of multiple dams within a stream network on fishes and the patterns that emerge when the combined effects of individual and multiple dams are viewed across entire river basins, ecoregions, and states. This study evaluated multiple stream network fragmentation metrics representing localized (e.g., distance-to-dams) and cumulative (e.g., total upstream reservoir storage) dam influences on streams in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, developing an approach for identifying suitable fish indicators of dam effects. We used change point and correlation analyses to determine associations of stream fish catch per unit effort and various stream network fragmentation metrics with data from more than 2000 fish survey sites stratified by stream size, thermal regime, and ecoregion. Of the identified indicator species, predominantly warmwater, large river, and/or lentic species were positively associated with stream network fragmentation, whereas cold and coolwater lotic species were negatively associated with fragmentation. These results suggest a combination of downstream thermal effects and upstream influences from impoundments generated by dams. Variance partitioning analyses based on identified indicator species revealed greater upstream-dominated dam influences in headwaters than mid-sized streams, and a greater relative influence of dams vs. other non-dam anthropogenic influences in cold streams than warm streams. Overall, a combination of localized and cumulative fragmentation metrics, as well as upstream and downstream-oriented measures, were influential in indicator species responses, emphasizing the importance of selecting a diversity of fragmentation metrics when assessing effects of dams on stream fishes. Understanding multiple dam influences on stream fishes, including localized effects from individual dams and cumulative effects from all dams within a river basin, would provide useful information for a variety of management activities, including dam operation and dam removal prioritization. Dams significantly affect conservation and management options for stream fishes, with identification of multi-scale dam influences on fishes being critical to restoration and maintenance of aquatic biodiversity throughout the world.     

Estimation of transport distance of fine particulate organic matter in relation to channel morphology in tailwaters of the Lake Biwa and reservoir dams

Knowledge on transport and deposition of fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) from reservoir dams is increasingly required for habitat management and restoration of dam tailwater ecosystems. Variations in the transport distance of FPOM, however, have never been studied well, particularly in relation to channel morphology, due to channel size restrictions of artificial tracers such as corn pollen when applied to larger river channels. This study aims to show the relations between FPOM retention efficiency and channel morphology in dam tailwaters using lentic plankters as tracers. We estimated the mean transport distance, S _p, by calculating downstream reduction ratios of lentic tracer plankters and calculated the deposition velocity, v _dep. Suspended FPOM samples were collected in tailwaters of two river channels below reservoir dams and two artificial canals below Lake Biwa in the Yodo River system. The longest S _p (19.2 km) and the shortest one (2.2 km) were recorded in the deep canal and shallow canal, respectively, showing a positive correlation with channel hydraulic radius. The values of v _dep were 4.7–6.4 times higher in river channels than in artificial canals. These results indicate that increasing complexity of bed morphology can minimize S _p, whereas bed degradation and armored bed materials may lead to increased S _p. Advantages of lentic plankters as tracers for estimating distance ranges of reservoir dam impact on river ecosystems are also discussed.     

Hyporheic zone hydrology and nitrogen dynamics in relation to the streambed topography of a N-rich stream

The influence of riffle-pool units on hyporheic zone hydrology and nitrogen dynamics was investigated in Brougham Creek, a N-rich agricultural stream in Ontario, Canada. Subsurface hydraulic gradients, differences in background stream and groundwater concentrations of conservative ions, and the movement of a bromide tracer indicated the downwelling of stream water at the head of riffles and upwelling in riffle-pool transitions under base flow conditions. Channel water also flowed laterally into the floodplain at the upstream end of riffles and followed a subsurface concentric flow path for distances of up to 20 m before returning to the stream at the transition from riffles to pools. Differences in observed vs predicted concentrations based on background chloride patterns indicated that the hyporheic zone was a sink for nitrate and a source for ammonium. The removal of nitrate in the streambed was confirmed by the loss of nitrate in relation to co-injected bromide in areas of downwelling stream water in two riffles. Average stream water nitrate-N concentrations of 1.0 mg/L were often depleted to <0.005 mg/L near the sediment-water interface. Consequently, an extensive volume of the hyporheic zone in the streambed and floodplain had a large unused potential for nitrate removal. Conceptual models based mainly on studies of streams with low nutrient concentrations have emphasized the extent of surface-subsurface exchanges and water residence times in the hyporheic zone as important controls on stream nutrient retention. In contrast, we suggest that nitrate retention in N-rich streams is influenced more by the size of surface water storage zones which increase the residence time of channel water in contact with the major sites of rapid nitrate depletion adjacent to the sediment-water interface.     

