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407 results for “riparian”
Can environmental flows moderate riparian invasions? The influence of seedling morphology and density on scour losses in experimental floods
Predicting plant mortality during floods remains a key area of uncertainty for both river managers and ecologists, particularly how flood hydraulics and sediment dynamics interact with the plants’ own traits to influence their vulnerability to scour and burial. The three datasets in this archive were collected from a series of flume experiments that took place at the University of California, Berkeley’s Richmond Field Station. The flume experiments are part of a larger study, funded by NSF (EAR#1024820) that quantified reciprocal effects and feedbacks between riparian seedlings and river morphodynamics, using sand-bed rivers in the U.S. Southwest as the reference system. To quantify different plant species’ vulnerability to flooding across a range of plant sizes, patch densities, and sediment condition (equilibrium transport versus sediment deficit), we ran 10 experimental floods using live seedlings of cottonwood and tamarisk, which have contrasting morphologies. The three datasets include: 1. Plant responses (dislodgement or burial) to the experimental floods and plant size (e.g. stem height, root length, and dry weight) for all plants tested during the flume runs (N = 484, comprising 326 cottonwood and 158 tamarisk); 2. Plant morphological traits (e.g. frontal area, bending force, and root diameter) for a random subset of seedlings (n = 90, comprising 47 cottonwood and 43 tamarisk); and 3. Frontal area density for the same seedling subset.
Riparian Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling: Influences of Spatial Heterogeneity and Hydrologic Vectors
Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem ecologists study the same phenomena (e.g., nutrient cycling, energy flow, succession) but they do so within separate conceptual frameworks. Terrestrial frameworks address state factors of climate, organisms, parent material, topography, and time to understand ecosystem processes within a location, but less often consider how ecosystems are connected. Aquatic ecologists, especially those studying flowing waters, emphasize the role of water as a means of propagating processes and materials through space and time. Both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems contain hydrologic vectors as well as soils or sediments that record the influences of state factors. This dissertation is an investigation of carbon and nitrogen cycling in the stream-riparian corridor of the San Pedro River, a large desert river, and tests the relative effects of soil characteristics and hydrologic vectors. Riparian zones are well suited to such investigations because they are spatially heterogeneous and subject to material and water inputs from multiple hydrologic vectors. Spatially explicit methods showed that flood vectors homogenized soil characteristics and denitrification along a stream reach with frequent overbank floods, whereas soils of a riparian site that was infrequently inundated by floods were heterogeneous. Legacies of previous floods appeared to determine the spatial locations of denitrification at the latter site. At a plot scale, manipulation of precipitation and flood vectors across a gradient of soil types showed that water functioned as an essential resource during the dry season, resulting in increased emissions of trace gases following simulation of floods. Following inundation of riparian soils by several monsoon floods, however, further addition of water appeared to suppress biogeochemical activity by decreasing oxygen availability. Thus desert riparian ecosystems appear to shift seasonally along a terrestrial-aquatic continuum, functioning si
Herpetofauna and Riparian Microhabitat of Urban and Wildland Reaches Along the Salt River, Arizona
Worldwide, riverine floodplains are among the most endangered landscapes. In response to anthropogenic impacts, riverine restoration projects are considerably increasing. However, there is a paucity of information on how riparian rehabilitation activities impact non-avian wildlife communities. I evaluated herpetofauna abundance, species richness, diversity (i.e., Shannon and Simpson indices), species-specific responses, and riparian microhabitat characteristics along three reaches (i.e., wildland, urban rehabilitated, and urban disturbed) of the Salt River, Arizona. The surrounding uplands of the two urbanized reaches were dominated by the built environment (i.e., Phoenix metropolitan area). I predicted that greater diversity of microhabitat and lower urbanization would promote herpetofauna abundance, richness, and diversity. In 2010, at each reach, I performed herpetofauna visual surveys five times along eight transects (n=24) spanning the riparian zone. I quantified twenty one microhabitat characteristics such as ground substrate, vegetative cover, woody debris, tree stem density, and plant species richness along each transect. Herpetofauna species richness was the greatest along the wildland reach, and the lowest along the urban disturbed reach. The wildland reach had the greatest diversity indices, and diversity indices of the two urban reaches were similar. Abundance of herpetofauna was approximately six times lower along the urban disturbed reach compared to the two other reaches, which had similar abundances. