Ecology of Braided Rivers

Tockner, Klement; Paetzold, Achim; Karaus, Ute; Claret, C.; Zettel, Jürg

doi:10.1002/9781444304374.ch17

Cited by 101 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 84 publications

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“…However, braided sand-bed rivers, widespread in temperate piedmont areas of South America have received little empirical documentation, at least from the ecological point of view. Braided rivers are very dynamic systems and their hydrology and geomorphology has been studied in order to understand their complexity (Tockner et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential habitatsversusfunctional habitats in a lowland braided river (Córdoba, Argentina)

Gualdoni

Boccolini

Oberto

et al. 2009

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim.

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-The benthic community of a braided reach of a lowland river was studied with the aim to identify functional habitats through the assessment of potential habitats. Functional habitats were defined considering physical and biological characteristics. Three reaches of the Chocancharava River (Co´rdoba, Argentina) were selected and six potential habitats were sampled during high and low water periods. Hydraulic and environmental variables were also registered in each sampling occasion. Taxonomic composition, macroinvertebrate abundance, richness, diversity and evenness were estimated for each identified functional habitat. TWINSPAN analysis was applied separately for two data sets (high water and low water period). This analysis showed that samples of the low water period were mainly grouped in relation to three habitats units: vegetated habitats, unvegetated habitats and habitats related to bars. These three habitats were considered functional habitats. The whole biological and environmental data sets were ordinated by Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showing a significant relationship between benthic assemblages and environmental variables. This analysis grouped samples in relation to the functional habitats identified by TWINSPAN and indicated that the most influential environmental variables explaining the ordination were: current velocity, depth, substrate size and cover percent of rooted emergent macrophytes. Faunal composition determined by CCA for each functional habitat was in agreement with the results obtained by the Relative Preference Index (RPI). Factorial ANOVAs showed that abundance, taxonomic richness, diversity and evenness were different among the functional habitats and that the community attributes were influenced by the effect of the hydrological period and habitat. As the functional habitat approach provides useful tools in management and river rehabilitation the use of this methodology may allow to develop more appropriate restoration strategies to be applied in altered lowland reaches.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential habitatsversusfunctional habitats in a lowland braided river (Córdoba, Argentina)

Gualdoni

Boccolini

Oberto

et al. 2009

Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim.

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“…They offer cover, but are not as diverse as well-structured near-natural shorelines (Schiemer and Spindler, 1989;Schmetterling et al, 2001). Many ecological functions would benefi t from an improvement of the shoreline zone, and socio-economic services would increase (Hostmann et al, 2005;Naiman and Décamps, 1997;Tockner et al, 2008).…”

Section: Ecological Potential and Rehabilitation Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatio-temporal analysis of fish and their habitat: a case study on a highly degraded Swiss river system prior to extensive rehabilitation

2007

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Abstract. The failure of river rehabilitation projects is often reported in the literature. One possible reason for this failure is the insuffi cient consideration of factors degrading riverine ecosystems at large spatio-temporal scales. A precedent analysis of the evolution and significance of these factors at the watershed level is proposed as a prerequisite for a successful rehabilitation project. Based on a watershed-scale approach, we investigated the current and historical states of the fi sh assemblage and of relevant abiotic factors in the river Rhone, a seventh-order stream in Switzerland scheduled for largescale rehabilitation. Recent fi eld data gathered by electrofi shing and habitat mapping were analysed by means of a mixed model approach and were qualitatively compared to historical information derived from topographic maps and documentary sources.The length of the entire active channel has been reduced by 45% (102 km) since 1850, representing a signifi cant diminution in lateral connectivity. Our recent fi sh survey revealed a depleted species set, with only two of 19 historically documented species found. The density of brown trout was generally low, but positively correlated with the presence of cover. Thus, morphological improvements, e.g. through local river widening, offer extensive potential for the restoration of native fi sh assemblages, but will probably only be successful in combination with a more natural hydrological regime.

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“…Tockner et.al. 7) and others have suggested that braided channels are much less stable than single channels as more energy is directed to the banks around riffle. In the case of small event like a May 24 th flood, the topography was not altered, but the cumulative resistance to flow resulting from the many isolated bars in a braided channel is relatively high.…”

Section: (3) Stability Of Riffle Beds (Reach Scale Analysis)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Examination of Riffle Beds and Their Relationship to the Net-Spinning Caddisfly (Stenopsyche Marmorata)

Chibana¹,

Brackett²

2007

PROCEEDINGS OF HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING

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The objective of the study is to improve the understanding of relationships between multiple spatial scales and the development of micro-habitat as well as its co-dependence with the net-spinning caddisfly (Stenopsyche mamorada). In this study, two target riffles located in the Asa River basin were investigated during the spring of 2006. Three major findings of this research were that; 1. the target specie seems to prefer substrate with median diameters between 3-13 cm because they need medium-sized gravel to create their nests, 2. the abundance of medium-sized gravel in the loose surface layer of riffle bed was observed to be related to the normal flow unit-width discharge because the finer bed material on the surface is washed out during normal flow condition and loose layer is developed, and 3. despite the unstable nature of braided morphology the target specie population was more prevalent and stable because the rough terrain reduce the local shear stress on the riffle bed during small floods.

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Ecology of Braided Rivers

Cited by 101 publications

References 84 publications

Potential habitatsversusfunctional habitats in a lowland braided river (Córdoba, Argentina)

Potential habitatsversusfunctional habitats in a lowland braided river (Córdoba, Argentina)

Spatio-temporal analysis of fish and their habitat: a case study on a highly degraded Swiss river system prior to extensive rehabilitation

Examination of Riffle Beds and Their Relationship to the Net-Spinning Caddisfly (Stenopsyche Marmorata)

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