Short-term responses of decomposers to flow restoration in Fossil Creek,Arizona, USA

Dam decommissioning projects, although numerous, rarely include complete sets of data before and after restoration for evaluating the ecological consequences of such projects. In this study, we used a before-after control-impact (BACI) design to assess changes in leaf litter decomposition and associated macroinvertebrate and fungal decomposers following dam decommissioning in Fossil Creek, Arizona, USA. Leaf litterbags were deployed in a relatively pristine site above the dam and a highly disturbed site below the dam where over 95% of the flow was previously diverted for hydropower generation. Leaf litter decomposition was significantly slower below the dam both measurement years (pre- and post-restoration) with no site-year interaction, indicating that decomposition in this stream section was not affected by increased flow. In contrast, both macroinvertebrates and fungi differed significantly above and below the dam prior to restoration but were similar post-restoration, supporting the concept that decomposer communities can quickly rebound following reintroduction of full flow. Our results indicate that some aquatic ecosystem variables can return to a more natural state following ecological restoration activities such as water flow restoration. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Handling editor: S. Stendera     

Importance of low-flow and high-flow characteristics to restoration of riparian vegetation along rivers in arid south-western United States

1. Riparian vegetation in dry regions is influenced by low‐flow and high‐flow components of the surface and groundwater flow regimes. The duration of no‐flow periods in the surface stream controls vegetation structure along the low‐flow channel, while depth, magnitude and rate of groundwater decline influence phreatophytic vegetation in the floodplain. Flood flows influence vegetation along channels and floodplains by increasing water availability and by creating ecosystem disturbance. 2. On reference rivers in Arizona's Sonoran Desert region, the combination of perennial stream flows, shallow groundwater in the riparian (stream) aquifer, and frequent flooding results in high plant species diversity and landscape heterogeneity and an abundance of pioneer wetland plant species in the floodplain. Vegetation changes on hydrologically altered river reaches are varied, given the great extent of flow regime changes ranging from stream and aquifer dewatering on reaches affected by stream diversion and groundwater pumping to altered timing, frequency, and magnitude of flood flows on reaches downstream of flow‐regulating dams. 3. As stream flows become more intermittent, diversity and cover of herbaceous species along the low‐flow channel decline. As groundwater deepens, diversity of riparian plant species (particularly perennial species) and landscape patches are reduced and species composition in the floodplain shifts from wetland pioneer trees (Populus, Salix) to more drought‐tolerant shrub species including Tamarix (introduced) and Bebbia. 4. On impounded rivers, changes in flood timing can simplify landscape patch structure and shift species composition from mixed forests composed of Populus and Salix, which have narrow regeneration windows, to the more reproductively opportunistic Tamarix. If flows are not diverted, suppression of flooding can result in increased density of riparian vegetation, leading in some cases to very high abundance of Tamarix patches. Coarsening of sediments in river reaches below dams, associated with sediment retention in reservoirs, contributes to reduced cover and richness of herbaceous vegetation by reducing water and nutrient‐holding capacity of soils. 5. These changes have implications for river restoration. They suggest that patch diversity, riparian plant species diversity, and abundance of flood‐dependent wetland tree species such as Populus and Salix can be increased by restoring fluvial dynamics on flood‐suppressed rivers and by increasing water availability in rivers subject to water diversion or withdrawal. On impounded rivers, restoration of plant species diversity also may hinge on restoration of sediment transport. 6. Determining the causes of vegetation change is critical for determining riparian restoration strategies. Of the many riparian restoration efforts underway in south‐western United States, some focus on re‐establishing hydrogeomorphic processes by restoring appropriate flows of surface water, groundwater and sediment, while many others focus on manipulating vegetation structure by planting trees (e.g. Populus) or removing trees (e.g. Tamarix). The latter approaches, in and of themselves, may not yield desired restoration outcomes if the tree species are indicators, rather than prime causes, of underlying changes in the physical environment.     

