Comment on the paper: Pettifer, E. and Kay, P. (2012) The effects of flood defences on riparian vegetation species richness and abundance.Water Environ. J., 26, 343-351

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 581-581
Author(s):  
R. M. Walls
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Vegetation Species

Bird species richness and abundance in riparian vegetation invaded by exotic Reynoutria spp.

Biologia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenka Hajzlerová ◽  
Jiří Reif
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
River Bank ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Acrocephalus Palustris

AbstractImpacts of invasive alien plant species are threatening biodiversity worldwide and thus it is important to assess their effects on particular groups of organisms. However, such impacts were studied mostly in case of plant or invertebrate communities and our understanding the response of vertebrate species to plant invasions remains incomplete. To improve our knowledge in this respect, we studied bird communities in riparian vegetation along the rivers with different levels of Reynoutria spp. invasion in the Czech Republic. These findings will be interesting for basic ecology enhancing our knowledge of consequences of plant invasions, as well as for conservation practice. We surveyed understory bird species in 26 vegetation blocks along parts of three rivers running from the Beskydy Mountains in spring 2011. We used principal component analysis to assess vegetation structure of particular blocks and the first axis ordinated the blocks according to the degree of invasion by Reynoutria spp. Using generalized linear mixed-effects models we found that counts of Motacilla cinerea, Cinclus cinclus and Sylvia borin, as well as the total bird species richness, significantly decreased with increasing degree of Reynoutria spp. invasion, while Acrocephalus palustris showed the opposite pattern. These results suggest that Reynoutria spp. impacts negatively on the species strictly bond with river banks and habitats specialists, whereas habitat generalist species like Sylvia atricapilla were not affected. Preference of Acrocephalus palustris for Reynoutria spp. corroborates affinity of this species to large invasive herbs observed also in other studies. Our study showed that Reynoutria spp. invasion can reduce species richness of understory birds in riparian communities. Although the distribution of this plant species is still quite limited in central Europe, our results suggest that its more widespread occurrence could potentially threat some river bank bird species. Therefore, we urge for development of management actions that will act counter the Reynoutria spp. invasion.

scholarly journals Spatial pattern of riparian plants along stream order among mountain rivers in China

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 322-330
Author(s):  
Rong Sun ◽  
Xiaojie Luo ◽  
Xiangyu Meng ◽  
Yan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Stream Order ◽  
River Continuum ◽  
Riparian Plants ◽  
Tree Species Richness ◽  
Riparian Species ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract The streams in a watershed form a hierarchical network system. From the perspective of the river continuum, this classification system is the result of gradual increase in traffic. This study analyzed the riparian species richness, diversity and environmental factors along a six-order hierarchical mountain river in the Donghe watershed, China. A total of 34 sampling sites were sampled to study the spatial distribution of riparian plants among different stream orders. The results showed: Environmental factors among stream orders had significant differences. Among stream order, species richness showed remarkable differences. The species richness rose firstly and dropped afterwards except for tree species richness; tree species richness decreased while stream order increased. The same is true for shrub quadrat species richness. Shannon-Wiener diversity, Simpson dominance and Pielou uniformity showed significant difference among stream orders; Shannon-Wiener diversity rose firstly then dropped afterwards. For integrated environmental factors and community characteristics, we found the changes of stream orders had a significant impact on riparian habitats and riparian vegetation. Further analysis showed that riparian vegetation experienced different types and degrees of disturbance in different stream orders. This meant that a hierarchical management strategy should be applied to riparian vegetation management.

scholarly journals Ground vegetation diversity and geobotanical analysis in dune pine forests in southwest Estonia

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Tilk ◽  
Katri Ots ◽  
Tea Tullus ◽  
Malle Mandre
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Lichen Species ◽  
Ground Vegetation ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Vegetation Species

Abstract To investigate the ecosystems on dunes, five typical dunes were selected in the coastal area of the Baltic Sea in southwest Estonia. To study ground vegetation species richness, species composition and horizontal structure, 251 quadrats of 1 m2 in size were established and descriptions of vascular plants, bryophytes and lichen species were provided. Topographical factors, soil horizons, soil pH and electrical conductivity, soil nutrients, soil moisture conditions and light conditions were determined. In total, 42 vascular plant, 43 bryophyte and 48 lichen species were recorded on five dunes. Vascular plant species richness and composition on forested dunes was dependent on the absolute dune height, zone and aspect of the slope, soil nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus content, soil pH and moisture, the cover of the bryophyte-lichen layer and light conditions. Regarding bryophyte and lichen layer species composition, important factors were the aspect of the dune, vascular plant species cover, light conditions, the thickness of the moderately decomposed organic soil horizon, soil pH, electrical conductivity and volumetric water content. Lichen species richness was highest on the slopes of the dunes, while bryophyte species richness was higher at the bottoms and decreased towards the tops of the dunes. Ground vegetation species richness and species’ horizontal and vertical structure on forested dunes were highly dependent on topography-induced differences, aspect, height and zone of the dunes. The most important factors controlling the complex of ground vegetation were light conditions, soil water content, thickness of the moderately decomposed litter layer and soil potassium and calcium content.

