scholarly journals Evaluation of Stream and Wetland Restoration Using UAS-Based Thermal Infrared Mapping

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark C. Harvey ◽  
Danielle K. Hare ◽  
Alex Hackman ◽  
Glorianna Davenport ◽  
Adam B. Haynes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Wetland Restoration ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Groundwater Discharge ◽  
Thermal Infrared ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Hydrologic Connections ◽  
Water Ecosystem ◽  
And Function

Large-scale wetland restoration often focuses on repairing the hydrologic connections degraded by anthropogenic modifications. Of these hydrologic connections, groundwater discharge is an important target, as these surface water ecosystem control points are important for thermal stability, among other ecosystem services. However, evaluating the effectiveness of the restoration activities on establishing groundwater discharge connection is often difficult over large areas and inaccessible terrain. Unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) are now routinely used for collecting aerial imagery and creating digital surface models (DSM). Lightweight thermal infrared (TIR) sensors provide another payload option for generation of sub-meter-resolution aerial TIR orthophotos. This technology allows for the rapid and safe survey of groundwater discharge areas. Aerial TIR water-surface data were collected in March 2019 at Tidmarsh Farms, a former commercial cranberry peatland located in coastal Massachusetts, USA (41°54′17″ N 70°34′17″ W), where stream and wetland restoration actions were completed in 2016. Here, we present a 0.4 km2 georeferenced, temperature-calibrated TIR orthophoto of the area. The image represents a mosaic of nearly 900 TIR images captured by UAS in a single morning with a total flight time of 36 min and is supported by a DSM derived from UAS-visible imagery. The survey was conducted in winter to maximize temperature contrast between relatively warm groundwater and colder ambient surface environment; lower-density groundwater rises above cool surface waters and thus can be imaged by a UAS. The resulting TIR orthomosaic shows fine detail of seepage distribution and downstream influence along the several restored channel forms, which was an objective of the ecological restoration design. The restored stream channel has increased connectivity to peatland groundwater discharge, reducing the ecosystem thermal stressors. Such aerial techniques can be used to guide ecological restoration design and assess post-restoration outcomes, especially in settings where ecosystem structure and function is governed by groundwater and surface water interaction.

Thermal infrared video details multiscale groundwater discharge to surface water through macropores and peat pipes

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (14) ◽  
pp. 2510-2511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin A. Briggs ◽  
Danielle K. Hare ◽  
David F. Boutt ◽  
Glorianna Davenport ◽  
John W. Lane
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Groundwater Discharge ◽  
Thermal Infrared ◽  
Infrared Video

scholarly journals Common species link global ecosystems to climate change: dynamical evidence in the planktonic fossil record

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1858) ◽  
pp. 20170722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjarte Hannisdal ◽  
Kristian Agasøster Haaga ◽  
Trond Reitan ◽  
David Diego ◽  
Lee Hsiang Liow
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Planktonic Foraminifera ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Environmental Forcing ◽  
Widespread Species ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
And Function

Common species shape the world around us, and changes in their commonness signify large-scale shifts in ecosystem structure and function. However, our understanding of long-term ecosystem response to environmental forcing in the deep past is centred on species richness, neglecting the disproportional impact of common species. Here, we use common and widespread species of planktonic foraminifera in deep-sea sediments to track changes in observed global occupancy (proportion of sampled sites at which a species is present and observed) through the turbulent climatic history of the last 65 Myr. Our approach is sensitive to relative changes in global abundance of the species set and robust to factors that bias richness estimators. Using three independent methods for detecting causality, we show that the observed global occupancy of planktonic foraminifera has been dynamically coupled to past oceanographic changes captured in deep-ocean temperature reconstructions. The causal inference does not imply a direct mechanism, but is consistent with an indirect, time-delayed causal linkage. Given the strong quantitative evidence that a dynamical coupling exists, we hypothesize that mixotrophy (symbiont hosting) may be an ecological factor linking the global abundance of planktonic foraminifera to long-term climate changes via the relative extent of oligotrophic oceans.

