The Importance of Riparian Forest Cover to the Ecological Status of Agricultural Streams in a Nationwide Assessment

Water Resources Management, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 35(12), P. 4009 - 4020

Published: Sept. 1, 2021

Abstract Forested riparian corridors are a key management solution for halting the global trend of declining ecological status freshwater ecosystems. There is an increasing body evidence related to efficacy these at local scale, but knowledge inadequate concerning effectiveness forests in terms protecting streams from harmful impacts across larger scales. In this study, nationwide assessment results comprising more than 900 river water bodies Finland were used examine importance adjacent land use estimates. Random forest models and partial dependence functions quantify independent effect on after accounting effects other factors. The proportion forested along had strongest positive small medium size rivers that agricultural landscapes. Ecological quality increased by almost one class when cover 10 60%. contrast, large rivers, did not show status. This study has major implications managing basins achieve EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) goal obtaining good rivers. demonstrate zones can have indicating mitigating catchment-level stressors. Therefore, buffer should be strongly considered as part basin management.

Language: Английский

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Evaluating the riparian forest quality index (QBR) in the Luchena River by integrating remote sensing, machine learning and GIS techniques

Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 23(3), P. 469 - 483

Published: April 26, 2023

Language: Английский

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Forested Riparian Zones Provide Important Habitat for Fish in Urban Streams

Water, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 13(6), P. 877 - 877

Published: March 23, 2021

Riparian zones form a boundary between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, with disproportionate influences on food web dynamics ecosystem functioning in both habitats. However, riparian boundaries are frequently degraded by human activities, including urbanization, leading to direct impacts communities indirect changes that mediated through altered connectivity adjacent ecosystems. We investigated how habitat fish an urban context. electrofished nine site pairs without forested buffers, alongside additional 12 sites were located throughout the river networks Oslo Fjord basin, Norway. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) dominant species. buffers had weak positive effects densities at low moderate levels of catchment whereas absent from highly polluted streams. Subtle shifts size distributions suggested play important role metapopulation dynamics. Stable isotopes buffered reaches indicated dietary shifts, pointing potential for greater reliance terrestrial-sourced carbon. Combining these results, we postulate spatially-mediated ontogenetic diet may be persistence brown Our results show using perspective is essential understanding can offset catchments.

Language: Английский

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Riparian Ecological Infrastructures: Potential for Biodiversity-Related Ecosystem Services in Mediterranean Human-Dominated Landscapes

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 13(19), P. 10508 - 10508

Published: Sept. 22, 2021

Riparian Ecological Infrastructures are networks of natural and semi-natural riparian areas located in human-dominated landscapes, crucial supporting processes that directly or indirectly benefit humans enhance social welfare. In this study, we developed a novel multimetric index, termed Habitat Infrastructure’s Diversity Index (HEIDI), to quantify the potential biodiversity, related ecosystem services, three managed landscapes: Intensive Agriculture, Extensive Forest Production. Metrics describing structure, composition, management vegetation associated habitats were used derive distinct biological dispersal groups: short-range dispersers (ants), medium-range (pollinators), long-range (birds, bats, non-flying small mammals). The composition floristic resources, assessed by identifying trees shrubs at species genus level, herbaceous plants family was as proxy evaluate promoting seed pollination services provided communities. Our research evidenced Production Agriculture landscapes exhibited highest lowest for biodiversity-related respectively. landscape revealed higher suitability forage resources short- coverage Infrastructures, resulting more create ecological corridors provide services. seemed be particularly relevant long-ranges dispersers, despite providing less habitat Land-use systems proximity should sustainably promote structural quality, well width, safeguarding sustainable provision

Language: Английский

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Small stream predators rely heavily on terrestrial matter energy input in the fall, regardless of riparian buffer size

Food Webs, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 36, P. e00302 - e00302

Published: July 23, 2023

Stream ecosystems are reliant on the reciprocal exchange of terrestrial and aquatic energy subsides to maintain a productive stable food web. Land use around streams can have strong effects size availability resource subsidies for stream riparian predators such as fish spiders. A common forestry technique is establishment forested buffers protect from upland disturbances. Buffer may determine prey abundance, richness, spatial extent reach into both systems. To test subsidy direction, we explored carbon nitrogen isotope signatures brown trout (Salmo trutta), Tetragnathidae Lycosidae spiders, their sources twelve in southern Sweden. For predator groups, buffer presence showed no effect source. We found that spiders significantly diets fall. support small it vital ecologically functional zones by conserving complex surrounding habitats optimize habitat diversity.

