If a tree falls in an urban stream, does it stick around? Mobility, characteristics, and geomorphic influence of large wood in urban streams in northeastern Ohio, USA

Geomorphology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 337 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garrett A. Blauch ◽  
Anne J. Jefferson
Keyword(s):  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Large Wood ◽  
Tree Falls

scholarly journals The Value and Services of Urban Stream Polygnotou, Thessaloniki

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 576
Author(s):  
Eleni A. Athanasiadou ◽  
Maria Tratsela ◽  
Eleni Gkrimpa
Keyword(s):  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Riparian Ecosystems ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome ◽  
Mental Map

Grey, blue and green infrastructure supports socio-ecological processes the city undergoes. Yet, procedures of constructing anthropogenic habitats often undermine the value of natural landscape elements such as urban streams. Thessaloniki’s backbone comprises of urban streams that run from the suburban forest of ‘Seih-Sou’ to the Thermaikos Gulf acting as corridors of the natural urban matrix. Policies of the past have dealt with urban streams through extensive engineering drainage methods, eliminating the risk of flooding, yet resulting in rapid stormwater runoff, water quality problems, disturbed riparian ecosystems, leading to the urban stream syndrome. Furthermore, they have failed to address urban streams as an inseparable part of the landscape and thus to incorporate them in people’s mental map and everyday activities. The paper discusses the case of ‘Polygnotou stream’ which forms the beginning of the large scale engineered peripheral moat of Thessaloniki, constructed in the 60’s, and playing the role of the water recipient for six urban streams in total. It falls unknown to the majority of people living in the area, yet its services as an ecosystem ought to be acknowledged, helping inform decision makers of its socio-ecologic, perceptual and economic value. In addition, Polygnotou stream, adjacent streams and the peripheral moat overall, could be considered as a touristic product of great importance.

scholarly journals Taxon-Driven Functional Shifts Associated with Storm Flow in an Urban Stream Microbial Community

mSphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adit Chaudhary ◽  
Imrose Kauser ◽  
Anirban Ray ◽  
Rachel Poretsky
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Shotgun Metagenomics ◽  
Storm Flow ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Urban streams are susceptible to stormwater and sewage inputs that can impact their ecological health and water quality. Microbial communities in streams play important functional roles, and their composition and metabolic potential can help assess ecological state and water quality. Although these environments are highly heterogenous, little is known about the influence of isolated perturbations, such as those resulting from rain events on urban stream microbiota. Here, we examined the microbial community composition and diversity in an urban stream during dry and wet weather conditions with both 16S rRNA gene sequencing across multiple years and shotgun metagenomics to more deeply analyze a single storm flow event. Metagenomics was used to assess population-level dynamics as well as shifts in the microbial community taxonomic profile and functional potential before and after a substantial rainfall. The results demonstrated general trends present in the stream under storm flow versus base flow conditions and also highlighted the influence of increased effluent flow following rain in shifting the stream microbial community from abundant freshwater taxa to those more associated with urban/anthropogenic settings. Shifts in the taxonomic composition were also linked to changes in functional gene content, particularly for transmembrane transport and organic substance biosynthesis. We also observed an increase in relative abundance of genes encoding degradation of organic pollutants and antibiotic resistance after rain. Overall, this study highlighted some differences in the microbial community of an urban stream under storm flow conditions and showed the impact of a storm flow event on the microbiome from an environmental and public health perspective. IMPORTANCE Urban streams in various parts of the world are facing increased anthropogenic pressure on their water quality, and storm flow events represent one such source of complex physical, chemical, and biological perturbations. Microorganisms are important components of these streams from both ecological and public health perspectives. Analysis of the effect of perturbations on the stream microbial community can help improve current knowledge on the impact such chronic disturbances can have on these water resources. This study examines microbial community dynamics during rain-induced storm flow conditions in an urban stream of the Chicago Area Waterway System. Additionally, using shotgun metagenomics we identified significant shifts in the microbial community composition and functional gene content following a high-rainfall event, with potential environment and public health implications. Previous work in this area has focused on specific genes/organisms or has not assessed immediate storm flow impact.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Water Quality Characteristics of Urban Streams Using the Flow–Pollutant Loading Relationship and a Load Duration Curve (LDC)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 9694
Author(s):  
Ji-Yun Jang ◽  
Dae-Woong Kim ◽  
Ye-Ji Choi ◽  
Dong-Woo Jang
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Quality Characteristics ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Pollution Sources ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Flow Index ◽  
Discharge Data ◽  
Flow Discharge ◽  
Pollutant Loading

For urban streams, wastewater inflow makes water quality management difficult. This study attempted to analyze the water quality characteristics and pollution sources for the efficient management of water quality in the upper, middle, and lower Gul-po stream reaches. The water quality and flow characteristics for each point were analyzed using five-year water quality and flow discharge data at Gul-po stream from 2016 to 2020. The results showed that the flow increased and the water quality improved in the upper part of the stream, under the influence of a treated water discharge. The flow–pollutant loading equation revealed that the flow coefficient (slope of the regression equation) values of the water quality characteristics, except T-N, were lower than 1 in the upper part, indicating that the water quality decreased as the flow increased. In the middle and lower parts, the flow index values of the water quality characteristics, except T-N, were greater than 1, indicating that the water quality increased with the flow. For the middle and lower parts, the overage rate of target water quality by the Ministry of Environment was high for high-flow discharge sections, indicating the significant influence of nonpoint pollution sources. These results show that it is necessary to consider different pollution sources at each point for urban stream quality management.

