Quantitative linkages among sediment supply, streambed fine sediment, and benthic macroinvertebrates in northern California streams

Cover, Matthew R.; May, Christine L.; Dietrich, W. E.; Resh, Vincent H.

doi:10.1899/07032.1

Cited by 23 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…Locomotion traits may also be implicated in the impacts of fine sediment deposition on invertebrate communities. Burrowing taxa associated with depositional habitats are well adapted to fine sediment, while crawlers may be adversely affected during deposition events due to their reduced locomotive capacity (Bo et al, 2007;Braccia & Voshell, 2006;Buendia, Gibbins, Vericat, Batalla, & Douglas, 2013;Cover, May, Dietrich, & Resh, 2008). Species with certain respiration modes can also be highly sensitive to fine sediment transported in the suspended or saltating load.…”

Section: Controls On Ecological Responses: Invertebrate Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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: Controls On Ecological Responses: Invertebrate Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

et al. 2018

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“…The magnitude, frequency, and caliber of sediment supply affect river morphology and the availability and quality of aquatic habitats. In particular, high supplies of fine sediment (< 6 mm) can have detrimental effects on salmonid spawning habitat (Everest et al, 1987;Chapman, 1988;Bjornn and Reiser, 1991;Cover et al, 2008). Salmonids incubate their young within nests (redds) constructed in streambed gravels and cobbles (Burner, 1951).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, fine sediment input from land management activities, such as road construction, forest harvest, and prescribed burning is a concern in salmon-bearing streams. Although there are clear physical mechanisms by which fine sediment affects reproductive success in salmonids, the relationship between fine sediment inputs and fish stocks and recruitment in natural systems remains uncertain (Everest et al, 1987;Cover et al, 2008). The reason is that sediment (broadly defined) has positive and negative roles in aquatic ecology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling the effects of pulsed versus chronic sand inputs on salmonid spawning habitat in a low‐gradient gravel‐bed river

Maturana

Tonina

McKean

et al. 2013

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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It is widely recognized that high supplies of fine sediment, largely sand, can negatively impact the aquatic habitat quality of gravel-bed rivers, but effects of the style of input (chronic vs. pulsed) have not been examined quantitatively. We hypothesize that a continuous (i.e. chronic) supply of sand will be more detrimental to the quality of aquatic habitat than an instantaneous sand pulse equal to the integrated volume of the chronic supply. We investigate this issue by applying a two-dimensional numerical model to a 1 km long reach of prime salmonid spawning habitat in central Idaho. Results show that in both supply scenarios, sand moves through the study reach as bed load, and that both the movement and depth of sand on the streambed mirrors the hydrograph of this snowmelt-dominated river. Predictions indicate greater and more persistent mortality of salmonid embryos under chronic supplies than pulse inputs, supporting our hypothesis. However, predicted mortality varies both with salmonid species and location of spawning. We found that the greatest impacts occur closer to the location of the sand input under both supply scenarios. Results also suggest that reach-scale morphology may modulate the impact of sand loads, and that under conditions of high sand loading climaterelated increases in flow magnitude could increase embryo mortality through sand deposition, rather than streambed scour.

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“…Despite these strong biological-physical links, few studies have simultaneously addressed the interactions between flow regime, fine sediment supply to streams, river bed sedimentary conditions and stream biota (Cover et al, 2008). Most studies of the ecological impact of fine sediment have been in the context of human-induced land cover change or management practices or as part of controlled experimental manipulations (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of flow and fine sediment dynamics on the turnover of stream invertebrate assemblages

et al. 2013

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Interactions between flow regime, sediment dynamics and benthic invertebrates have seldom been studied in rivers experiencing naturally high suspended sediment loads. This paper examines invertebrate responses to hydrological and sedimentary processes over an annual cycle in a morphologically heterogeneous reach of a river that receives large volumes of fine sediment. Flow regime and sedimentary conditions showed a marked seasonal pattern, with fine sediment accumulating during low flows and after small flood events and not being removed until the large floods that occurred in autumn. The magnitude of sediment accumulation differed between habitats (e.g. being greater in pools than in riffles). The turnover in invertebrate assemblages, measured as beta diversity, was greatest in winter and decreased during summer as deposited fine sediment accumulated across the reach, suggesting that observed patterns of turnover were influenced by seasonal and habitat‐specific rates of sedimentation. Some of the spatial and temporal patterns in invertebrate assemblages were subtle, complex and difficult to interpret, but co‐inertia analysis indicated an overriding influence of low flows and associated sedimentation on their composition. Floods capable of entraining coarser bed material, along with smaller events accompanied by extensive mobilization of fine sediment, also influenced assemblages and resulted in immediate changes to assemblage composition and abundance. Assemblages appeared to exhibit resilience over the timescale of the study, with similar assemblages found at the beginning and at the end of the study period. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Quantitative linkages among sediment supply, streambed fine sediment, and benthic macroinvertebrates in northern California streams

Cited by 23 publications

References 0 publications

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

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

Modeling the effects of pulsed versus chronic sand inputs on salmonid spawning habitat in a low‐gradient gravel‐bed river

Effects of flow and fine sediment dynamics on the turnover of stream invertebrate assemblages

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