雅鲁藏布江河岸植物物种丰富度分布格局及其环境解释

沿环境梯度物种多样性的分布格局及其环境影响因子的研究是生态学研究的重点内容之一。雅鲁藏布江是我国海拔最高的大河, 目前还没有针对其流域的河岸植物群落物种丰富度分布格局的系统研究。作者沿海拔梯度从雅鲁藏布江上游源头区至下游共设置了15个海拔样带, 在每个海拔样带随机取6个5 m×5 m样方, 共对90个样方的河岸植物群落物种组成和植被类型进行了调查, 共记录到238种维管束植物。DCA排序结果表明物种组成变化主要受海拔和经度控制。CCA排序区分出5种大的植被类型, 即高寒草甸或高寒草原、高山草原、两种亚高山灌丛草原和林缘灌丛植被。各植被类型的分布和变化主要受海拔和经度影响。雅鲁藏布江河岸植物物种丰富度沿海拔和经度梯度呈浅“U”形分布格局, 物种丰富度与年均降水量和植被盖度成显著正相关。     

Plant species richness in ephemeral and perennial reaches of a dryland river

Ephemeral reaches are common along desert rivers but are less well studied than those with perennial stream flow. This study contrasted riparian plant species richness and composition (extant vegetation and soil seed bank) between stream reaches with different low-flow conditions (perennial vs. ephemeral flow) but similar flood patterns and similar watershed-derived species pools. Data were collected at Cienega Creek (Arizona, USA) over a 2 year period spanning drought conditions and wetter conditions. Consistent with expectations relating to water limitation effects on diversity, species richness in the riparian zone was lower at ephemeral-flow sites during a season with minimal precipitation and no overbank flooding; under these conditions, the more permanent water sources of the perennial-flow sites sustain the larger number of species. During seasons with greater precipitation and elevated stream flows, in contrast, species richness at ephemeral-flow sites increased to levels at or slightly above those of perennial-flow sites. For values pooled across two wet seasons of a calendar year, year-round richness was greater at the two ephemeral-flow sites (total of 92 vascular plant species) than at the two perennial-flow sites (68 species). This greater year-round richness was a combination of multiple factors: greater light, space, and bare ground, a diverse soil seed bank (with the seed banks equally species-rich among hydrologic types), and moderately abundant precipitation and flooding sufficient to stimulate establishment of opportunistic species (mainly annuals) during the bimodal wet seasons. These results indicate that long-term patterns of site water availability, by influencing woody plant cover, mediate the diversity response to episodic water pulses in dryland rivers. The results also have implications for riparian conservation efforts, which to date have focused primarily on perennial stream reaches: ephemeral reaches of spatially intermittent rivers harbor many riparian plant species, and warrant conservation efforts, as well.     

Projected changes in plant species richness and extent of riparian vegetation belts as a result of climate‐driven hydrological change along the Vindel River in Sweden

1. Riparian plant communities are primarily structured by the hydrological regime of the stream. Models of climate change predict increased temperatures and changed patterns of precipitation that will alter the flow of rivers and streams with consequences for riparian communities. In boreal regions of Europe, stream flows will exhibit earlier spring‐flood peaks of lower magnitude, lower summer flows and higher flows in autumn and winter. We quantified the effects of predicted hydrological change on riparian plant species richness, using four different scenarios for the free‐flowing Vindel River in northern Sweden. 2. We calculated the hydrological niche of vegetation belts by relating the occurrence of species and vegetation belts to data on flood duration for 10 years preceding the vegetation survey. We then used the flood duration predicted for 2071–2100 to estimate expected changes in the extent of each vegetation belt. Using species accumulation curves, we then predicted changes in plant species richness as a result of changes in extent. 3. The two most species‐rich vegetation belts, riparian forest and willow shrub, were predicted to decrease most in elevational extent, up to 39 and 32%, respectively. The graminoid belt below the shrub belt will mainly shift upwards in elevation while the amphibious vegetation belt at the bottom of the riparian zone increases in size. 4. In the Vindel River, the riparian forest and willow shrub zone will lose most species, with reductions of 5–12% and 1–13% per site, respectively, depending on the scenario. The predicted loss from the entire riparian zone is lower, 1–9%, since many species occur in more than one vegetation belt. More extensive species losses are expected in the southern boreal zone for which much larger spring‐flood reductions are projected. 5. With an expected reduction in area of the most species‐rich belts, it becomes increasingly important to manage and protect riparian zones to alleviate other threats, thus minimising the risk of species losses. Restoring river and stream reaches degraded by other impacts to gain riparian habitat is another option to avoid species losses.     