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reduced microhabitat variables to five factors, and significant differences among reaches were detected. Vegetation structure complexity, vegetation species richness, as well as densities of Prosopis (mesquite), Salix (willow), Populus (cottonwood), and animal burrows had a positive correlation with at least one of the three herpetofauna community parameter quantified (i.e., herpetofauna abundance, species richness, and
Riparian Evapotranspiration (ET) Study (SEON) from the Middle Rio Grande River Bosque, New Mexico (1999-2011): Energy Balance Data
This study originated with the objective of parameterizing riparian evapotranspiration (ET) in the water budget of the Middle Rio Grande. We hypothesized that flooding and invasions of non-native species would strongly impact ecosystem water use. Our objectives were to measure and compare water use of native (Rio Grande cottonwood, Populus deltoides ssp. wizleni) and non-native (saltcedar, Tamarix chinensis & Russian olive, Eleagnus angustifolia) vegetation and to evaluate how water use is affected by climatic variability resulting in high river flows and flooding as well as drought conditions and deep water tables. Eddy covariance flux towers to measure ET and shallow wells to monitor water tables were instrumented in 1999. Active sites in their second decade of monitoring include a xeroriparian, non-flooding salt cedar woodland within Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and a dense, monotypic salt cedar stand at Bosque del Apache NWR, which is subject to flood pulses associated with high river flows. These data are energy balance data collected as part of this study.
Riparian Evapotranspiration (ET) Study (SEON) from the Middle Rio Grande River Bosque, New Mexico (1999-2011 ): Soil Thermal Flux, Temperature and Moisture Data
This study originated with the objective of parameterizing riparian evapotranspiration (ET) in the water budget of the Middle Rio Grande. We hypothesized that flooding and invasions of non-native species would strongly impact ecosystem water use. Our objectives were to measure and compare water use of native (Rio Grande cottonwood, Populus deltoides ssp. wizleni) and non-native (saltcedar, Tamarix chinensis, Russian olive, Eleagnus angustifolia) vegetation and to evaluate how water use is affected by climatic variability resulting in high river flows and flooding as well as drought conditions and deep water tables. Eddy covariance flux towers to measure ET and shallow wells to monitor water tables were instrumented in 1999. Active sites in their second decade of monitoring include a xeroriparian, non-flooding salt cedar woodland within Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge and a dense, monotypic salt cedar stand at Bosque del Apache NWR, which is subject to flood pulses associated with high river flows. This data set includes the soil temperature and moisture data collected during this study.
Riparian Evapotranspiration (ET) Study (SEON) from the Middle Rio Grande River Bosque, New Mexico (1999-2011): Micrometeorological Data
This study originated with the objective of parameterizing riparian evapotranspiration (ET) in the water budget of the Middle Rio Grande. We hypothesized that flooding and invasions of non-native species would strongly impact ecosystem water use. Our objectives were to measure and compare water use of native (Rio Grande cottonwood, Populus deltoides ssp. wizleni) and non-native (saltcedar, Tamarix chinensis, Russian olive, Eleagnus angustifolia) vegetation and to evaluate how water use is affected by climatic variability resulting in high river flows and flooding as well as drought conditions and deep water tables. Eddy covariance flux towers to measure ET and shallow wells to monitor water tables were instrumented in 1999. Active sites in their second decade of monitoring include a xeroriparian, non-flooding salt cedar woodland within Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge and a dense, monotypic salt cedar stand at Bosque del Apache NWR, which is subject to flood pulses associated with high river flows. These are the meteorological data collected as part of this study.