Ecological restoration for biodiversity conservation triggers response of bark beetle pests and their natural predators

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Maarit Hekkala ◽  
Simon Kärvemo ◽  
Martijn Versluijs ◽  
Jan Weslien ◽  
Christer Björkman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Bark Beetle ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Gap Cutting ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
And Function

Abstract The restoration of forest structure and function is increasingly being used in boreal forests in order to halt the loss of biodiversity. Often ecological restoration is aimed at increasing the volume of dead and dying trees to enhance the biodiversity of deadwood-dependent organisms, but it may also increase population sizes of pest bark beetle species, even several years following restoration. Herein, we used a large-scale restoration experiment in Northern Sweden to assess the 5 years post-restoration effects of restorative gap cutting and prescribed burning on the populations of a set of economically harmful pest bark beetles (Ips typographus, Polygraphus poligraphus, Tomicus piniperda and Pityogenes chalcographus) and the most important predators of bark beetles, Thanasimus spp. In addition, we assessed the effects of forest stand characteristics at stand and landscape scale on the abundance of I. typographus. Five years post-restoration, gap-cut stands supported the highest abundances of P. poligraphus and contained the highest count of spruce trees newly attacked by bark beetles. By contrast, prescribed burning generally sustained the lowest abundances of pest bark beetles, especially I. typographus and P. poligraphus, and the highest abundance of their natural predators Thanasimus spp. The population abundance of I. typographus was also positively affected by the area of clear cuts within a 500 m radius from the stand. In conclusion, prescribed burning appears to be a safer method for ecological restoration than gap cutting in the long-term. According to our results, a risk of a local bark beetle outbreak still remains 5 years following the initiation of ecological restoration treatments on spruce-dominated mature gap-cut stands.

scholarly journals Mortality in Forested Ecosystems: Suggested Conceptual Advances

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 572
Author(s):  
Mark E. Harmon ◽  
David M. Bell
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
General Process ◽  
A Chain ◽  
And Function ◽  
Forested Ecosystems ◽  
Ecosystem Structure And Function

Mortality of trees is an important ecological process altering forest structure and function as well as influencing forest management decisions. Recent observations suggest that the overall rate of tree mortality is increasing at local to global scales. While more data on mortality is needed to document these changes, key concepts are also needed to guide the collection, interpretation, and use of this information. Mortality can be considered as a general process that includes all forms of tree-related death ranging from parts of trees to large-scale disturbances. Viewing mortality as a continuum allows one to examine how the lifespan of trees and their parts (e.g., branches), as well as multiple disturbances, influence ecosystem structure and function. Statistically, mortality does not follow the law of large numbers because, regardless of the scale analyzed, consequential, infrequent episodes can occur. This causes mortality to occur in irregular pulses. While the causes of mortality are indeed complex, this stems from the fact many processes, each with its own set of controls, can lead to mortality. By analyzing and predicting mortality using a chain of events influenced by specific mechanisms, a clearer understanding of this process should develop, leading to a more science-based and less reactive forest management.

scholarly journals Ecosystem-level effects of large-scale disturbance in kelp forests

2020 ◽  
Vol 656 ◽  
pp. 163-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
KM Norderhaug ◽  
K Filbee-Dexter ◽  
C Freitas ◽  
SR Birkely ◽  
L Christensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Kelp Forests ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Large Scale Disturbance ◽  
And Function ◽  
Ecosystem Structure And Function

Understanding the effects of ecological disturbances in coastal habitats is crucial and timely as these are anticipated to increase in intensity and frequency in the future due to increasing human pressure. In this study we used directed kelp trawling as a scientific tool to quantify the impacts of broad-scale disturbance on community structure and function. We tested the ecosystem-wide effects of this disturbance in a BACI design using two 15 km2 areas. The disturbance had a substantial impact on the kelp forests in this study, removing 2986 tons of kelp and causing a 26% loss of total kelp canopy at trawled stations. This loss created a 67% reduction of epiphytes, an 89% reduction of invertebrates and altered the fish populations living within these habitats. The effect of habitat loss on fish was variable and depended on how the different species used the habitat structure. Our results show that large-scale experimental disturbances on habitat-forming species have ecological consequences that extend beyond the decline of the single species to affect multiple trophic levels of the broader ecosystem. Our findings have relevance for understanding how increasing anthropogenic disturbances, including kelp trawling and increased storm frequency caused by climate change, may alter ecosystem structure and function.

scholarly journals Can we predict groundwater discharge from terrestrial ecosystems using existing eco-hydrological concepts?