三江并流地区干旱河谷植物物种多样性海拔梯度格局比较

在滇西北三江并流地区典型干旱河谷段, 在怒江、澜沧江和金沙江的东、西坡共设置了6条海拔梯度样带, 通过标准样地的植物群落调查, 分析各条样带植物的物种丰富度、物种更替率的海拔梯度格局, 并比较了地理和植被变量对分布格局的解释。干旱河谷植被带位于海拔3,000 m以下, 以灌丛和灌草丛为主, 其在各河谷的分布上限自西向东依次升高。植物物种丰富度的分布主要与海拔、流域、经纬度和植被带有关, 沿纬度和海拔梯度升高而显著增加的格局主要表现在草本层和灌木层, 灌木物种丰富度还呈现自西向东显著增加的趋势。怒江的灌木和草本种物种丰富度显著高于金沙江和澜沧江, 三条江的乔木种丰富度差异则不显著。森林带的样方草本物种丰富度显著低于灌草丛带样方, 并且还拥有后者没有的乔木种。不同样带的植物物种更替速率呈现了不一致的海拔梯度格局, 但均在样带海拔下部的灌草丛群落与海拔上部森林群落之间的交错带出现峰值。森林-灌草丛植被交错带在怒江样带处于海拔1,900-2,100 m处, 在澜沧江河谷位于海拔2,300-2,400 m, 在金沙江河谷位于海拔2,700-2,900 m。所有海拔样带的森林段或灌草丛段相对于同一样带不同植被段之间的物种更替程度为最小, 不仅小于同一流域不同样带相同植被段之间物种更替率的均值, 更小于所有样带相同植被段之间的更替率均值。在三条河流6条海拔样带的12个植被带段之间的物种更替变化中, 空间隔离因素可以解释34.2%, 而植被类型差异仅能解释不到0.5%。本研究结果显示了环境差异对不同植被类型物种丰富度的首要影响, 和各河流之间的空间隔离对植物群落构建和物种构成的主要作用。     

Effects of river ice on riparian vegetation

1. Many rivers and streams experience pronounced ice dynamics caused by the formation of anchor and frazil ice, leading to flooding and disturbance of riparian and aquatic communities. However, the effects of dynamic ice conditions on riverine biota are little known. 2. We studied the formation of anchor ice in natural streams over 2 years and assessed the effects of anchor ice on riparian vegetation by comparing sites with frequent or abundant and little or no anchor ice formation. We also studied the direct impact of ice on riparian plants by experimentally creating ice in the riparian zone over three winters and by exposing plants of different life forms to ?18 °C cold ice in the laboratory. 3. Riparian species richness per 1‐m² plot was higher at sites affected by anchor ice than at sites where anchor ice was absent or rare, whereas dominance was lower, suggesting that disturbance by ice enhances species richness. Species composition was more homogenous among plots at anchor ice sites. By experimentally creating riparian ice, we corroborated the comparative results, with species richness increasing in ice‐treated plots compared to controls, irrespective of whether the sites showed natural anchor ice. 4. Because of human alterations of running waters, the natural effects of river ice on stream hydrology, geomorphology and ecology are little known. Global warming in northern streams is expected to lead to more dynamic ice conditions, offering new challenges for aquatic organisms and river management. Our results should stimulate new research, contributing to a better understanding of ecosystem function during winter.     