Data from: Down by the riverside: Riparian edge effects on three monkey species in a fragmented Costa Rican forest
<p>Rivers represent natural edges in forests, serving as transition zones between landscapes. Natural edge effects are important to study to understand how intrinsic habitat variations affect wildlife as well as the impact of human-induced forest fragmentation. We examined the influence of riparian and anthropogenic edge on mantled howler, white-faced capuchin, Central American spider monkeys, and vegetation structure at La Suerte Biological Research Station (abbreviated as LSBRS), Costa Rica. We predicted lower monkey encounter rate, tree species richness, and median DBH at both edge types compared to interior, and that monkeys would show species-specific responses to edge based on size and diet. We expected large, folivorous-frugivorous howler monkeys and small, generalist capuchins would be found at increased density in the forest edge, while large, frugivorous spider monkeys would be found at decreased density in the forest edge. We conducted population and vegetation surveys along interior, riparian, and anthropogenic edge transects at LSBRS and used GLMM to compare vegetation and monkey encounter rate. Tree species richness and median DBH were higher in the forest interior than in the anthropogenic edge zones. Although spider monkey encounter rate did not vary between forest edges and interior, howler monkeys were encountered at highest density in riparian edge, while capuchins were encountered at highest density in anthropogenic edge. Our results indicate that diverse forest edges have varying effects on biota. Vegetation was negatively affected by forest edges, while monkey species showed species-specific edge preferences. Our findings suggest that riparian zones should be prioritized for conservation in Neotropical forests.</p>
Data from: Riparian hunting spiders do not rely on aquatic subsidies from intermittent alpine streams
<p>Drying in alpine streams might decrease aquatic-terrestrial trophic linkages by reducing terrestrial predation on aquatic prey. We tested this hypothesis by investigating whether a common riparian predator (hunting spiders) in alpine environments assimilated a lower proportion of aquatic prey with increasing stream intermittency. We used high temporal-resolution data from electrical resistance sensors to map patterns of naturally-occurring flow intermittency across 30 headwater streams of Val Roseg, a glacierized catchment in the Swiss Alps. We collected riparian hunting spiders, as well as potential terrestrial and aquatic macroinvertebrate prey, from streams and their associated riparian zones across two seasons (Alpine spring and summer). We estimated aquatic contributions to spider diets (<i>p</i><sub>A</sub>) using (i) a gradient approach with aquatic invertebrate and spider carbon stable isotope ratio values (<i>δ</i><sup>13</sup>C), and (ii) Bayesian carbon and nitrogen (<i>δ</i><sup>15</sup>N) isotope mixing models. Spider <i>p</i><sub>A</sub> from the gradient method were not statistically different from zero in spring (0.08 ± 0.10) and low in summer (0.16 ± 0.04). Mixing models also estimated low dependence on aquatic prey in both seasons, although with potentially higher contributions in summer. Spider diet did not vary with increasing flow intermittency in either season. Our results suggested that alpine hunting spiders obtain most of their carbon from terrestrial prey. The slight increase in spider <i>p</i><sub>A</sub> during summer may correlate with peak emergence periods for aquatic insects, indicating opportunistic feeding by this riparian predator.</p>
Data from: Dietary changes in predators and scavengers in a nocturnally illuminated riparian ecosystem
Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are linked by fluxes of carbon and nutrients in riparian areas. Processes that alter these fluxes may therefore change the diet and composition of consumer communities. We used stable carbon isotope (δ13C) analyses to test whether the increased abundance of aquatic prey observed in another study led to a dietary shift in riparian consumers in areas illuminated by artificial light at night (ALAN). We measured the contribution of aquatic-derived carbon to diets in riparian arthropods in experimentally lit and unlit sites along an agricultural drainage ditch in northern Germany. The δ13C signature of the spider Pachygnatha clercki (Tetragnathidae) was 0.7‰ lower in the ALAN-illuminated site in summer, indicating a greater assimilation of aquatic prey. Bayesian mixing models also supported higher intake of aquatic prey under ALAN in summer (34% versus 21%). In contrast, isotopic signatures for P. clercki (0.3‰) and Pardosa prativaga (0.7‰) indicated a preference for terrestrial prey in the illuminated site in summer. Terrestrial prey intake increased in spring for P. clerckii under ALAN (from 70% to 74%) and in spring and autumn for P. prativaga (from 68% to 77% and from 67% to 72%) and Opiliones (from 68% to 72%; 68% to 75%). This was despite most of the available prey (up to 80%) being aquatic in origin. We conclude that ALAN changed the diet of riparian secondary consumers by increasing the density of both aquatic and terrestrial prey. Dietary changes were species- and season-specific, indicating that the effects of ALAN may interact with phenology and feeding strategy. Because streetlights can occur in high density near freshwaters, ALAN may have widespread effects on aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem linkages.