Leaf litter breakdown in a Mediterranean stream characterised by travertine precipitation

1. Breakdown of four leaf species ( Platanus orientalis , Populus nigra , Salix atrocinerea , Rubus ulmifolius ) was studied in a Mediterranean second-order stream characterised by abundant travertine precipitation, a history of fire in its catchment, and a recently revegetated alluvial corridor.
2. Compared to breakdown rates reported in the literature for congeneric species, breakdown of the four species was slow (k = 0.0024–0.0069 day⁻¹ for the tree species, and 0.0103 and 0.0111 day⁻¹ for Rubus ), in spite of high water temperatures, indicating that the travertine layer that quickly covered submerged leaves impeded decomposer activity and physical fragmentation losses.
3. Breakdown rates nevertheless differed between leaf species in a predictable manner, suggesting that the observed mass loss was largely due to biological processes.
4. The observed tendency towards increasing leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations during breakdown suggests that microorganisms were actively involved in leaf breakdown; however, this interpretation must be viewed with caution because of potentially confounding effects by nutrients contained in the travertine layer.
5. Leaf breakdown of the three indigenous species was faster than that of the exotic species P. orientalis . Due to the recalcitrance of its leaves, the frequent use of Platanus in revegetation schemes following the destruction of indigenous vegetation by fire, exacerbates the negative effect of travertine precipitation on leaf breakdown and, by extension, energy flow in Mediterranean karst streams.     

Characterization of hydraulic habitat and retention across different channel types; introducing a new field-based technique

Understanding the interactions between physical habitat and aquatic biodiversity has become a key research objective in river management. River research and management practitioners are increasingly seeking new methodologies and techniques for characterizing physical habitat heterogeneity. The physical biotope has been widely employed as the standard mesoscale unit in river surveys. However, few surveys have quantified the combined physical heterogeneity at the meso- and microscale scale via a single technique. This paper describes a new field methodology for assessing variations in hydraulic habitat and retention across different channel types (e.g. step-pool, bedrock, plane-bed and pool-riffle). Hydraulic habitat and retention was measured by timing 100 flow tracers across a 100-m stream length, and recording the types of trapping structures. The pattern of flow tracers and retention varied significantly between channel types and structures. Rocks (boulders and cobbles) were more important retentive structures than eddies and snags (woody material and vegetation). The results indicate the importance of a diverse hydraulic environment, woody material and channel substrate character in increasing physical heterogeneity within a stream reach. The findings suggest that the field methodology may be an effective tool to assess differences in physical heterogeneity pre and post river restoration activities.     

Evaluation of nutrient retention in four restored Danish riparian wetlands

During the last 15–20 years, re-establishment of freshwater riparian wetlands and remeandering of streams and rivers have been used as a tool to mitigate nutrient load in downstream recipients in Denmark. The results obtained on monitoring four different streams and wetland restoration projects are compared with respect to hydrology, i.e. flow pattern and discharge of ground or surface water, retention of phosphorus (P), and removal of nitrogen (N). Furthermore, the monitoring strategies applied for quantifying the post-restoration nutrient retention are evaluated. The four wetland restoration projects are the Brede River restoration (including river valley groundwater flow, remeandering and inundation), Lyngbygaards River restoration (groundwater flow, irrigation with drainage water, inundation with river water and remeandering), Egeskov fen (fen re-establishment and stream remeandering) and Egebjerg Meadows (fen restoration and hydrological reconnection to Store Hansted River). Retention of phosphorus varied between 0.13 and 10 kg P ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, while the removal of nitrogen varied between 52 and 337 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. The monitoring strategy chosen was not optimal at all sites and would have benefitted from a knowledge on local hydrology and water balances in the area to be restored before planning for the final monitoring design. Furthermore, the outcome concerning P retention would have benefitted from a more frequent sampling strategy.     