Importance of scale,land‐use,and stream network properties for riparian plant communities along an urban gradient

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Spatial and temporal patterns of species richness in a riparian landscape

Aim To test for control of vascular plant species richness in the riparian corridor by exploring three contrasting (although not mutually exclusive) hypotheses: (1) longitudinal patterns in riparian plant species richness are governed by local, river‐related processes independent of the regional species richness, (2) riparian plant species richness is controlled by dispersal along the river (longitudinal control), and (3) the variation in riparian plant species richness mirrors variation in regional richness (lateral control). Location The riparian zones of the free‐flowing Vindel River and its surrounding river valley, northern Sweden. Methods We used data from three surveys, undertaken at 10‐year intervals, of riparian reaches (200‐m stretches of riverbank) spanning the entire river. In addition, we surveyed species richness of vascular plants in the uplands adjacent to the river in 3.75‐km² large plots along the same regional gradient. We explored the relationship between riparian and upland flora, and various environmental variables. We also evaluated temporal variation in downstream patterns of the riparian flora. Results Our results suggest that local species richness in boreal rivers is mainly a result of local, river‐related processes and dispersal along the corridor. The strongest correlation between species richness and the environment was a negative one between species number and soil pH, but pH varied within a narrow range. We did not find evidence for a correlation between species richness on regional and local scales. We found that the local patterns of species richness for naturally occurring vascular plants were temporally variable, probably in response to large‐scale disturbance caused by extreme floods. Most previous studies have found a unimodal pattern of species richness with peaks in the middle reaches of a river. In contrast, on two of three occasions corresponding to major flooding events, we found that the distribution of species richness of naturally occurring vascular plants resembled that of regional diversity: a monotonic decrease from headwater to coast. We also found high floristic similarity between the riparian corridor and the surrounding landscape. Main conclusions These results suggest that local processes control patterns of riparian species richness, but that species composition is also highly dependent on the regional species pool. We argue that inter‐annual variation in flood disturbance is probably the most important factor producing temporal variability of longitudinal species richness patterns.     

Disturbances and species distribution of the riparian vegetation of a Rift Valley stream

The Njoro River riparian vegetation species composition, distribution, disturbances and uses are presented and discussed. Montane Juniperus procera-Olea europaea spp. africana and submontane Acacia abyssinica forests were identified as the main riparian vegetation groups. Approximately 55% of the riparian vegetation species are used for herbal medicine, treating more than 330 health problems, and only 11% of the plants are edible. Albizzia gummifera in the Syzygium cordatum-Pittosporum abyssinicum-Hibiscus diversifolius forest is cut selectively for herbal medicine preparations. Disturbances on the riparian vegetation zone are broadly classified as those induced by man, livestock and wildlife. Comprehensive effects of disturbance included loss of vegetation vertical strata, increase/decrease of species diversity, introduction of alien plant species, and reduction of plant sizes and vegetation hectarage. The effects of grazing on the vegetation were severe around livestock watering points. Grazing and browsing by wildlife were the main disturbances of the vegetation near the Njoro River estuary at the Lake Nakuru National Park. Periodic flooding, as a natural disturbance, regulates growth and survival of vegetation at the Lake Nakuru drawdown. Quantification of species diversity and the extent of disturbance by humans and livestock is important for future management of the vegetation and, consequently, the river.     

水淹干扰下水库水滨带植物群落谱系结构与物种多样性格局

群落谱系结构将物种系统发育信息整合到群落中,给生物多样性研究提供了全新视角。为探讨水淹干扰下水库水滨带植物群落物种多样性维持机制,以丹江口水库水滨带为研究区域,以南水北调中线一期工程运行前的原有水滨带植被为研究对象,分析不同水淹干扰强度下群落谱系结构和物种多样性及其与环境因素的关系。结果表明：(1)随着水淹干扰强度增加,群落物种丰富度、物种多样性和谱系多样性显著降低。谱系结构指数虽无显著差异,但随着水淹干扰强度增加呈现由发散到聚集的变化趋势。表明水滨带植物群落物种多样性维持机制是生境过滤和生态位分化共同驱动的结果,并且随着水淹干扰强度增加呈现生境过滤作用增加、物种间竞争排斥作用减弱的生态过程影响规律。(2)坡度、土壤质地、速效氮和全氮含量对整个水滨带植物群落物种丰富度、物种多样性和谱系多样性影响显著。此外,土层厚度和速效磷对物种丰富度和土层厚度对谱系多样性也影响显著。而仅有速效氮含量对谱系结构指数影响显著;轻度水淹干扰下坡向、速效磷含量与多样性指数显著相关;中度水淹干扰下坡度、土层厚度、土壤质地、土壤总氮含量与多样性指数显著相关,土壤pH、全氮和全磷含量与谱系结构指数显著相关;重度水淹...     

