Interactions Between the Hydrodynamics of Flowing Water and the Development of a Benthic Algal Community

Reiter, Michael A.

doi:10.1080/02705060.1986.9665144

Cited by 25 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Hydrodynamics is one of the most important environmental factors (nutrient, light, temperature etc.) driving stream biofilm dynamics and structure and is generally considered the major agent of physical forcing on the biofilm (Reiter, 1986;Power and Stewart, 1987;Biggs et al, 2005). Indeed, metabolic rates for the biofilm are controlled by the thickness of the diffusive boundary layer that develops along filaments driving the transfer of metabolites to and from cells, and they are then related to the flow water velocity (Whitford and Schumacher, 1961;Lock and John, 1979;Riber et al, 1987).…”

Section: Afdm Dmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction between local hydrodynamics and algal community in epilithic biofilm

Graba¹,

Sauvage²,

Moulin³

et al. 2013

Water Research

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Interactions between epilithic biofilm and local hydrodynamics were investigated in an experimental flume. Epilithic biofilm from a natural river was grown over a 41-day period in three sections with different flow velocities (0.10, 0.25 and 0.40 m s(-1) noted LV, IV and HV respectively). Friction velocities u* and boundary layer parameters were inferred from PIV measurement in the three sections and related to the biofilm structure. The results show that there were no significant differences in Dry Mass and Ash-Free Dry Mass (g m(-2)) at the end of experiment, but velocity is a selective factor in algal composition and the biofilms' morphology differed according to differences in water velocity. A hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis (Bray-Curtis distances) and an Indicator Species Analysis (IndVal) showed that the indicator taxa were Fragilaria capucina var. mesolepta in the low-velocity (u*. = 0.010-0.012 m s(-1)), Navicula atomus, Navicula capitatoradiata and Nitzschia frustulum in the intermediate-velocity (u*. = 0.023-0.030 m s(-1)) and Amphora pediculus, Cymbella proxima, Fragilaria capucina var. vaucheriae and Surirella angusta in the high-velocity (u*. = 0.033-0.050 m s(-1)) sections. A sloughing test was performed on 40-day-old biofilms in order to study the resistance of epilithic biofilms to higher hydrodynamic regimes. The results showed an inverse relationship between the proportion of detached biomass and the average value of friction velocity during growth. Therefore, water velocity during epilithic biofilm growth conditioned the structure and algal composition of biofilm, as well as its response (ability to resist) to higher shear stresses. This result should be considered in modelling epilithic biofilm dynamics in streams subject to a variable hydrodynamics regime.

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Section: Afdm Dmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction between local hydrodynamics and algal community in epilithic biofilm

Graba¹,

Sauvage²,

Moulin³

et al. 2013

Water Research

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“…However, it is likely that diatoms would respond to changes in flow regimes because they are sensitive to changes in water velocity (e.g. Stevenson, 1984a,b;Reiter, 1986;Reiter and Carlson, 1986) and are good indicators of water pollution. Lowe (1979) suggested that the more constant discharge that is often associated with some types of river regulation would favour the growth of peniphyton.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Ecological effects of flow regulation on macroinvertebrate and periphytic diatom assemblages in the Hawkesbury–Nepean River, Australia

Growns

2001

Regul. Rivers: Res. Mgmt.

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The effects of flow regulation on macroinvertebrates and periphytic diatoms were examined in the HawkesburyNepean River system in Australia. Regulated sites below eight dams or weirs were compared with unregulated sites above the impoundments and sites on two nearby unregulated streams. The management of the water supply during the study created two types of flow regulation, sites with water supply releases and sites with comparatively small or no releases. The macroinvertebrate communities in three habitats and periphytic diatoms below the storages and weirs differed from the biota at unregulated sites above the weirs and on unregulated systems. The number of macroinvertebrate taxa in riffle and pool-rock assemblages was significantly lower at regulated sites when compared with unregulated sites and the number of stream edge macroinvertebrate and diatom taxa was unaffected by regulation. Riffle and pool-rock macroinvertebrate assemblages differed between the two types of regulation. However, periphytic diatom and edge habitat macroinvertebrate assemblages did not differ between the two types of flow regulation. Examination of environmental variables associated with the change in the biota suggested that the principal effect of the management of the water supply system in the Hawkesbury-Nepean River was changed hydrology rather than altered water quality.

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“…Yet these taxa are often predicted with high probabilities to be present in the absence of river regulation (Marchant & Hehir, 2002). Dams alter the downstream benthic algal community also, through altered thermal regimes (DeNicola, 1996), changed flow patterns (Reiter, 1986;Biggs, 1996) and changes to the disturbance regime (Mosisch & Bunn, 1997). This changed structure of the algal community is likely to have a flow-on effect to the communities of consumer organisms because, as is being increasingly recognised, benthic algae are an important food resource in upland forest streams (Mulholland et al, 2000;Rainer et al, 2001;Salas & Dudgeon, 2001;Woodward & Hildrew, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dams and Flow in the Cotter River, Australia: Effects on Instream Trophic Structure and Benthic Metabolism

Chester

Norris

2006

Hydrobiologia

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This study assessed benthic macroinvertebrates and periphyton and its responses to managed river-flows, in riffles downstream of three dams on the Cotter River, Australian Capital Territory. Benthic macroinvertebrates and periphyton were also assessed in adjacent tributaries of the river, as well as in a nearby unregulated river and its tributaries. Food sources of four macroinvertebrate taxa (Leptophlebiidae, Elmidae, Glossosomatidae and Orthocladiinae) were determined by stable isotope analysis of the invertebrates and their potential food, in conjunction with examination of the gut contents of individual invertebrates. Components of benthic periphyton were the main food source for the selected taxa. Orthocladiinae consumed primarily amorphous detritus, while Elmidae, Glossosomatidae and Leptophlebiidae consumed diatoms. Enclosed benthic chambers were used to measure the response of benthic metabolism to monthly flow spikes released from one of the dams. The balance of benthic metabolism as measured by the Production/Respiration ratio (P/R) showed a shift towards production after the release of flow spikes. At sites downstream of the dams, there was more periphyton chlorophyll-a in the form of filamentous green algae than at sites in the unregulated river and the tributaries, and macroinvertebrate taxa using periphyton as a food resource were missing or reduced in abundance relative to sites without dams. However, the site downstream of the dam with environmental flow releases had more macroinvertebrate taxa and less periphyton cholorophyll-a content than sites downstream of dams without managed environmental flows, suggesting that a more suitable food supply resulting from environmental flow releases shifted macroinvertebrate communities towards those of unregulated streams.

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Interactions Between the Hydrodynamics of Flowing Water and the Development of a Benthic Algal Community

Cited by 25 publications

References 11 publications

Interaction between local hydrodynamics and algal community in epilithic biofilm

Interaction between local hydrodynamics and algal community in epilithic biofilm

Ecological effects of flow regulation on macroinvertebrate and periphytic diatom assemblages in the Hawkesbury–Nepean River, Australia

Dams and Flow in the Cotter River, Australia: Effects on Instream Trophic Structure and Benthic Metabolism

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