Drift patterns of particulate matter and organisms during artificial high flows in a large experimental channel

Abstract

Using a large experimental channel, five artificial high flows with different flow regimes were launched to reveal the precise temporal sequences of drifting particulate matter and organisms during the high flows. Drifting fine particulate matter and organisms were collected by sampling bottles and a water pump, respectively. The peaks of drift abundance occurred before the peak discharges, and the abundance declined quickly within several minutes during the rising phase of high flows. The major determinant of drift abundance of particulate matter and organisms was periods of stable conditions before each high flow (tested by determination coefficients in a correlation analysis). The drift of macroscopic plant material also accelerated the drifts of epiphytic fauna and infauna, which drifted with plants and bed sediments. The magnitude (discharge and duration of peak flows) of high flows only slightly affected drift abundance. The fauna more resistant to high flows were invertebrates that fasten their cases or retreats by silk threads on the substrata. Invertebrate taxa having sucking apparatus or high swimming activity were also resistant to high flows.

Hydraulic and geomorphic effects on mayfly drift in high‐gradient streams at moderate discharges

“…Under less extreme conditions, exceedence of bedload transport thresholds may produce marked increases in drift (Gibbins et al, 2007). Even when the stream bed is stable, increases in flow alone have been linked to increases in drift (Poff and Ward, 1991;Imbert and Perry, 2000;Bond and Downes, 2003;Mochizuki et al, 2006). Maximum drift rates have been found to occur during the rising limb of flood hydrographs, with declines from this maximum occurring as the rising limb continues (Imbert and Perry, 2000;Robinson et al, 2004;Mochizuki et al, 2006), and with no correlation occurring between drift and peak flow magnitude or duration (Mochizuki et al, 2006).…”

Settling distances of benthic invertebrates in a sediment mobilization simulation in semi-natural flumes

“…Drift regulates densities, dispersal, and life cycles of benthic invertebrates in streams (Brittain and Eikeland, 1988;Céréghino and Lavandier, 1998;Maier, 2001;Mochizuki et al, 2006). In temperate streams, invertebrate drift is represented mainly by larval stages of Ephemeroptera, Diptera Simuliidae and Chironomidae, Plecoptera and Trichoptera, which are the most common benthic taxa in such habitats (Brittain and Eikeland, 1988;Hieber et al, 2003).…”

“…Today, experimental flumes of different typology have become a common tool to study the responses of biological communities to physical, chemical, hydrological manipulations, using behavioral and catastrophic drift as the measured response and based on the hypothesis that any invertebrate showing an immediate avoidance or displace-N o n -c o m m e r c i a l u s e o n l y ment reaction would rapidly drift (Holomuzki and Biggs, 2000;Imbert and Perry, 2000;Suren and Jowett, 2001;Mochizuki et al, 2006;Carolli et al, 2012;Fenoglio et al, 2013;Bruno et al, 2013Bruno et al, , 2016. Although drift catches in these simulations were often high, it is difficult to assess the significance of these responses, since if a high proportion of the benthos enters the drift for a short period of time, the drifting invertebrates may have originated from the area immediately downstream from the disturbance and could have returned rapidly to the benthos and thus not have been caught.…”

Behavioral response of the freshwater cyclopoid copepod Eucyclops serrulatus to hydropeaking and thermopeaking in a laboratory flume

“…Simuliidae and Hydropsychidae) began to drift after a longer delay. Hence, habitat preferences and behavioral traits can strongly influence the effects of HP (Holomuzki and Biggs 2000;Jakob et al 2003;Mochizuki et al 2006). In Bruno et al (2010) certain taxa were not or little affected by the increase in discharge (e.g.…”

“…Passive drift has received much attention in the context of natural flooding events (reviewed in Naman et al 2016) but also and especially in relation to the release of water from reservoir hydroelectric power stations (e.g. Mochizuki et al 2006;Bruno et al 2010). It is indeed particularly prevalent in flow-regulated rivers due to the intermittent pattern of hydropower plant operation.…”