水淹干扰对水库水滨带植物群落稳定性与种间关系的影响

受城市化与人类活动等因素影响而退化的水滨带植被的恢复与重建是近年来生态环境的热点问题。植物群落的种间关系直接影响植被的演替与恢复。以南水北调中线一期工程通水前的丹江口水库原有水滨带植被为研究对象,对年均多于9个月（海拔142 m以下）、6-9个月（海拔142-147 m）、3-6个月（海拔147-151 m）和少于3个月（海拔151-157 m）的4种不同强度水淹干扰的水滨带植物群落的稳定性和种间关系进行分析,探讨不同水淹干扰强度对水库水滨带植物群落稳定性及种间关系的影响。采用M.Godron稳定性测定法对植物群落稳定性进行分析,通过方差比率（VR）、χ²检验、联结系数（AC）以及Spearman秩相关检验对不同水淹干扰强度下的植物群落优势种进行种间关联分析。结果表明：（1）水库水滨带植物群落稳定性从高到低依次为水淹时长3-6个月、水淹时长6-9个月、水淹时长少于3个月和水淹时长多于9个月。中度水淹干扰下的植物群落稳定性要好于重度和轻度水淹干扰的植物群落;（2）不同水淹干扰强度下水滨带植物群落总体性关联表现为显著正相关。随着水淹时间增加,群落中正联结种对占总对数的比例呈下降趋势,负联结种对比例呈增加趋势,正负联结比值降低,群落内种间联结强度逐渐降低,说明水淹干扰强度增加会导致水滨带植物群落种群间相互依存关系减弱或竞争关系加剧。在此基础上,探讨不同水淹干扰强度下物种的空间分布和生态习性,并提出针对不同水淹干扰强度的水滨带植被恢复的物种选择建议。     

Structure and composition of riparian forests with special reference to geomorphic site conditions along the Tokachi River,northern Japan

The structure and composition of riparian forests were examined along the Tokachi River, northern Japan. Both the hydrogeomorphic gradient and the temporal gradient were analyzed in attempt to explain the present pattern of riparian forests. The stability of floodplain surfaces was estimated on the basis of the elevation above the riverbed and the distance from the river channel. The characteristics of the substratum on which trees were established were also examined by excavation of buried sediment. The results indicated that soil moisture and organic content increased while the size of particles in the substratum decreased with increased elevation and distance from the river channel. Gradient analysis was employed to examine the distribution of dominant species, such as Alnus hirsuta, Toisusu urbaniana, Populus maximowiczii, Picea jezoensis and Abies sachalinensis. The relative dominance of each could be arrayed across the elevation gradient. Although the three broad-leaved pioneers dominated bars and floodplains near the river channel, their modes shifted from lower to higher elevation and amplitudes of distribution curves decreased in the following order: A. hirsuta, T. urbaniana, P. maximowiczii and conifers, which were located on the highest floodplains. Sites could be divided into three classes in terms of stability. There were fewer species at active sites, which favored the three pioneer species, but species richness and diversity increased with stand age. Semi-active and stable sites were more diverse with the establishment of conifers and other broad-leaved trees, which included upland species. However, species richness peaked and then decreased after trees reached 50 to 60 years of age. The growth of dwarf bamboo and the development of conifer-dominant stands impeded the establishment of other species, thereby reducing species richness and diversity in mature stands. Chronologically, floodplains could be differentiated into high- and low-frequency zones of flood disturbance, with pioneer species occupying the former, and late successional species found largely in the latter.     