Data from: Functional responses of aquatic and riparian vegetation to hydrogeomorphic restoration of channelized lowland streams and their valleys
1. Streams and riparian zones are highly heterogeneous ecosystems. Their high biodiversity is promoted by variable flow velocities and water depths, strong hydrological gradients and disturbance regimes. However, human interventions like damming and channelization have degraded these ecosystems worldwide. And, although restoration efforts have increased in the past decades, ecological improvement is lagging. 2. We assessed vegetation development in channelized lowland stream valleys in the Netherlands, combining innovative restoration measures to the stream and stream valleys. This 'stream valley restoration' entailed construction of narrower and shallower channels to increase flow velocities during base discharges, meandering of the watercourse to increase flow and depth heterogeneity and excavation of banks to create wide v-shaped stream valleys. We evaluated the effects on functional aspects of the developing in-stream and riparian vegetation by comparing restored stream reaches to nearby unrestored reaches. 3. The reduced channel dimensions led to higher flow velocities, which, through interaction with meandering, triggered a higher variability in flow and depth. Combined with enlargement of the floodplain, this promoted flooding in stream valleys and created wider environmental gradients. Plant diversity strongly increased in the floodplain area, the land-water interface and the shallow water habitat at the channel margins, but decreased in the central parts of stream channels. There, higher flow velocities led to more typically lotic (running water) in-stream plant communities, indicated by a sharp decrease in floating-leaved species and an increase in trailing species. Riparian vegetation showed a higher beta-diversity across the wider valley slopes of restored reaches, with more wetland species in areas with water tables between 0.0 and -0.6 m, and more upland species as well. 4. Synthesis and applications. This study demonstrates that the combination of strongly reduced channel dimensions, remeandering and widening of riparian zones, is effective in restoring in-stream and riparian habitat heterogeneity. The restoration efforts lead to distinct immediate increases in total and beta-diversity of many typical stream and riparian plant species. Overall, this stresses the importance of applying restoration measures to both streams and stream valleys simultaneously, considering them as a single landscape unit. 27-Nov-2018
Data from: Stream community richness predicts apex predator occupancy dynamics in riparian systems
Streams and adjacent riparian habitats represent linked terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that exchange materials and energy. Recognized relationships among apex predators and ecosystem biodiversity led us to hypothesize that these predators in riparian-stream systems were more likely to be found in sites with high stream quality, defined as increased ecosystem function and integrity. In our freshwater study system, river otter (Lontra canadensis) and mink (Neovison vison) play critical roles as apex predators. We used multi-season occupancy modelling across 3 sampling years (2012-2014) to compare aspects of the stream communities that explain occupancy dynamics of river otter and mink, including their interactions with other semi-aquatic mammals. We surveyed for semi-aquatic mammals at 77 sites in 12 major watersheds in southern Illinois, USA (44,526 km<sup>2</sup>). Naïve occupancy differed among years but generally increased for river otter, and remained high (≥93.5%) for mink. Increasing substrate availability increased detectability of river otter, whereas mink detection varied by survey period. Occupancy of river otter during the initial survey period was higher in sites closer to reintroduction points. Probability of colonization of river otter was positively associated with macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity, fish species richness, and beaver presence. Sites with high species richness of fish families preferred by river otter also had increased river otter persistence. Mink occupied sites with increased fish richness, muskrat presence, and mussel community index. Taken together, our results show occupancy of both mink and river otter were predicted by aspects of prey diversity and presence, indicating the importance of community composition in occupancy dynamics of riparian predators. Ultimately, these relationships suggest that habitat heterogeneity and system stability are important to apex predator site use. However, the relative role of bottom-up and top-down forcing in stream systems remains to be resolved.