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 3731-3739 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. O'Grady ◽  
J. L. Carter ◽  
J. Bruce
Keyword(s):  
Strong Convergence ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Groundwater Discharge ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Terrestrial Vegetation ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Groundwater Systems ◽  
And Function

Abstract. There is increasing recognition of the role that groundwater plays in the maintenance of ecosystem structure and function. As a result, water resources planners need to develop an understanding of the water requirements for these ecosystems. In this study we reviewed estimates of groundwater discharge from terrestrial vegetation communities around Australia and explored this data set for empirical relationships that could be used to predict groundwater discharge in data poor areas. In particular we explored how leaf area index and the water balance of groundwater systems conformed to two existing ecohydrological frameworks; the Budyko framework, which describes the partitioning of rainfall into evapotranspiration and runoff within a simple supply and demand framework, and Eagleson's theory of ecological optimality. We demonstrate strong convergence with the predictions of both frameworks. Terrestrial groundwater systems discharging groundwater lie above the water limit line as defined in the Budyko framework. However, when climate wetness was recalculated to include groundwater discharge there was remarkable convergence of these sites along this water limit line. Thus, we found that there was a strong correlation between estimates of evapotranspiration derived from the Budyko's relationship with observed estimates of evapotranspiration. Similarly, the LAI of ecosystems with access to groundwater have higher LAI than those without access to groundwater, for a given climatic regime. However, again when discharge was included in the calculation of climate wetness index there was again strong convergence between the two systems, providing support for ecological optimality frameworks that maximize LAI under given water availability regimes. The simplicity and utility of these simple ecohydrological insights potentially provide a valuable tool for predicting groundwater discharge from terrestrial ecosystems, especially in data poor areas.

Groundwater inputs towards surface water: quantification and impact on the river water quality using chemical and isotope fingerprints (87Sr/86Sr), example of the Loire River (France)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuelle Petelet-Giraud ◽  
Philippe Negrel ◽  
Joël Casanova
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
River Water ◽  
Groundwater Discharge ◽  
Thermal Infrared ◽  
River Water Quality ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Isotopic Tracers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Loire River

<p>Within the Critical Zone, the river water quality plays a key role for the related ecosystems. The impact of contaminants delivered to surface water from groundwater inputs are often neglected, while they can constitute the major loads of nutrients or pesticides in some specific river sections. In this study, we focus on a limited section of the Loire River in France, downstream Orleans city, where the increase of the river discharge cannot be attributed to the confluence of the small tributaries. Indeed, previous studies have pointed out the role of the groundwater discharge from the large Beauce aquifer located to the north of the river, mainly focusing on the quantitative aspects.</p><p>Based here on geochemical and isotopic tracers, we first confirm groundwater inputs to the Loire River and we clearly attributed those inputs to the Beauce carbonate aquifer using the relationship between <sup>87</sup>Sr/<sup>86</sup>Sr and the Cl/Sr ratios. Secondly, the conservative tracers (Sr isotopes and Cl concentrations) allow assessing the groundwater contribution to the river to around 20% of the total discharge during low flow periods. This proportion is in full agreement with the previous studies based on heat budget method, where the river temperature is estimated with satellite thermal infrared images. Lalot et al. (2015) showed that the main groundwater discharge is concentrated along a 9 km transect just downstream of Orléans city with a discharge of 5.3 and 13.5 m<sup>3</sup>.s<sup>−1</sup> during summer and winter times, respectively. This is roughly in agreement with the calculations based on groundwater modelling (calculated groundwater discharge: 0.6 to 0.9 m<sup>3</sup>.s<sup>−1</sup>.km<sup>−1</sup>). Finally, we pointed out the quality impact of these groundwaters especially regarding nitrates. Groundwater impacts on surface water quality have recently been considered as a potential vector of surface water contamination but they are still weakly studied and quantified. Here, we show pics of nitrates concentrations that rapidly decrease in the Loire River (especially in low flow period) after the groundwaters inputs enriched in NO<sub>3</sub> coming from the highly anthropized Beauce aquifer because of intensive agriculture practices. The nitrate decrease in the river is probably due to a nitrate removal processes (plant/microbial uptake?). The impact of these inputs into the Loire but also into the small tributaries of the Loire River should be further investigated, especially regarding pesticides loads and fates, and their potential impact on the related ecosystems.</p><p>Lalot, E., Curie, F., Wawrzyniak, V., Baratelli, F., Schomburgk, S., Flipo, N., Piegay, H., Moatar, F., 2015. Quantification of the contribution of the Beauce groundwater aquifer to the discharge of the Loire River using thermal infrared satellite imaging. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 19, 4479–4492.</p>