Structure,composition and regeneration of riparian forest along an altitudinal gradient in northern Iran

In order to protect and understand the regeneration of riparian forests, it is important to understand the environmental conditions that lead to their vegetation differentiation. We evaluated the structure, composition, density and regeneration of woody species in forests along the river Safaroud in Ramsar forest in northern Iran in relation to elevation, soil properties and distance from the river. Using 60 transects located perpendicularly to river and 300 quadrats, we examined forests 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 m from the stream along an elevation gradient spanning from 350 to 2,400 m a.s.l. We found that total density, regeneration, diameter and basal area of trees were significantly higher in the interior of the forest whereas shrub density was higher close to the river. The uneven-aged forest structure showed no significant differences among gradient from the river to the forest interior. Hydro-geomorphic processes, flooding, the elevation gradient, distance from the river and soil properties were the most important factors that influenced plant community distribution in relation to the river.     

Effects of flooding and artificial burning disturbances on plant species composition in a downstream riverside floodplain

Our objective was to detect environmental and disturbance factors that determine plant species composition in a downstream riverside floodplain of the Shinano River, where both natural flooding and artificial fire disturbances predominate. We classified the natural vegetation into five types by physiognomy, i.e., burnt field, intact (unburnt) field, early-successional forest, later-successional forest, and margin of channel. We deployed 14 transect belts containing 713 plots of 1 m × 1 m at these sites. In the plots, we determined plant occurrences and values of five environmental (soil moisture, soil texture, relative elevation above the river, horizontal distance from the river, and light conditions) and two disturbance factors (scouring of plants by flooding and fire). Plant species compositions and environmental and disturbance factors were different among the sites. Logistic regression analysis showed that burning stimulated the occurrences of herbaceous annuals and conversely constrained those of woody and fern species, suggesting that fire disturbance resets the succession. Scouring of plants by flooding also affected the occurrences of many species, and had a positive influence on that of herbaceous winter annuals in particular. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the distributional characteristics of the plant species in the riverside floodplain were influenced primarily by distance from the river, reflecting the magnitude of flood disturbance. We conclude that (1) magnitude of flood disturbance is the primary factor determining plant species composition, and (2) burning maintains early successional vegetation and simultaneously creates a unique plant species composition by stimulating the germination of buried viable seeds transported by flood.     

Variability in flood disturbance and the impact on riparian tree recruitment in two contrasting river systems

The vegetation within the riparian zone performs animportant ecological function for in-stream processes.In Australia, riparian zones are regarded as the mostdegraded natural resource zone due to disturbancessuch as river regulation and livestock grazing. Thisstudy looks at factors influencing vegetation dynamicsof riparian tree species on two contrasting riversystems in Western Australia. The Blackwood River insouth-western Australia is influenced by aMediterranean type climate with regular seasonalwinter flows. The Ord River in north-western Australiais characterized by low winter base flows andepisodic, extreme flows influenced by monsoon rains inthe summer. For both rivers, reproductive phenology ofstudied overstory species is timed to coincide withseasonal river hydrology and rainfall. An evendistribution of size classes of trees on the BlackwoodRiver indicated recruitment into the population iscontinual and related to the regular predictableseasonal river flows and rainfall. In contrast, on theOrd River tree size class distribution was clustered,indicating episodic recruitment. On both rivers treeestablishment is also influenced by elevation abovethe river, microtopography, moisture status and soiltype. In terms of vegetation dynamics riparianvegetation on the Ord River consists of long periodsof transition with short lived stable states incontrast to the Blackwood river where tree populationstructure is characterized by long periods of stablestates with short transitions.     