scholarly journals Associations between fish assemblage and riparian vegetation in the Corumbataí River Basin (SP)

2007 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cetra ◽  
M. Petrere JR.
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Sugar Cane ◽  
Fish Assemblage ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
The State ◽  
Multivariate Techniques

This work intends to examine if there are associations between fish species and the state of conservation of the riparian forest in the Corumbataí River Basin. Four main rivers were chosen for this study with three sites on each. Collections were carried out from March to June and from September to December 2001. Multivariate techniques were applied to determine the correlation between species richness and the order of the rivers, preservation level of the riparian forest, shade level, presence or absence of Eucalyptus, sugar cane and pastures, and surrounding declivity stability of the sites. Species richness was highest at locations with greater vegetation cover and preserved riparian forest.

scholarly journals Landscape effects on the occurrence of ichthyofauna in first-order streams of southeastern Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Santos Tibúrcio ◽  
Carolina da Silva Carvalho ◽  
Fabio Cop Ferreira ◽  
Roberto Goitein ◽  
Milton Cezar Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Functional Groups ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Temperature Conductivity ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
First Order

Abstract Objective In this study we aimed to understand how extrinsic environmental factors measured in the watercourses and the surrounding landscape influence the ichthyofauna of first-order streams. Methods Data were collected within the Corumbataí River Basin, São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, during the dry season of 2012. We sampled the ichthyofauna in 13 stretches of streams distributed across four river sub-basins. The stretches differed in relation to the presence/absence of riparian forest, the predominant type of matrix and the percentage of forest. Response variables were species richness and the occurrence of functional groups and explanatory variables include both local and landscape structures from the surrounding environment. Local variables comprised the following water quality and structural attributes: pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, flow rate, depth, width, type of substrate. Landscape variables included presence/absence of riparian vegetation, type of vegetation, type of matrix, percentage of forest and canopy cover. Results A total of 268 individuals were recorded, which were distributed among 12 species. The landscape structure influenced the occurrence of functional groups in first-order streams, especially allochthonous-feeders, nektonic and hypoxia-intolerant species. The presence of riparian forest was the most important predictor. Species richness was negatively related to the presence of riparian vegetation, supporting the hypothesis that degraded landscapes lead to a reduction in diversity. Conclusion The protection of riparian vegetation is critical to the maintenance of ichthyofauna diversity in first-order streams. The presence or absence of riparian vegetation differently affected the occurrence of species depending on their functional characteristics, particularly those related to the tolerance to hypoxia, source of alimentary items and the position in the water column.

Effects of salinisation on riparian plant communities in experimental catchments on the Collie River, Western Australia

2003 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 667 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Lymbery ◽  
R. G. Doupé ◽  
N. E. Pettit
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Soil Salinity ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Perennial Herb ◽  
Groundwater Levels ◽  
Riparian Plant Communities ◽  
Riparian Plant

Although the salinisation of streams has long been recognised as one of Western Australia's most serious environmental and resource problems, there is very little published information on the effects of salinisation on riparian flora and fauna. We studied riparian vegetation in three experimental catchments on the Collie River in Western Australia. The catchments are situated within a 5-km area of state forest and are geologically and botanically similar, but differ in the extent of clearing, groundwater levels and stream salinity. In each catchment, transects were taken perpendicular to the direction of streamflow, and 4-m2 quadrats taken along each transect. Within each quadrat, soil salinity was measured, all plants were identified to species level and percentage cover estimated. The catchments differed significantly in soil salinity, with salinity being greatest in the most extensively cleared catchment and increasing towards the floor of the valley. Plant-species richness, species diversity and species composition were significantly related to soil salinity, both among catchments and among quadrats within the most extensively cleared catchment. Plant-species richness and diversity decreased with increasing soil salinity, an effect that may be partly due to a decline in perennial herb and shrub species. This may have an impact on other components of the riparian ecosystem.

scholarly journals Influence of Soil Water Content on the Vegetation Species Richness in Qinghai Lake Inland Alpine Wetland

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 2426-2430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhu Jinfu ◽  
Chen Kelong ◽  
Wu Yanpeng ◽  
Cao Guangchao ◽  
Cao Shengkui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Qinghai Lake ◽  
Alpine Wetland ◽  
Vegetation Species
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