Data from: The abundance and distribution of guilds of riparian woody plants change in response to land use and flow regulation
1. Many riparian ecosystems in Mediterranean Europe are affected by land use and flow alteration by dams. We focused on understanding how these stressors and their components affect riparian forests in the region. We asked: (i) are there well-defined, responsive riparian guilds?; (ii) do dam-induced stream flows determine abundance and distribution of riparian guilds? and (iii) what are the main drivers governing composition and cover of riparian guilds in regulated rivers? 2. We inventoried the cover of riparian woody species in free-flowing rivers and downstream of dams. We performed a cluster analysis and ordination to derive riparian guilds, using abundance data from 66 riparian woody species and 26 functional plant traits. We used a reduced set of principal components for the environment, land use and hydrology, and general linear modelling to explore the effect of these factors (separately and combined) on riparian guilds. 3. We found that: (i) four dominant guilds are responsive to disturbance in Southwestern European streams, namely the obligate riparian, water-stress tolerant, deciduous competitive, and Mediterranean evergreen guilds ; (ii) a set of land use and hydrological variables differentially affect the diverse co-occurring riparian guilds; (iii) frequency and duration of high flow pulses and the low-flow conditions were major drivers of change in landscapes dominated by intensive agriculture and forestry; (iv) storage reservoirs reduced the cover of obligate riparian and Mediterranean evergreen guilds, and increased the abundance of water-stress tolerant and deciduous competitive guilds, while run-of-river dams, having limited water storage, reduced both obligate and deciduous competitive guilds. 4. Synthesis and applications. Future research, especially in Southwestern Europe, should address the resilience of riparian guilds and the effects of interacting landscape factors and stressors on guild distribution. Stream flow regulations downstream of reservoirs should focus on specific flow components, namely the magnitude of flows, and frequency and duration of extreme flow events. For successful mitigation of the dam-induced effects on riparian vegetation, river management plans must incorporate the environmental and land use site-specific contexts.
Data from: Applying ecological site concepts and state-and-transition models to a grazed riparian rangeland
Ecological sites and state-and-transition models are useful tools for generating and testing hypotheses about drivers of vegetation composition in rangeland systems. These models have been widely implemented in upland rangelands, but comparatively little attention has been given to developing ecological site concepts for rangeland riparian areas, and additional environmental criteria may be necessary to classify riparian ecological sites. Between 2013 and 2016, fifteen study reaches on five creeks were studied at Tejon Ranch in southern California. Data were collected to describe the relationship between riparian vegetation composition, environmental variables, and livestock management; and to explore the utility of ecological sites and state-and-transition models for describing riparian vegetation communities and for creating hypotheses about drivers of vegetation change. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to classify the environmental and vegetation data (15 stream reaches 4 years) into two ecological sites and eight community phases that comprised three vegetation states. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to determine the influence of abiotic site variables, annual precipitation, and cattle activity on vegetation clusters. Channel slope explained the greatest amount of variation in vegetation clusters; however, soil texture, geology, watershed size, and elevation were also selected as important predictors of vegetation composition. The classification tree built with this limited set of abiotic predictor variables explained 90% of the observed vegetation clusters. Cattle grazing and annual precipitation were not linked to qualitative differences in vegetation. Abiotic variables explained almost all of the observed riparian vegetation dynamics—and the divisions in the CART analysis corresponded roughly to the ecological sites—suggesting that ecological sites are well-suited for understanding and predicting change in this highly variable system. These findings support continued development of riparian ecological site concepts and state-and-transition models to aid decision making for conservation and management of rangeland riparian areas.
Data from: Time for recovery of riparian plants in restored northern Swedish streams: a chronosequence study
A lack of ecological responses in stream restoration projects has been prevalent throughout recent literature with many studies reporting insufficient time for recovery. We assessed the relative importance of time, site variables, and landscape setting for understanding how plant species richness and understory productivity recover over time in riparian zones of northern Swedish streams. We used a space-for-time substitution consisting of 13 stream reaches restored 5–25 years ago, as well as five unrestored channelized reference reaches. We inventoried the riparian zone for all vascular plant species along 60-m study reaches and quantified cover and biomass in plots. We found that while species richness increased with time, understory biomass decreased. Forbs made up the majority of the species added, while the biomass of graminoids decreased the most over time, suggesting that the reduced dominance of graminoids favored less productive forbs. Species richness and density patterns could be attributed to dispersal limitation, with anemochorous species being more associated with time after restoration than hydrochorous, zoochorous, or vegetatively reproducing species. Using multiple linear regression, we found that time along with riparian slope and riparian buffer width (e.g., distance to logging activities) explained the most variability in species richness, but that variability in total understory biomass was explained primarily by time. The plant community composition of restored reaches differed from that of channelized references, but the difference did not increase over time. Rather, different time categories had different successional trajectories that seemed to converge on a unique climax community for that time period. Given our results, timelines for achieving species richness objectives should be extended to 25 years or longer if recovery is defined as a saturation of the accumulation of species over time. Other recommendations include making riparian slopes as gentle as possible given the landscape context and expanding riparian buffer width for restoration to have as much impact as possible.