The response of riparian vegetation to flood‐maintained habitat heterogeneity†

Abstract Riparian environments are subject to the scouring and depositional effects of floods. Riparian vegetation and substrates are scoured during high flows, while litter and sediment is deposited downstream. In the Prosser and Little Swanport River catchments in south‐east Tasmania, vascular plant species were surveyed in large riparian relevés. Within these relevés, 1 × 1 m subplots were placed in both flood‐scoured and depositional environments. Species composition was compared between these three datasets, to investigate the importance of floods in determining species richness and species composition of riparian vegetation. Species richness and diversity were highest in areas experiencing flood scour. Herbs appear particularly reliant on the creation of gaps for colonization, and some major riparian shrub species may also require disturbance to maintain their abundance. The depositional environment tended to favour shrubs and graminoids. Given that differences in species composition are related to flood‐induced features of the riparian environment, the regulation of these rivers might reduce the diversity of the riparian vegetation downstream of dams.     

Understanding the impact of flooding on trait-displacements and shifts in assemblage structure of predatory arthropods on river banks

1. Species assemblages of naturally disturbed habitats are governed by the prevailing disturbance regime. Consequently, stochastic flood events affect river banks and the inhabiting biota. Predatory arthropods occupy predominantly river banks in relation to specific habitat conditions. Therefore, species sorting and stochastic processes as induced by flooding are supposed to play important roles in structuring riparian arthropod assemblages in relation to their habitat preference and dispersal ability. 2. To ascertain whether assemblages of spiders and carabid beetles from disturbed river banks are structured by stochastic or sorting mechanisms, diversity patterns and assemblage-wide trait-displacements were assessed based on pitfall sampling data. We tested if flooding disturbance within a lowland river reach affects diversity patterns and trait distribution in both groups. 3. Whereas the number of riparian spider species decreased considerably with increased flooding, carabid beetle diversity benefited from intermediate degrees of flooding. Moreover, regression analyses revealed trait-displacements, reflecting sorting mechanisms particularly for spiders. Increased flooding disturbance was associated with assemblage-wide increases of niche breadth, shading and hygrophilic preference and ballooning propensity for spider (sub)families. Trait patterns were comparable for Bembidiini carabids, but were less univocal for Pterostichini species. Body size decreased for lycosid spiders and Bembidiini carabids with increased flooding, but increased in linyphiid spiders and Pterostichini carabids. 4. Our results indicate that mainly riparian species are disfavoured by either too high or too low degrees of disturbance, whereas eurytopic species benefit from increased flooding. Anthropogenic alterations of flooding disturbance constrain the distribution of common hygrophilous species and/or species with high dispersal ability, inducing shifts towards less specialized arthropod assemblages. River banks with divergent degrees of flooding impact should be maintained throughout dynamic lowland river reaches in order to preserve typical riparian arthropod assemblages.     

Holocene space-time succession of the Middle Atrato wetlands, Chocó biogeographic region, Colombia

Successional sequences from forested wetlands in the Middle Atrato River Basin were reconstructed using characterisation of present vegetation communities and palynological analysis. A 4.8 km transect, drawn across a river meander, and two 6 and 8 m deep sediment cores (San Martín and Villanueva) were collected in the floodplain within two different vegetation assemblages. Based on the floristic and environmental characteristics of the local vegetation communities, ecological changes spanning the last 4 ka (cal years BP) were analysed in San Martín and Villanueva cores. Present vegetation is dominated by four communities determined by flood tolerance and drainage conditions. We found Euterpe oleraceae, Mauritiella macroclada-Campnosperma panamensis and Oenocarpus bataua forests, and mixed forest and open vegetation in a gradient from poor to improved drainage conditions. Vegetation changes in the palynological record suggest that sedimentation and erosion processes on flood basins are due to changes in drainage conditions and to variable flooding levels.A wet period in the 4 to 2.7 ka interval is postulated, which might be related to sea level rise or local subsidence. Lower flooding levels and improved drainage conditions dominated the 2.7 to ∼ 1.6 ka interval, whereas a flooding event (and a hiatus) occurred between 1.5 and 0.5 ka. This flooding event might be synchronous with analogous events as recorded in the Colombian Amazonia between 1.6 and 1.45 ka. Forest disturbance, probably of anthropogenic origin, is recorded in both sites since 0.5 ka.     