Effects of Flow Restoration and Exotic Species Removal on Recovery of Native Fish: Lessons from a Dam Decommissioning

Flow diversion and invasive species are two major threats to freshwater ecosystems, threats that restoration efforts attempt to redress. Yet, few restoration projects monitor whether removal of these threats improve target characteristics of the ecosystem. Fewer still have an appropriate experimental design from which causal inferences can be drawn as to the relative merits of removing exotic fish, restoring flow, or both. We used a dam decommissioning in Fossil Creek, Arizona, to compare responses of native fish to exotic fish removal and flow restoration, using a before‐after‐control‐impact design with three impact treatments: flow restoration alone where exotics had not been present, flow restoration and exotic fish removal, and flow restoration where exotics remain and a control reach that was unaffected by restoration actions. We show that removal of exotic fish dramatically increased native fish abundance. Flow restoration also increased native fish abundance, but the effect was smaller than that from removing exotics. Flow restoration had no effect where exotic fish remained, although it may have had other benefits to the ecosystem. The cost to restore flow ($12 million) was considerably higher than that to eradicate exotics ($1.1 million). The long‐term influence of flow restoration could increase, as travertine dams grow and re‐shape the creek increasing habitat for native fish. But in the 2‐year period considered here, the return on investment for extirpating exotics far exceeded that from flow restoration. Projects aimed to restore native fish by restoring flow should also consider the additional investment required to eradicate exotic fish.     

Influence of damming on anuran species richness in riparian areas: A test of the serial discontinuity concept

Almost all large rivers worldwide are fragmented by dams, and their impacts have been modeled using the serial discontinuity concept (SDC), a series of predictions regarding responses of key biotic and abiotic variables. We evaluated the effects of damming on anuran communities along a 245‐km river corridor by conducting repeated, time‐constrained anuran calling surveys at 42 locations along the Broad and Pacolet Rivers in South Carolina, USA. Using a hierarchical Bayesian analysis, we test the biodiversity prediction of the SDC (modified for floodplain rivers) by evaluating anuran occupancy and species diversity relative to dams and degree of urbanized land use. The mean response of the anuran community indicated that occupancy and species richness were maximized when sites were farther downstream from dams. Sites at the farthest distances downstream of dams (47.5 km) had an estimated ~3 more species than those just below dams. Similarly, species‐specific occupancy estimates showed a trend of higher occupancy downstream from dams. Therefore, using empirical estimation within the context of a 245‐km river riparian landscape, our study supports SDC predictions for a meandering river. We demonstrate that with increasing distance downstream from dams, riparian anuran communities have higher species richness. Reduced species richness immediately downstream of dams is likely driven by alterations in flow regime that reduce or eliminate flows which sustain riparian wetlands that serve as anuran breeding habitat. Therefore, to maintain anuran biodiversity, we suggest that flow regulation should be managed to ensure water releases inundate riparian wetlands during amphibian breeding seasons and aseasonal releases, which can displace adults, larvae, and eggs, are avoided. These outcomes could be achieved by emulating pre‐dam seasonal discharge data, mirroring discharge of an undammed tributary within the focal watershed, or by basing real‐time flow releases on current environmental conditions.     

Potential effects of leaf litter on water quality in urban watersheds

Leaf litter plays a critical role in regulating ecological functions in headwater forest streams, whereas the effects of leaves on water quality in urbanized streams are not fully understood. This study examined the potential importance of leaf litter for the release and transformations of organic carbon and nutrients in urban streams, and compared the effects with other types of natural organic substrates (periphyton and stream sediment). Nutrients and organic carbon were leached from senescent leaves of 6 tree species in the laboratory with deionized water, and maximal releases, leaching rate constants, composition and bioavailability of the leached dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were determined. Stream substrates (leaf debris, rocks with periphyton, and sediment) were seasonally collected from urban and forest reference streams of the NSF Baltimore Long-term Ecological Research Site and incubated with overlying stream water to estimate areal fluxes of DOC and nitrogen. Leaf litter leaching showed large ranges in maximal releases of DOC (7.0–131 mg g^?1), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON; 0.07–1.39 mg g^?1) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP; 0.14–0.70 mg g^?1) among tree species. DOC leaching rate constants, carbon to nitrogen ratios, and DOC bioavailability were all correlated with organic matter quality indicated by fluorescence spectroscopy. Results from substrate incubation experiments showed far higher DOC and DON release and nitrate retention with leaf debris than with sediment, or rocks with periphyton. DOC release from leaf debris was positively correlated with stream nitrate retention at residential and urban sites, with the highest values observed during the fall and lowest during the summer. This study suggests the potential importance of leaf litter quantity and quality on fostering DOC and nutrient release and transformations in urban streams. It also suggests that species-specific impacts of leaves should be considered in riparian buffer and stream restoration strategies.     