Data from: Riparian plant guilds become simpler and most likely fewer following flow regulation
1. River regulation affects riparian systems worldwide and conservation and restoration efforts are essential to retain biodiversity, and the functioning and services of riverine ecosystems. Effects of regulation on plant species richness have been widely addressed, but the filtering effect of regulation on guilds has received less attention. 2. We used a functional trait approach to identify adaptive plant strategies through regulation-tolerant traits and predict shifts of riparian vegetation communities in response to regulation. We analysed variation in functional diversity across gradients of hydrological alteration in northern Sweden in relation to modified timing and infrequent major floods, along with frequent short-term inundation. 3. Functional richness was similar in all study sites, but species richness declined with increasing intensity of regulation, and the species lost were largely functionally redundant (i.e. co-existing species that have similar contribution to an ecosystem function). Guilds of species intolerant to waterlogging were particularly unsuccessful in most regulated sites as they were affected by hydropower dams which replace major fluvial disturbances with frequent short inundation events. We predict that this guild will disappear, with likely consequences for the entire riverine ecosystem. 4. Synthesis and applications. We conclude that functional traits tolerant to waterlogging or submergence, and lack of major fluvial disturbances, were key to understanding our results. We suggest that the functional-trait approach can be integrated with knowledge of other ecosystem components to provide an understanding of ecosystem function that can be used to guide fluvial ecosystem management.03-May-2017
Data from: Variation across river channels in demographic dynamics of a riparian herb with threatened status: management and conservation implications
PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Gesneria pauciflora is a rare-threatened plant growing in riparian forests. Periodic disturbances, expected in this habitat, could influence demographic dynamics on plant populations, yet their impact may not be the same across watershed. We hypothesize that differences in disturbances between the main-channel and tributaries may lead to spatial dissimilarities in population growth rate (λ), structure, and fecundity. METHODS: 1277 plants were tagged and monitored over a 1.5-years period. Every 6-months we measured plant size, survival and fecundity, in addition to appearance of seedlings. These variables were applied in Integral Projection Models to assess the population status of G. pauciflora. KEY RESULTS: Plants in the main-channel were smaller but were more likely to flower and fruit than those in the tributaries. Overall mortality was greater in the main-channel and more so during the rainy season. At both sites λ ranged from 0.9114-0.9865, and survival/growth of larger plants had a greater effect on lambda (> 0.90) regardless of site. CONCLUSIONS: Lambda values suggest that G. pauciflora is declining across the watershed. Higher mortality rates in the main channel (more-perturbed sites) might driving G. pauciflora to reproduced at smaller sizes, while the tributaries (less-perturbed sites) may benefit growth and lead to larger plant sizes. Extreme climatic events are expected to increase in the Caribbean and might decrease the population if left unmanaged. Management strategies that reduce the time plants require to reach larger sizes might be necessary to increase λ, and reintroduction of cuttings might be a possible solution.
Data from: Windows of opportunity for germination of riparian species after restoring water level fluctuations: a field experiment with controlled seed banks
1. Restoration activities aiming at increasing vegetation diversity often try to stimulate both dispersal and germination. In wetlands, dispersal and germination are coupled as water and water level fluctuations (WLF) simultaneously influence seed transport and germination conditions (soil moisture). Water regime shifts have been shown to affect vegetation composition. However, the interactions between WLF, dispersal and subsequent germination as drivers of such changes are still poorly understood, especially within the complexity of a field situation. 2. We tested the effect of soil moisture on ten riparian species in the greenhouse and sowed these species on 135 field locations in nine wetlands with recently restored WLF. We used quantile regressions to test the effects of WLF on the window of opportunity for germination from sown seeds and other seeds naturally dispersed to our plots, as well as on community diversity. 3. Soil moisture significantly affected germination both in the greenhouse and in the field. In the complexity of a field situation, a flooding depth just below the soil level, an intermediate flooding duration and a high flooding frequency provided the best opportunities for maximal germination. This was because these conditions enhanced germination from the seed bank as well as increasing germination from dispersed seeds. Seedling diversity showed identical patterns. 4. Other known (i.e., light conditions) and unknown factors played a role as we found low and variable germination, even under optimal conditions. We found evidence that WLF can affect vegetation zonation as flooded seedling communities contained more species with high moisture affinity. 5. Synthesis and applications. Water level fluctuations provide clear windows of opportunity for germination both from the seed bank and from dispersed seeds. Water regime changes are therefore likely to strongly affect recruitment opportunities and subsequent community assembly in riparian ecosystems, for instance through climate change or management. Water level fluctuations can be used as management tool to stimulate plant recruitment and seedling diversity in riparian wetlands.