Landscape scale effects of disturbance on riparian vegetation

1. Differing responses in riparian species richness and composition to disturbance have been reported as a possible explanation for the differences along and between rivers. This paper explores the role of physical disturbance in shaping landscape‐scale patterns of species distribution in riparian vegetation along a free‐flowing river in northern Sweden. 2. To test whether sensitivity to disturbance varies across large landscapes, we experimentally disturbed riparian vegetation along an entire, free‐flowing river by scouring the soil and the vegetation turf, cutting vegetation, applying waterborne plant litter, and after a period of recovery we measured vegetation responses. The experiment was repeated for two consecutive years. 3. We found no significant effect of disturbance on species composition, but all three forms of disturbance significantly reduced species richness. There was no downstream variation in community responses to disturbance but morphological groups of species responded differently to different kinds of disturbance. Graminoids were most resistant, suppressed only by litter burial. All forms of disturbance except cutting reduced the density of herbaceous species, and species density of trees + shrubs and dwarf shrubs was negatively affected by both scouring and cutting. We also evaluated the effects of disturbance in relation to varying levels of species richness. In nearly all cases, responses were significantly negatively correlated with control plot species richness, and relative responses indicated that species‐rich plots were less resistant to scouring and cutting. 4. Our results suggest that although all disturbance treatments had an effect on species richness, variation in sensitivity to disturbance is not the most important factor shaping landscape‐scale patterns of riparian plant species richness along rivers.     

A qualitative procedure for the assessment of the habitat integrity status of the Luvuvhu River (Limpopo system,South Africa)

The riparian zone and instream habitat integrity of the Luvuvhu River were assessed based on a qualitative rating of the impacts of major disturbance factors such as water abstraction, flow regulation, bed and channel modification, etc. A system was devised to assess the impact of these factors on the relative frequency and variability of habitats on a spatial and temporal scale gauged against habitat characteristics that could have been expected to occur under conditions not anthropogenically influenced. It was found that deterioration of habitat integrity can be ascribed primarily to water abstraction. This has resulted in the cessation of surface flow in a naturally perennial river during the dry season and during droughts with consequent tree deaths and a loss of fast flowing instream habitat types in the main stem of the river. The relatively small high rainfall area in the catchment, the highly variable rainfall pattern and the occurrence of sporadic severe droughts exacerbate the impact of water abstraction on the instream and riparian habitats with expected detrimental consequences for the associated biota. The effect of water abstraction is particularly severe in the lower part of the river which flows through the Kruger National Park as no perennial tributaries join the Luvuvhu River in this section. Other factors which affect the habitat integrity of the river are the removal of indigenous riparian vegetation in some river sections, encroachment by exotic vegetation, bank erosion and stream bed modification.     

Plant distribution and dispersal mechanisms at the Hassayampa River Preserve, Arizona, USA

This study focuses on the relationships between plant dispersal syndromes and plant distributions at the community scale. Species composition and cover are reported from 29 10 × 20-m vegetation plots along five topographic cross-sections in the riparian zone of the Hassayampa River Preserve, Arizona. We find that spatial patterns of dispersal guilds vary within the flood plain of this semiarid region river. Our main results are: (1) wind-dispersed species are fairly evenly distributed at all elevations and distances from the river, whereas cover of animal-dispersed species increases with elevation above, and at greater distances from, the river; (2) wind-dispersed species are proportionally more abundant in the pioneer Populus–Salix community, whereas plants in the late-seral Prosopis community are predominantly animal-dispersed; (3) most of the species classified as obligate-wetland and facultative-wetland are wind-dispersed, whereas facultative-upland and obligate-upland species are mostly animal-dispersed; and (4) there are significantly fewer wind-dispersed species in areas of high total vegetation cover. These results may reflect successional patterns resulting from periodic flooding. Low areas close to the river flood more frequently and with greater intensity than areas farther from the river. Many pioneer species that establish in disturbed areas are wind-dispersed. Over successional time, pioneer species cede to more drought tolerant species that are predominantly animal-dispersed.