Assessing Habitat Suitability for Juvenile Atlantic Salmon in Relation to In‐Stream Restoration and Discharge Variability

In‐stream restoration often aims at increasing the availability of the stream habitat suitable for salmonid fishes, thus creating potential for increased fish abundance. We assessed the success of in‐stream restoration of River Kiiminkijoki, northern Finland, by combining River2D habitat hydraulic modeling and fish density monitoring at the same sites, with data from multiple restored and reference reaches for 3 years both before and after restoration. We modeled the effects of restoration on the area suitable (weighted usable area, WUA) for juvenile Atlantic salmon from post‐hatching to age‐1 fish. Wetted width in the restored reaches increased by 8.1% on average compared with only ?0.2% change in the reference reaches. Habitat time series across 10 years showed significant increases in the amount of suitable habitat under summer conditions for both age‐0 and age‐1 salmon. However, improvement of overwintering habitats was marginal or nonexistent. Densities of age‐1 salmon showed no response to restoration. Low river discharge during the winter was correlated with low salmon densities the following summer. It thus appears that variability in wintertime discharge, and associated high interannual variation of WUA values, overrode the almost 20% increase in average post‐ versus pre‐restoration summertime WUA. Our study shows that the combination of hydraulic modeling and biological monitoring is a promising approach to stream restoration assessment.     

筑坝河流磷素的迁移转化及其富营养化特征

人类活动过量营养物质输入是导致河流富营养化的主要原因,而河道过度的人为调控则进一步复杂化了河流的营养状态变化。闸坝是河流人为调控的重要工程措施之一,提高水资源利用效率的同时严重干扰了河流自然的生物地球化学循环,产生诸多负面生态环境效应。磷素的迁移转化对河流的营养限制作用受到越来越多的关注,国内外已有研究在筑坝河流磷的富营养化特征方面,已经取得了较为深刻的认识:水库闸坝建设滞留大量磷素,导致河流水体磷含量升高、营养物质比例变化,沉积物储存过量磷素形成的内源释放威胁,以及进一步浮游植物和有害藻类的生长响应等,使得筑坝河流的富营养化生态风险升高;在此基础上,也提出了根据降雨分配和闸控库区储水,合理设置闸坝泄流方式,以改善筑坝河流富营养化生态风险的重要管理思路。对于闸坝调控作用与水体富营养化的定量关系还有待进一步的探讨,而且随着河流资源开发和人为调控力度的增强,河流闸坝建设所产生的系列生态环境问题日益严峻,对此提出还需要系统研究的方向:闸坝调控作用下河流磷素的富营养化机制及其与氮、碳等元素的耦合作用,筑坝河流沉积物内源污染的综合管理,以及闸控景观河流的生态建设和修复等。     

Changes in mechanisms of summer detritus processing between wooded and agricultural sites in a Michigan headwater stream

