scholarly journals Forested Riparian Buffers Change the Taxonomic and Functional Composition of Stream Invertebrate Communities in Agricultural Catchments

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1028
Author(s):  
Jasmina Sargac ◽  
Richard K. Johnson ◽  
Francis J. Burdon ◽  
Amélie Truchy ◽  
Geta Rîşnoveanu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Riparian Buffers ◽  
Functional Composition ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Agricultural Catchments ◽  
Stream Biodiversity

Riparian zones form the interface between stream and terrestrial ecosystems and play a key role through their vegetation structure in determining stream biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and regulating human impacts, such as warming, nutrient enrichment and sedimentation. We assessed how differing riparian vegetation types influence the structural and functional composition (based on species traits) of stream invertebrate communities in agricultural catchments. We characterized riparian and stream habitat conditions and sampled stream invertebrate communities in 10 independent site pairs, each comprising one “unbuffered” reach lacking woody riparian vegetation and a second downstream reach with a woody riparian buffer. Forested riparian buffers were associated with greater shading, increased gravel content in stream substrates and faster flow velocities. We detected changes in invertebrate taxonomic composition in response to buffer presence, with an increase in sensitive Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa and increases in key invertebrate species traits, including species with preference for gravel substrates and aerial active dispersal as adults. Riparian vegetation independently explained most variation in taxa composition, whereas riparian and instream habitat together explained most variation in functional composition. Our results highlight how changes in stream invertebrate trait distributions may indirectly reflect differences in riparian habitat, with implications for stream health and cross-ecosystem connectivity.

scholarly journals Riparian Vegetation Structure Influences Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities in an Agricultural Landscape

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Cristina Popescu ◽  
Mihaela Oprina-Pavelescu ◽  
Valentin Dinu ◽  
Constantin Cazacu ◽  
Francis J. Burdon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Riparian Buffers ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Terrestrial Invertebrate ◽  
Invertebrate Diversity

Stream and terrestrial ecosystems are intimately connected by riparian zones that support high biodiversity but are also vulnerable to human impacts. Landscape disturbances, overgrazing, and diffuse pollution of agrochemicals threaten riparian biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. We assessed how terrestrial invertebrate communities respond to changes in riparian vegetation in Romanian agricultural catchments, with a focus on the role of forested riparian buffers. Riparian invertebrates were sampled in 10 paired sites, with each pair consisting of an unbuffered upstream reach and a downstream reach buffered with woody riparian vegetation. Our results revealed distinct invertebrate community structures in the two site types. Out of 33 invertebrate families, 13 were unique to either forested (6) or unbuffered (7) sites. Thomisidae, Clubionidae, Tetragnathidae, Curculionidae, Culicidae, and Cicadidae were associated with forested buffers, while Lycosidae, Chrysomelidae, Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, Tettigoniidae, Formicidae, and Eutichuridae were more abundant in unbuffered sites. Despite statistically equivocal results, invertebrate diversity was generally higher in forested riparian buffers. Local riparian attributes significantly influenced patterns in invertebrate community composition. Our findings highlight the importance of local woody riparian buffers in maintaining terrestrial invertebrate diversity and their potential contribution as a multifunctional management tool in agricultural landscapes.

The effect of reed beds distributions on the Ecohydraulic dynamics of wetlands and lowlands: experimental analyses and simulations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Francesco Cesare Lama
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Reed Beds ◽  
Riparian Species

<p>The interplay between riparian vegetation and water flow in vegetated water bodies has a key role in the dynamic evolution of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in wetlands and lowlands. The present study analyzes the effects of the spatial distribution of reed (<em>Phragmites australis</em> (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.) beds, an invasive riparian species extremely widespread in wetland and lowlands worldwide, on the main hydraulic and hydrodynamic properties of an abandoned vegetated reclamation channel located in Northern Tuscany, Italy. A field campaign was carried out to obtain Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of reed beds through both ground-based and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) methodologies, and to correlate them to the channel’s flow dynamic and water quality main features. Then, Hydrodynamic simulations of the vegetated reclamation channel were performed and validated based on the experimental measurements of the hydraulic and vegetational parameters acquired in the field to build up a robust model to be employed also in future Ecohydraulic researches. The evidences of this study constitute useful insights in the quantitative analysis of the correlation between the spatial distribution of riparian vegetation stands in natural and manmade vegetated water bodies and their hydrodynamic and water quality main features.</p>

scholarly journals Composition and diversity of Ephemeroptera (Insecta) nymph communities in the middle section of the Jacuí River and some tributaries, southern Brazil

