Effects of biofilm on turbulence characteristics and the transport of fine sediment

Cheng, Wei; Fang, Hongwei; Lai, Haojie; Huang, Lei; Dey, Subhasish

doi:10.1007/s11368-017-1859-1

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Longer periods (up to 12 days) of undisturbed growth under low shear stresses (<0.1 Pa) allowed the establishment of a biofilm‐EPS structure that could reduce erosion under increased shear stresses of up to 0.4 Pa. These results, along with other studies in agreement (Cheng et al, ; Gerbersdorf & Wieprecht, ; Tolhursf, Gust, & Paterson, ), demonstrate that biofilm growth and the corresponding EPS synthesis allows for increased cohesion between fine sediment grains (Figure ). This potentially increases the deposition of fines and reduces their resuspension (Lee, Hur, & Toorman, ).…”

Section: Biotic Controls On Fine Sediment Transport and Storagesupporting

confidence: 80%

“…Furthermore, evidence that nutrient stoichiometry is influenced by fine sediment dynamics has been linked to changes in biofilm growth and species composition (Dodds & Smith, ; Passy & Larson, ); although it is acknowledged that physicochemical factors also play a role (Besemer et al, ; Olapade & Leff, ; Prieto, Devesa‐Rey, Rubinos, Díaz‐Fierros, & Barral, ). The growth of biofilms has also been found to influence fine sediment transport and bed morphology (Cheng et al, ; Fang, Cheng, Fazeli, & Dey, ). Modeling following experimental observations has demonstrated that biofilm‐coated fines have a greater saltation length to height ratio, suggesting that particle deposition and settling is more likely than in uncoated fines, depending on water velocity (Fang, Fazeli, Cheng, & Dey, ).…”

Section: Biotic Controls On Fine Sediment Transport and Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In doing so, we highlight the key effect traits (Pakeman, 2011) that determine the potential of biota to influence fine sediment dynamics (Table 1). Biofilms, referred to as "cities of microbes" (Nikolaev & Plakunov, 2007;Watnick & Kolter, 2000) comprising bacteria, fungi, and algae (Lock, 1993), are known to affect and be affected by fine sediment dynamics (Aspray, Holden, Ledger, Mainstone, & Brown, 2017;Cheng, Fang, Lai, Huang, & Dey, 2017;Fang, Chen, Huang, & He, 2017;Madsen, 2011). Although the important function biofilms fulfill in wastewater processing has long been known, it was not until more recently that research began to focus on their role in the processing and fate of fine sediment-bound contaminants in freshwater ecosystems (Gainswin, House, Leadbeater, Armitage, & Patten, 2006;Garwood, Hill, & Law, 2013;Horton, Walton, Spurgeon, Lahive, & Svendsen, 2017;Lu, Wan, Li, Shao, & Wu, 2016;Rummel, Jahnke, Gorokhova, Kühnel, & Schmitt-Jansen, 2017).…”

Section: Biotic Controls On Fine Sediment Transport and Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

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Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers

et al. 2018

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Excess fine sediment, comprising particles <2 mm in diameter, is a major cause of ecological degradation in rivers. The erosion of fine sediment from terrestrial or aquatic sources, its delivery to the river, and its storage and transport in the fluvial environment are controlled by a complex interplay of physical, biological, and anthropogenic factors. While the physical controls exerted on fine sediment dynamics are relatively well‐documented, the role of biological processes and their interactions with hydraulic and physicochemical phenomena has been largely overlooked. The activities of biota, from primary producers to predators, exert strong controls on fine sediment deposition, infiltration, and resuspension. For example, extracellular polymeric substances associated with biofilms increase deposition and decrease resuspension. In lower energy rivers, aquatic macrophyte growth and senescence are intimately linked to sediment retention and loss, whereas riparian trees are dominant ecosystem engineers in high energy systems. Fish and invertebrates also have profound effects on fine sediment dynamics through activities that drive both particle deposition and erosion depending on species composition and abiotic conditions. The functional traits of species present will determine not only these biotic effects but also the responses of river ecosystems to excess fine sediment. We discuss which traits are involved and put them into context with spatial processes that occur throughout the river network. While strides towards better understanding of the impacts of excess fine sediment have been made, further progress to identify the most effective management approaches is urgently required through close communication between authorities and scientists. This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Science of Water > Water Quality

