Leaf area and pubescence drive sedimentation on leaf surfaces during flooding

Kretz, Lena; Seele, Carolin; Plas, Fons van der; Weigelt, Alexandra; Wirth, Christian

doi:10.1007/s00442-020-04664-2

Cited by 10 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…It has been found for in-stream vegetation that structurally diverse patches increase the flow resistance [ 32 , 49 ], consequently reduce the flow velocity within the vegetation patch, and sediment deposits [ 31 , 32 ]. The probability to capture sediment is higher for species with hairy leaves, which was recently confirmed in another study [ 52 ]. It was also found in studies on airborne particles that high pubescent plant leaves collect more particles on the leaf surface [ 60 , 61 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

“…Sediment settles on the surface of the vegetation, thus specifically the structure of the leaf surface is important for sedimentation [ 34 ]. In a recent study, it was found that leaf pubescence explains much of the variance of sedimentation on leaf surfaces, species with hairy leaves collect more sediment than leaves of species with few or no hairs [ 52 ]. However, we expect that leaf surface structure has no strong effect on sedimentation on the soil surface underneath the vegetation, since leaves only change the flow velocity and cause turbulence close to the leaf surface [ 53 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plant structural diversity alters sediment retention on and underneath herbaceous vegetation in a flume experiment

et al. 2021

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Sediment retention is a key ecosystem function provided by floodplains to filter sediments and nutrients from the river water during floods. Floodplain vegetation is an important driver of fine sediment retention. We aim to understand which structural properties of the vegetation are most important for capturing sediments. In a hydraulic flume experiment, we investigated this by disentangling sedimentation on and underneath 96 vegetation patches (40 cm x 60 cm). We planted two grass and two herb species in each patch and conducted a full-factorial manipulation of 1) vegetation density, 2) vegetation height, 3) structural diversity (small-tall vs tall-tall species combinations) and 4) leaf pubescence (based on trait information). We inundated the vegetation patches for 21 h in a flume with silt- and clay-rich water and subsequently measured the amount of accumulated sediment on the vegetation and on a fleece as ground underneath it. We quantified the sediment by washing it off the biomass and off the fleece, drying the sediment and weighting it. Our results showed that all manipulated vegetation properties combined (vegetation density and height, and the interaction of structural diversity and leaf pubescence) explained sedimentation on the vegetation (total R2 = 0.34). The sedimentation underneath the vegetation was explained by the structural diversity and the leaf pubescence (total R2 = 0.11). We further found that vegetation biomass positively affected the sedimentation on and underneath the vegetation. These findings are crucial for floodplain management strategies with the aim to increase sediment retention. Based on our findings, we can identify management strategies and target plant communities that are able to maximize a floodplain’s ability to capture sediments.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant structural diversity alters sediment retention on and underneath herbaceous vegetation in a flume experiment

et al. 2021

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“…Thus, different capacities for sediment deposition caused by heterogeneous topography, changing hydrological connectivity and altered roughness values are also excluded (e.g. Kretz et al 2020). In the case of the Rhine floodplains, in particular, where many woodlands consist of commercial forests, often without a dense herb layer, the calculated TP retention may be partially overestimated (see Bernhart 2010).…”

Section: Uncertaintiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simple modelling for a large-scale assessment of total phosphorus retention in the floodplains of large rivers

et al. 2021

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Floodplains provide a multitude of ecosystem functions and services with water purification being one of them. For this study we modelled the retention of total phosphorous (TP) in the floodplains of the river Rhine and the river Elbe, looking at sediment deposition as the main process responsible for removing TP from rivers during inundation events. We applied two different approaches: a proxy-based approach (PBA) and a one-dimensional model based approach (MBA). We used both to calculate the yearly TP retention and compared it with the annual TP load in the rivers. Compared to the transported river load the Elbe floodplains investigated retained approx. 4.9% TP resp. 1.4% (PBA vs. MBA) while in the floodplains of the river Rhine about 1.8% vs. 0.3% TP was retained. We found that the greatest difficulty in quantifying TP retention in floodplains is due to the lack of spatial detail on the hydrological connectivity between rivers and their adjacent floodplains and that a sound validation of the results is absolutely necessary. Long-term monitoring data for floodplains, especially on hydrological connectivity, are of crucial importance in this respect.

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“…Besides vegetation structure, leaf surface structure of the vegetation also matters for sedimentation. In particular, leaf pubescence has been shown to positively and leaf area on not-haired leaves negatively drive sediment retention at the level of herbaceous leaf surfaces (23,38,39). Therefore, the mean expression of these traits in the vegetation may also be important for sedimentation at the level of floodplain vegetation patches, which has rarely been considered in studies on sedimentation in herbaceous vegetation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation characteristics control sediment and nutrient retention on but not underneath vegetation in floodplain meadows

Kretz

Bondar‐Kunze

Hein

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Sediment and nutrient retention are essential ecosystem functions that floodplains provide and that improve river water quality. During floods, the floodplain vegetation retains sediment, which settles on plant surfaces and the soil underneath plants. Both sedimentation processes require that flow velocity is reduced, which may be caused by the topographic features and the vegetation structure of the floodplain. However, the relative importance of these two drivers and their key components have rarely been both quantified. In addition to topographic factors, we expect vegetation height and density, mean leaf size and pubescence, as well as species diversity of the floodplain vegetation to increase the floodplain's capacity for sedimentation. To test this, we measured sediment and nutrients (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) both on the vegetation itself and on sediment traps underneath the vegetation after a flood at 24 sites along the River Mulde (Germany). Additionally, we measured biotic and topographic predictor variables. Sedimentation on the vegetation surface was positively driven by plant biomass and the height variation of the vegetation, and decreased with the hydrological distance (total R2=0.56). Sedimentation underneath the vegetation was not driven by any vegetation characteristics but decreased with hydrological distance (total R2=0.42). Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content in the sediment on the traps increased with the total amount of sediment (total R2=0.64, 0.62 and 0.84, respectively), while C, N and P on the vegetation additionally increased with hydrological distance (total R2=0.80, 0.79 and 0.92, respectively). This offers the potential to promote sediment and especially nutrient retention via vegetation management, such as adapted mowing. The pronounced signal of the hydrological distance to the river emphasises the importance of a laterally connected floodplain with abandoned meanders and morphological depressions. Our study improves our understanding of the locations where floodplain management has its most significant impact on sediment and nutrient retention to increase water purification processes.

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Leaf area and pubescence drive sedimentation on leaf surfaces during flooding

Cited by 10 publications

References 65 publications

Plant structural diversity alters sediment retention on and underneath herbaceous vegetation in a flume experiment

Plant structural diversity alters sediment retention on and underneath herbaceous vegetation in a flume experiment

Simple modelling for a large-scale assessment of total phosphorus retention in the floodplains of large rivers

Vegetation characteristics control sediment and nutrient retention on but not underneath vegetation in floodplain meadows

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