The influence of concrete on the geochemical qualities of urban streams

2014 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl Tippler ◽  
Ian A. Wright ◽  
Peter J. Davies ◽  
Alison Hanlon
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Ionic Composition ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome ◽  
Water Geochemistry ◽  
Freshwater Streams ◽  
Stream Geochemistry

The geochemical signature of freshwater streams can be used to determine the extent and nature of modification to stream water geochemistry due to urban development. This approach used the Gibbs (1970) diagram as a model for evaluation of changes to ionic composition linked to urban development. In this multi-year study, the geochemistry of 21 waterways in the Georges River catchment, Sydney, were monitored and compared with the level of urban development as measured by sub-catchment imperviousness and directly connected imperviousness. The results reflect a strong relationship between the intensity of sub-catchment urban development and stream geochemistry. All major geochemical attributes increased with escalating levels of urban development. The largest increase was for bicarbonate, which increased 18 times from a mean of 6.4 mg L–1 at non-urban streams to a mean of 118 mg L–1 at urban streams. Similarly, mean concentrations of calcium increased by 14 times (from 2 to 27.9 mg L–1). Mean salinity was enriched in the most urban streams, compared with non-urban streams, by more than 6 times. We attribute this, in part, to the influence of urban geology, notably concrete stormwater infrastructure. Changes in stream geochemistry due to urban development are an important element of the urban stream syndrome.

A new type of water pollution: concrete drainage infrastructure and geochemical contamination of urban waters

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
P. J. Davies ◽  
S. J. Findlay ◽  
O. J. Jonasson
Keyword(s):  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Urban Drainage ◽  
Urban Stream Syndrome ◽  
Concrete Pipes ◽  
Freshwater Streams ◽  
New Type ◽  
Major Anions ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Stream Geochemistry

Stormwater and other urban runoff is often conveyed by concrete infrastructure and it is plausible that the chemistry of urban streams is modified by the leaching of minerals from this infrastructure. We tested this hypothesis by analysing major anions, cations and other chemical variables from urban and reference freshwater streams in northern Sydney. Urban streams tended towards neutral pH whereas non-urban reference streams were acidic. Bicarbonate levels were more than 10 times higher and calcium concentrations were more than six times higher in urban streams than reference streams. Experimental analysis revealed that the chemistry of rainwater changed when passed through concrete pipes and down concrete gutters, suggesting dissolution of cement products from various concrete materials used for urban drainage. This study concluded that the use of concrete – particularly its application for urban drainage – is responsible for some of the modifications to urban stream geochemistry. Thus, urban geology should be considered as an important factor that contributes to the urban stream syndrome.

scholarly journals Spatial Changes in Invertebrate Structures as a Factor of Strong Human Activity in the Bed and Catchment Area of a Small Urban Stream

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Czerniawski ◽  
Łukasz Sługocki ◽  
Tomasz Krepski ◽  
Anna Wilczak ◽  
Katarzyna Pietrzak
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Large River ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Abiotic Conditions ◽  
Spatial Changes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ecological Potential

The threats to small urban streams lead to a decrease in their water quality and dysregulate their ecological balance, thereby affecting the biodiversity and causing degradation of indicators that determine the ecological potential. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of abiotic conditions induced by intensive human activity on the community structures of invertebrates (zooplankton and macroinvertebrates) in the small urban stream Bukówka in the Szczecin agglomeration (NW Poland). This stream exhibits the same characteristics as a large river, in which the mass of live organic matter increases with their length. The composition of invertebrates (zooplankton and macroinvertebrates) was strongly influenced by the changes caused by humans in the stream bed. The construction of small reservoirs and bed regulation in this small urban streams had a similar effect on the quality of the water and ecological potential as in large rivers, but at a lower scale.

scholarly journals Taxa-driven functional shifts associated with stormflow in an urban stream microbial community

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adit Chaudhary ◽  
Imrose Kauser ◽  
Anirban Ray ◽  
Rachel Poretsky
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Functional Gene ◽  
Gene Content ◽  
Urban Stream ◽  
Shotgun Metagenomics

AbstractUrban streams are susceptible to stormwater and sewage inputs that can impact their ecological health and water quality. Microbial communities in streams play important functional roles and their composition and metabolic potential can help assess ecological state and water quality. Although these environments are highly heterogenous, little is known about the influence of isolated perturbations, such as those resulting from rain events on urban stream microbiota. Here, we examined the microbial community composition and diversity in an urban stream during dry and wet weather conditions with both 16S rRNA gene sequencing across multiple years and shotgun metagenomics to more deeply analyze a single stormflow event. Metagenomics was used to assess population-level dynamics as well as shifts in the microbial community taxonomic profile and functional potential before and after a substantial rainfall. Results demonstrated general trends present in the stream under stormflow vs. baseflow conditions across years and seasons and also highlighted the significant influence of increased effluent flow following rain in shifting the stream microbial community from abundant freshwater taxa to those more associated with urban/anthropogenic settings. Shifts in the taxonomic composition were also linked to changes in functional gene content, particularly for transmembrane transport and organic substance biosynthesis. We also observed an increase in relative abundance of genes encoding degradation of organic pollutants and antibiotic resistance after rain. Overall, this study provided evidence of stormflow impacts on an urban stream microbiome from an environmental and public health perspective.ImportanceUrban streams in various parts of the world are facing increased anthropogenic pressure on their water quality, and stormflow events represent one such source of complex physical, chemical and biological perturbations. Microorganisms are important components of these streams from both ecological and public-health perspectives, and analyzing the effect of such perturbations on the stream microbial community can help improve current knowledge on the impact such chronic disturbances can have on these water resources. This study examines microbial community dynamics during rain-induced stormflow conditions in an urban stream of the Chicago Area Waterway System. Additionally, using shotgun metagenomics we identified significant shifts in the microbial community composition and functional gene content following a high rainfall event, with potential environment and public health implications. Previous work in this area has been limited to specific genes/organisms or has not assessed immediate stormflow impact.

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