scholarly journals Can we predict groundwater discharge from terrestrial ecosystems using eco-hydrological principals?

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 8231-8253 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. O'Grady ◽  
J. L. Carter ◽  
J. Bruce
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Discharge ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Empirical Relationships ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Climatic Regime ◽  
Groundwater Systems ◽  
And Function ◽  
Ecosystem Structure And Function

Abstract. There is increasing recognition of the role that groundwater plays in the maintenance of ecosystem structure and function. As a result, water resources planners need to develop an understanding of the water requirements for these ecosystems. However, their capacity to do this is constrained by a lack of empirical information on groundwater discharge from terrestrial systems. In this study we reviewed estimates of groundwater discharge from around Australia focussing particularly on terrestrial groundwater discharge. The review examined detailed water balance studies where discharge has been identified as a component of evapotranspiration and we have explored this data set for empirical relationships that could be used to aid in predicting groundwater discharge in data poor areas. In general, terrestrial groundwater systems discharging groundwater lie above the theoretical water limit line as defined by the Budyko framework. However, when climate wetness was recalculated to include groundwater discharge there was remarkable convergence of these sites along the water limit line. Similarly, the leaf area index of ecosystems with access to groundwater had higher LAI than those without access to groundwater, for a given climatic regime. However, when discharge was included in the calculation of climate wetness index there was again strong convergence between the two systems, providing support for ecological optimality frameworks that maximize LAI under given water availability regimes. The simplicity and utility of these simple ecohydrological insights potentially provide a valuable tool for predicting groundwater discharge from terrestrial ecosystems.

scholarly journals Hydrogeological controls on spatial patterns of groundwater discharge in peatlands

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 6031-6048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle K. Hare ◽  
David F. Boutt ◽  
William P. Clement ◽  
Christine E. Hatch ◽  
Glorianna Davenport ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Groundwater Discharge ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Nutrient Inputs ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Wetland Ecosystems ◽  
Agricultural Conversion ◽  
And Function

Abstract. Peatland environments provide important ecosystem services including water and carbon storage, nutrient processing and retention, and wildlife habitat. However, these systems and the services they provide have been degraded through historical anthropogenic agricultural conversion and dewatering practices. Effective wetland restoration requires incorporating site hydrology and understanding groundwater discharge spatial patterns. Groundwater discharge maintains wetland ecosystems by providing relatively stable hydrologic conditions, nutrient inputs, and thermal buffering important for ecological structure and function; however, a comprehensive site-specific evaluation is rarely feasible for such resource-constrained projects. An improved process-based understanding of groundwater discharge in peatlands may help guide ecological restoration design without the need for invasive methodologies and detailed site-specific investigation. Here we examine a kettle-hole peatland in southeast Massachusetts historically modified for commercial cranberry farming. During the time of our investigation, a large process-based ecological restoration project was in the assessment and design phases. To gain insight into the drivers of site hydrology, we evaluated the spatial patterning of groundwater discharge and the subsurface structure of the peatland complex using heat-tracing methods and ground-penetrating radar. Our results illustrate that two groundwater discharge processes contribute to the peatland hydrologic system: diffuse lower-flux marginal matrix seepage and discrete higher-flux preferential-flow-path seepage. Both types of groundwater discharge develop through interactions with subsurface peatland basin structure, often where the basin slope is at a high angle to the regional groundwater gradient. These field observations indicate strong correlation between subsurface structures and surficial groundwater discharge. Understanding these general patterns may allow resource managers to more efficiently predict and locate groundwater seepage, confirm these using remote sensing technologies, and incorporate this information into restoration design for these critical ecosystems.

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