2008 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Emilia Siegloch ◽  
Claudio Gilberto Froehlich ◽  
Carla B. Kotzian
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Habitat Complexity ◽  
New Records ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Environmental Stability ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Lotic Environments ◽  
Anthropic Influence ◽  
Surber Sampler

The taxonomic composition and diversity of assemblages of Ephemeroptera nymphs of four lotic environments in the central region of State of Rio Grande do Sul, a subtropical area in southern Brazil, were evaluated. Samplings were done monthly, with a Surber sampler, from June 2001 to May 2002, in the Jacuí River and three of its tributaries. The total number of nymphs collected in the four sampling sites was 11,007 in five families and 19 genera, of these, 11 are new records for the State. The highest diversity occurred in Point 4 (H'=2.41) and the lowest in Point 2 (H'=1.69). Point 4 had the highest environmental stability, conservation of the riparian vegetation and the lowest anthropic impact, while Point 2 presented a large environmental simplification due to a direct anthropic influence (e.g. domestic sewerage, trampling by cattle). The diversity of nymphs observed in the total area is high, compared to the estimated maximum theoretical diversity; a result of the high evenness and richness recorded. Rarefaction curves, calculated for a sample of 1,018 specimens, showed a similar expectation of richness for the four sampling sites. This result seems to be associated with the overall environmental homogeneity of the region caused by long-term alterations (land use and deforestation). In summary, higher diversity of Ephemeroptera nymph assemblages seems to be associated with habitat complexity, a good vegetation cover and a lower anthropic influence.

scholarly journals A method for estimating watershed restoration feasibility under different treatment levels

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1232-1240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Zhang ◽  
Yi-Cheng Fu ◽  
Wan-Li Shi ◽  
Wen-Xian Guo
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Migration Ability ◽  
Watershed Development ◽  
Time Migration ◽  
Legal Frameworks ◽  
Habitat Properties ◽  
Environmental Sustainability Index

The restoration of watershed health can be influenced by ecological, technical and socio-economic factors. The paper presents a conceptual framework and typology to assess watershed ecological restoration based on the properties and processes of sustainable watershed development. According to multiple life stages, habitat properties and existing legal frameworks and applicable valuation approaches, the bio-indicator that integrates natural, political and socio-economic dimensions is proposed. With existing assessment results and official web-pages as references, evaluation systems concerning human impacts on aquatic systems are set forth. Suitable aquatic bio-indicators can standardize the monitoring methodology with respect to water quality, organic pollutants and pesticides, generation time, migration ability, saprobic status, taxonomic composition and diversity. A large number of fish-based indexes have been developed to monitor and manage river ecosystems. Biophysical and statistical models are being used to identify influential stream variables that correlate with macroinvertebrate indices. A probabilistic fuzzy hybrid model to assess river water quality is proposed. The method and process of ecological risk assessment are provided based on adaptive management principles. The environmental sustainability index (ESI) is used to estimate the degree of environmental restoration sustainability with the emergy triangle as a reference.

scholarly journals Assessing the Benefits of Forested Riparian Zones: A Qualitative Index of Riparian Integrity Is Positively Associated with Ecological Status in European Streams

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis J. Burdon ◽  
Ellinor Ramberg ◽  
Jasmina Sargac ◽  
Marie Anne Eurie Forio ◽  
Nancy de Saeyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Impacts ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Riparian Buffers ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Land Use Impacts ◽  
Freshwater Biodiversity ◽  
Functional Relationships ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Qualitative Index

Developing a general, predictive understanding of ecological systems requires knowing how much structural and functional relationships can cross scales and contexts. Here, we introduce the CROSSLINK project that investigates the role of forested riparian buffers in modified European landscapes by measuring a wide range of ecosystem attributes in stream-riparian networks. CROSSLINK involves replicated field measurements in four case-study basins with varying levels of human development: Norway (Oslo Fjord), Sweden (Lake Mälaren), Belgium (Zwalm River), and Romania (Argeş River). Nested within these case-study basins include multiple, independent stream-site pairs with a forested riparian buffer and unbuffered section located upstream, as well as headwater and downstream sites to show cumulative land-use impacts. CROSSLINK applies existing and bespoke methods to describe habitat conditions, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Here, we summarize the approaches used, detail protocols in supplementary materials, and explain how data is applied in an optimization framework to better manage tradeoffs in multifunctional landscapes. We then present results demonstrating the range of riparian conditions present in our case-study basins and how these environmental states influence stream ecological integrity with the commonly used macroinvertebrate Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) index. We demonstrate that a qualitative index of riparian integrity can be positively associated with stream ecological status. This introduction to the CROSSLINK project shows the potential for our replicated study with its panoply of ecosystem attributes to help guide management decisions regarding the use of forested riparian buffers in human-impacted landscapes. This knowledge is highly relevant in a time of rapid environmental change where freshwater biodiversity is increasingly under pressure from a range of human impacts that include habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.