The mechanisms of leaf decay, leaf-associated macroinvertebrate community structure, leaf-associated microbial activity and physicochemical stream characteristics were investigated on a mid-Michigan headwater stream in summer. An undisturbed wooded site was compared with two agriculturally perturbed sites. Discharge, total suspended particulates, and nutrients were all higher and more variable throughout the season within the agricultural reaches. Leaf decay rates were higher at the agricultural sites and results suggest discharge abrasion was the major leaf processing mechanism at these sites while microbial decay and macroinvertebrate shredding appear to be the primary mediators of leaf weight loss at the wooded site. Total macroinvertebrate densities on leaf packs at the agricultural sites were 1.9 times the densities at the wooded site. It is suggested that experimentally introduced leaf packs acted as a lure for net-spinning invertebrates limited by stable substratum at the agricultural sites. Species shifts were observed from wooded reaches where Pychnopsyche spp., Gammarus, Ephemeroptera, Bezzia, and Nigronia serricornis were important, to downstream agricultural reaches which were dominated by Cheumatopsyche, Chironomidae, Elmidae, Hydracarina, Hemerodromia, and Caecidotea.     

Impact of highway construction on leaf processing in aquatic habitats of eastern Tennessee

Rates of leaf litter processing at eight sites were used in conjunction with other methods to evaluate the impact of highway construction on aquatic habitats. Monthly processing of white oak leaves from four different mesh size bags at unimpacted reference sites indicated that the three larger mesh sizes were useful for comparing sites, as they did not restrict invertebrate colonization and provided similar rates of processing within sites. Small mesh size (0.12 mm) prevented leaf shredding macroinvertebrates from colonizing bags, and caused significantly slower leaf processing in a riffle.Leaf processing was fastest in a reference riffle above an area of highway construction but was significantly slower in the reference pool due to low current velocity and the absence of shredders. Leaf processing in a riffle below the highway was slower than the reference riffle, and the number of shredders was reduced. Removal of streamside vegetation during highway construction caused increased stream temperatures and reduced the amount of natural leaf accumulations, thereby reducing shredder habitat. At other sites highway construction caused less of an impact than preexisting environmental influences. Leaf processing in an riffle of a lower pH stream was significantly slower than in the reference riffle. Shredders were absent from the low pH stream, and rates of leaf processing in the acid impacted riffle and pool were similar to those of the reference pool. Comparisons of the low pH stream with the reference stream indicated that physical processes were less important than biological processes of leaf decay. Leaf processing in ponds was similar to that of stream pools. Processing was faster in a small versus large pond, and a high density of invertebrates was associated with leaf bags in the small pond after one year.     

Changes in habitat structure, benthic invertebrate diversity, trout populations and ecosystem processes in restored forest streams: a boreal perspective

1. Most Finnish streams were channelised during the 19th and 20th century to facilitate timber floating. By the late 1970s, extensive programmes were initiated to restore these degraded streams. The responses of fish populations to restoration have been little studied, however, and monitoring of other stream biota has been negligible. In this paper, we review results from a set of studies on the effects of stream restoration on habitat structure, brown trout populations, benthic macroinvertebrates and leaf retention. 2. In general, restoration greatly increased stream bed heterogeneity. The cover of mosses in channelised streams was close to that of unmodified reference sites, but after restoration moss cover declined to one‐tenth of the pre‐restoration value. 3. In one stream, densities of age‐0 trout were slightly lower after restoration, but the difference to an unmodified reference stream was non‐significant, indicating no effect of restoration. In another stream, trout density increased after restoration, indicating a weakly positive response. The overall weak response of trout to habitat manipulations probably relates to the fact that restoration did not increase the amount of pools, a key winter habitat for salmonids. 4. Benthic invertebrate community composition was more variable in streams restored 4–6 years before sampling than in unmodified reference streams or streams restored 8 years before sampling. Channelised streams supported a distinctive set of indicator species, most of which were filter‐feeders or scrapers, while most of the indicators in streams restored 8 years before sampling were shredders. 5. Leaf retentiveness in reference streams was high, with 60–70% of experimentally released leaves being retained within 50 m. Channelised streams were poorly retentive (c. 10% of leaves retained), and the increase in retention following restoration was modest (+14% on average). Aquatic mosses were a key retentive feature in both channelised and natural streams, but their cover was drastically reduced through restoration. 6. Mitigation of the detrimental impacts of forestry (e.g. removal of mature riparian forests) is a major challenge to the management of boreal streams. This goal cannot be achieved by focusing efforts only on restoration of physical structures in stream channels, but also requires conservation and ecologically sound management of riparian forests.