Language: Английский

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Do investments in water quality and habitat restoration programs pay off? An analysis of the chemical and biological water quality of a lowland stream in the Zwalm River basin (Belgium)

Environmental Science & Policy, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 124, P. 115 - 124

Published: June 19, 2021

Language: Английский

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A Bayesian Belief Network learning tool integrates multi-scale effects of riparian buffers on stream invertebrates

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 810, P. 152146 - 152146

Published: Dec. 2, 2021

Riparian forest buffers have multiple benefits for biodiversity and ecosystem services in both freshwater terrestrial habitats but are rarely implemented water management, partly reflecting the lack of information on effectiveness this measure. In context, social learning is valuable to inform stakeholders efficacy riparian vegetation mitigating stream degradation. We aim develop a Bayesian belief network (BBN) model application as tool simulate assess reach- segment-scale effects properties land use instream invertebrates. surveyed reach-scale conditions, extracted subcatchment from geographic system data, collected macroinvertebrate samples four catchments Europe (Belgium, Norway, Romania, Sweden). modelled ecological condition based Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) index, macroinvertebrate-based index widely used European bioassessment, function different variables using BBN modelling approach. The results simulations provided insights into usefulness attributes enhancing condition, with quality associated strongest improvements status. Specifically, buffer score 3 (i.e. moderate quality) generally highest probability good ASPT (99-100%). contrast, site narrow width trees small area 1 low predicts high bad (74%). strengths ease interpretation, fast simulation, ability explicitly indicate uncertainty outcomes, interactivity. These merits point potential workshop activities stimulate key processes that help management zones.

Language: Английский

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The Reintroduction of Brown Trout (Salmo trutta fario) in the Upper Scheldt River Basin (Flanders, Belgium): Success or Failure?

Water, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(4), P. 533 - 533

Published: Feb. 8, 2024

In 2017, the reintroduction of juvenile brown trout in southwestern part Flanders (the Zwalm River basin) (Belgium) was initiated. Monitoring during subsequent years indicated that released juveniles survived and matured, indicating sufficient food good habitat conditions were available. Despite recent fulfilment free fish migration within basin several spawning habitats being present, no natural reproduction could be observed. To obtain more insight into maturing eggs under conditions, an situ experiment conducted 3 consecutive at 10 different sites river basin. The results our research egg survival generally low (<5%). main causes are most likely a heavy sediment load hampering oxygen clean water flow through redds. this basin, originates mainly from agricultural fields rain events consequential run-off. Creating grassy and/or woody buffer strips along watercourses, combination with changes practices, is needed to able build up viable self-sustaining population also, larger context, other rheophilic species.

Language: Английский

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Contrasting responses of terrestrial and aquatic consumers in riparian – stream networks to local and landscape level drivers of environmental change

Basic and Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 57, P. 115 - 128

Published: Oct. 29, 2021

The biodiversity of streams and riparian zones is highly interlinked by multiple cross-habitat flows organisms, nutrients materials, are thus increasingly recognized as forming an extended "meta-ecosystem" network spanning both within across entire catchments. However, current understanding how these networks respond to environmental change limited the lack studies quantifying local larger-scale drivers in terrestrial aquatic systems simultaneously. Using high-resolution species data from eight boreal – stream meta-ecosystems, half which were situated forest agricultural catchments, we quantified land-use impacts importance catchment (riparian, instream) scale variables on diversity community composition three epigeal arthropod groups (spiders staphylinid carabid beetles) macroinvertebrates. All four organism responded quantifiable variables. Staphylinid beetle spider assemblages differed significantly between forested sites strongly correlated with such vegetation type soil properties, but also instream conductivity floating macrophytes. By contrast, macroinvertebrate did not differ showed similar responses Our results indicate that measures only address might be ineffective if catchment-scale regulating linkages adequately addressed ecosystem management.

Language: Английский

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Spatial patterns of riparian vegetation community composition and diversity along human‐ affected East African highland streams

Ecohydrology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 16(4)

Published: Jan. 31, 2023

Abstract Riparian vegetation, which plays important roles in conservation of regional biodiversity and provision many environmental services, has been severely degraded East Africa by human activities. To ameliorate this degradation, more knowledge the vegetation factors affecting it is required. Thus, effect land use on plant community composition, species richness diversity patterns were investigated along 18 streams Gilgle Gibe River catchment, south‐western Ethiopia, using 100 m 2 plots established transects both sides at 35 sampling locations beside designated as agricultural, forested, mixed or eucalyptus plantation. The communities surveyed classified Two‐Way Indicator Species Analysis. In total, 107 vascular belonging to 49 families recorded. lowest agricultural land, had narrow riparian buffers, highest forested streams, wider buffers. assigned seven groups. was positively correlated buffer width ( r = 0.74, p < 0.01). results highlight influence importance sustainable management that compatible with its restoration. However, address severity complexity forest fragmentation, strategies must embrace a multi‐site, contextual approach.

Language: Английский

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