Human Impacts on Nearshore Shellfish Taxa: A 7,000 Year Record from Santa Rosa Island, California

2007 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 735-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd J. Braje ◽  
Douglas J. Kennett ◽  
Jon M. Erlandson ◽  
Brendan J. Culleton
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Ecology ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Faunal Remains ◽  
Sociopolitical Complexity ◽  
Intensive Exploitation ◽  
Nearshore Ecosystems ◽  
Human Predation ◽  
Santa Rosa Island

Within the broad framework of historical and behavioral ecology, we analyzed faunal remains from a large habitation site (CA-SRI-147) on Santa Rosa Island to explore a 7,000 year record of coastal subsistence, nearshore ecological dynamics, and human impacts on shellfish populations. This long, stratified sequence provides a rare opportunity to study the effects of prolonged human predation on local intertidal and nearshore habitats. During the past 7,000 years, the Island Chumash and their predecessors had significant impacts on nearshore ecosystems, caused by growing human populations and depletion of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. At CA-SRI-147, local depletion of higher ranked shellfish species stimulated dietary expansion and a heavier reliance on lower-ranked shellfish taxa and more intensive exploitation of nearshore and pelagic fishes. In the Late Holocene, as local ecosystems were increasingly depleted, the Island Chumash relied increasingly on craft specialization and trade to meet their subsistence needs. Native peoples clearly impacted Channel Island ecosystems, but data from CA-SRI-147 suggest that they adjusted their subsistence strategies toward productive fisheries that sustained the high population densities and sociopolitical complexity recorded by early Spanish chroniclers at European contact.

scholarly journals Colonisation of leaf litter by aquatic invertebrates in an Atlantic Forest stream

2014 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
VC. Oliveira ◽  
EA. Gonçalves ◽  
RG. Alves
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Aquatic Invertebrates ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Β Diversity ◽  
Forest Stream ◽  
Α Diversity ◽  
Abundance And Diversity

Riparian vegetation along streams in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil contributes to the formation of a highly heterogeneous leaf litter in streambeds. To investigate the structure and composition of the aquatic invertebrate community during the process of leaf decomposition of two plant species present along the banks of the stream studied, 21 plastic mesh bags containing 2.5g (dry weight) of leaf matter from each species (Alchornea glandulosa (Vell) and Cabralea canjerana End. and Poeppig), for a total of 5.0g, were placed in the streambed. Three bags were removed after 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48 and 96 days. The taxonomic density was negatively correlated with the remaining weight. The high density of collector organisms, such as Chironomidae, Oligochaeta and Amphipoda, on the last day of incubation, probably occurred due to the increased amount of fine organic matter in the more advanced decomposition stages. The highest α diversity (Shannon-Wiener) values were observed for the 3rd and 96th days of the experiment, while the β diversity values showed that these days presented the highest variation in the taxonomic composition, thus presenting a different faunistic composition. This study showed that the trophic structure and composition of aquatic invertebrates changes during the decomposition of leaf litter. The faunistic abundance and diversity observed in this study indicate that the entrance of material from plants growing along streams provides favorable conditions for the colonisation and establishment of invertebrates in lower-order streams, and thus points to the need to preserve riparian vegetation.

The effect of agriculture on cave-stream invertebrate communities

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (11) ◽  
pp. 1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierce M. McNie ◽  
Russell G. Death
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Ecological Health ◽  
Land Use Impacts ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Forested Catchments ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Agricultural Catchments ◽  
Stream Communities ◽  
The Relationship

The impacts that land-use changes have on cave-stream fauna have not been considered widely in the investigations of land-use impacts on stream ecology. The present study examines how above-ground agriculture may influence cave-stream invertebrate communities. The invertebrate communities in four cave streams and their surface counterparts were sampled in 2014–2015, including two drained predominantly agricultural catchments and two drained forested catchments. These communities were examined alongside habitat and GIS land-use data to determine the relationship between above-ground land use and the stream communities. Invertebrate community composition and ecological health for surface streams was different between the agricultural and forest catchments. These differences were less pronounced within the cave-stream communities. Sedimentation was the principal agricultural stressor in the cave streams. The overall effects of agriculture were lower within the cave streams than on the surface; this is likely to be due to the reduced number of potentially deleterious stressors on cave streams.

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