Data from: Riparian reserves help protect forest bird communities in oil palm dominated landscapes
1. Conversion of forest to oil palm agriculture is a significant and continuing threat to tropical biodiversity. Despite this, little is known about the value of riparian reserves in oil palm and how these conservation set-asides might best be managed to maintain biodiversity. 2. We characterised bird communities of 28 sites in an oil palm-forest mosaic in Sabah, Malaysia using 6104 encounters from 840 point counts. Sites included oil palm riparian reserves of various vegetation quality and reserve widths, which were compared to oil palm streams without a riparian reserve as well as riparian and non-riparian control areas in continuous logged forest. 3. Riparian reserves, oil palm waterways, and control sites in riparian and non-riparian forest supported distinct avifaunal communities. Riparian reserve width, forest quality and amount of forest cover were the strongest predictors of bird species richness. For forest-dependent species, each of these predictors had stronger effect size when compared with all species. On average, reserves held 31% of all species and 30% of forest specialists, whereas riparian forest controls averaged 32% of all species, but 38% of forest species. 4. Riparian reserves with >40 m of natural vegetation on each bank supported similar bird diversity to riparian forest control habitats found in continuous forest. However, to support equivalent numbers of forest-dependent species and species of conservation concern, reserves would need to be at least 100 m wide on each bank. The highest numbers of species were found in riparian reserves with above-ground carbon densities exceeding 75 tC ha-1, highlighting the importance of forest quality, as well as width, in supporting riparian bird communities. 5. Synthesis and applications. If designed and protected appropriately, riparian reserves in oil palm estates support diverse bird communities, including many species of conservation concern. This can be achieved by designating large reserves (80-200 m total width), but to maximize species numbers forest disturbance should also be minimised prior to conversion as well as during plantation operations.13-Jun-2018
Data from: Hydrological conditions explain wood density in riparian plants of south-eastern Australia
1. Wood density is a key plant functional trait which integrates the trade-offs characteristic to riparian plant ecological strategies. Although high-density wood is costly to construct, it confers mechanical stiffness to stems, increasing a plant's capacity to withstand flooding, and also enables increased tolerance to water stress. For riparian plants, fluctuations in soil moisture driven by surface hydrology should therefore be an important driver of variation in wood density. 2. We asked the following questions in the study: (1) Does wood density increase with increasing frequency and magnitude of flood disturbance? (2) Does wood density increase with increasing unpredictability of water availability in the riparian zone? (3) Does dispersion of wood density peak at intermediate levels of hydrological disturbance? 3. We surveyed wood density of dominant species at 15 riparian sites along flow-gauged rivers across south-eastern Australia. Due to the broad range of hydrological variability associated with Australian river systems, this set of sites functions as a useful model for assessing the response of riparian plants to changing hydrological conditions. 4. We found wood density varied strongly along a single axis of hydrological variability. This axis integrates flood intensity and frequency with metrics of hydrological unpredictability and can be conceptualized as a gradient of environmental harshness, with higher wood density associated with harsher conditions. 5. Synthesis. Our study highlights the importance of hydrological conditions, particularly disturbance and environmental unpredictability, as determinants of ecological strategy in riparian plants. Large, rare flood events in particular appear to favour higher wood density strategies. This is likely to have significant ecological consequences for riparian plant communities in a south-east Australian context, as well as in other regions where increasing climatic variability and frequency of extreme events are hallmarks of climate change predictions.
FIGURES 1–6. Adults and male genitalia. 1 in A new species of Schinia Hübner from riparian habitats in the Grand Canyon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Heliothinae)
FIGURES 1–6. Adults and male genitalia. 1, Schinia immaculata, male, Arizona, Coconino Co. Colorado River, Grand Canyon, river mile 166.5 L, USNMENT 00229965; 2, S biundulata, female, Nevada, Humboldt Co. Sulphur, USNMENT 00220807; 3, S. immaculata, male genitalia; 4, S. immaculata, aedoeagus; 5, S. biundulata, male genitalia; 6, S. biundulata, aedoeagus.
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