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Section: Biotic Controls On Fine Sediment Transport and Storagesupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Biotic Controls On Fine Sediment Transport and Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Biotic Controls On Fine Sediment Transport and Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

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Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers

et al. 2018

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“…Biofilms reduce the local bed roughness and thus wave dissipation on the terrace. On the other hand, biofilms increase the critical shear stress for sediment entrainment (Cheng et al, 2018; Fang et al, 2014; van de Lageweg et al, 2018), but when this threshold is passed, clumps detach abruptly removing the membrane cover (Vignaga et al, 2013). The penetration of biofilms into the sedimentary bed results in greater erosion resistance over depth, which is sustained over longer time than with superficial layers (Chen, Zhang, Zhou, et al, 2017; Chen, Zhang, Paterson, et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bank Erosion Processes in Regulated Navigable Rivers

et al. 2020

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Vessel-induced waves affect the morphology and ecology of banks and shorelines around the world. In rivers used as waterways, ship passages contribute to the erosion of unprotected banks, but their short-and long-term impacts remain unclear. This work investigates the effects of navigation on bank erosion along a reach of the regulated Meuse River with recently renaturalized banks. We apply UAV-SfM photogrammetry, RTK-GPS, acoustic Doppler velocimetry, aerial and terrestrial photography, soil tests, and multibeam echosounding to analyze the progression of bank retreat after riprap removal. After having analyzed the effects of ship-generated waves and currents, floods, and vegetation dynamics, a process-based model is proposed to estimate the long-term bank retreat. The results show that a terrace evolves in length and depth across the bank according to local lithology, which we clustered in three types. Floods contribute to upper-bank erosion-inducing mass failures, while near-bank flow appears increasingly ineffective to remove the failed material due to terrace elongation. Vegetation growth at the upper-bank toe reduces bank failure and delays erosion, but its permanence is limited by terrace stability and efficiency to dissipate waves. The results also indicate that long-term bank retreat is controlled by deep primary waves acting like bores over the terrace. Understanding the underlying drivers of bank evolution can support process-based management to optimize the benefits of structural and functional diversity in navigable rivers. Plain Language Summary Ship waves can be an important cause of bank erosion and ecological disturbance in rivers used as waterways. Despite present needs to improve riverine habitats, our understanding of ship-generated erosion is still poor. This is the first systematic and thorough investigation of bank erosion processes driven by ship waves. We focus on a river reach with recently renaturalized banks presenting diverse erosion rates to study the mechanisms and factors that determine bank retreat. The results show that banks retreat forming a terrace with length and depth that mainly depend on soil composition. Floods are responsible for bank collapse, but the near-bank flow gradually reduces as the terrace extends. As a result, floods become eventually unable to remove the failed material and produce further bank retreat. Plants and trees growing at the bank toe delay erosion, but their survival depends on the terrace evolution. Based on the analysis of field data, we developed a model to predict the final extent of bank retreat. Our results indicate that primary ship waves, acting like bores, determine the ultimate terrace shape. Understanding how banks erode due to navigation allows practitioners and managers to improve the ecological conditions of riparian habitats.

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“…The presence of filamentous algae was a significant predictor for both organic metrics. Filamentous algae, and associated biofilms, can bind surface sediments preventing the resuspension into the water column (Cheng et al, 2018;Fang et al, 2017). Additionally, the quantities of algae will be affected by nutrient input to the catchment which also has a direct link with organic matter (Collins et al, 2013a).…”

Section: Abiotic Predictors Of Fine Sedimentmentioning

confidence: 99%