Reconstruction of the characteristics of a natural alluvial river–floodplain system and hydromorphological changes following human modifications: the Danube River (1812–1991)

Based on detailed historical surveys from 1812, the natural riverine landscape of a 10.25‐km‐long reach of the Danube River in the Austrian Machland region prior to channelization is analysed. Anthropogenically induced changes of fluvial dynamics, hydrological connectivity and aquatic habitat composition are discussed, comparing the situations following channelization (1925) and flow regulation (1991). In 1812 the alluvial river–floodplain system of the Danube River comprised a highly complex channel network, numerous gravel bars and extensive islands, with the main channel and side arms (eupotamon) representing about 97% of the entire water surface at low flow. The floodplain was characterized by relatively flat terrain and numerous natural trenches (former active channels) connected to the main channel. These hydromorphological conditions led to marked expansion/contraction of the water surface area at water level fluctuations below bankfull (‘flow pulse’). The high degree of hydrological connectivity enabled intensive exchange processes and favoured migrations of aquatic organisms between the river and floodplain habitats over a period of approximately 90 days per year. Overall in 1812, 57% of the active zone (active channels and floodplain) was inundated at bankfull water level. Channelization and construction of hydropower plants resulted in a truncated fluvial system. Consequently, eupotamal water bodies decreased by 65%, and gravel/sand bars and vegetated islands decreased by 94% and 97%, respectively, whereas the area of the various backwaters doubled. In 1991 the former ‘flow pulse’ was halved due to artificial levees and embankments, greatly diminishing hydrological connectivity and decoupling large areas of the floodplain from the main channel. Active overflow, formerly playing an important role, is now replaced by backwater flooding and seepage inflow in isolated water bodies. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

长江中下游干流浮游藻类空间分布特征初探

为更全面了解长江中下游干流浮游藻类资源现状,于2014年夏季对长江中下游武汉—河口江段的浮游藻类空间分布特征进行调查,共设置了19个调查断面。本次调查共检出浮游藻类6门66种,其中硅藻24种,绿藻23种,优势种属共检出3门6种;浮游藻类平均细胞丰度为(13.43±5.34)×10⁴ cell/L,其中武汉上游最高,为23.18×10⁴ cell/L,上海河口最低,为5.19×10⁴ cell/L;浮游藻类多样性指数均值为3.37±0.35,其中南京下游最高,为4.1,上海上游最低,为2.7;调查样点根据浮游藻类细胞丰度大致可聚为3类:芜湖—南通段、武汉下游—大通段、武汉上游和上海上游。调查结果表明,长江中下游干流浮游藻类数量与空间分布可能受到水文条件的影响,而非受到营养盐的限制。     

Effect of Spatial Heterogeneity on Zooplankton Diversity: A Multi‐Scale Habitat Approximation in a Floodplain Lake

Environmental heterogeneity is an essential quality of ecosystems as it has important implications in community structure. Macrophytes are a main component of environmental heterogeneity in floodplain lakes, and their dynamics are highly influenced by water level changes. In this context, we analysed at different spatial scales the relationship among hydrological variations, environmental heterogeneity associated to macrophytes and zooplankton regional diversity (γ diversity) in a South American floodplain lake adjacent to the Paraná River, and we also compared the local zooplankton diversity (α diversity) among the different environments that comprised the lake heterogeneity. At very low waters, the environmental heterogeneity was reduced as the lake was mainly limited to open water areas with low zooplankton diversity. At high waters, the profuse vegetation development (emergent and free‐floating), in mixed or homogeneous patches, determined a higher lake environmental heterogeneity with enhanced regional zooplankton diversity; littoral species increased over limnetic ones. Zooplankton α diversity was higher in environments with free‐floating macrophytes than in those without these plants. The structural complexity in the water column provided by plant roots would be closely related to the enhanced diversity found under free‐floating mats. This study contributes to the knowledge on the effects of strong water level variations on environmental heterogeneity, which is strongly associated to macrophytes and on zooplankton diversity, and highlights the role of free‐floating plants as diversity hosts and ‘key structures’ in floodplain lakes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of δD and δ18O as natural markers of invertebrate source environment and dispersal in the middle Mississippi River‐floodplain ecosystem

Movement of invertebrates among large rivers, tributaries, and floodplain lakes or dispersal of adult aquatic insects from riverine or floodplain habitats may provide important subsidies to food webs in receiving habitats. Intensive sampling at habitat interfaces and artificial labelling are two approaches to assess freshwater invertebrate dispersal, but these are difficult to implement at a landscape scale. Natural chemical tracers have been used to track dispersal of fishes and marine invertebrates, but the potential applicability of stable isotope ratios as natural tracers of invertebrate dispersal in freshwater environments has not been assessed. We evaluated stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes (δD and δ¹⁸O) as natural markers of source environment and dispersal of macroinvertebrates in the middle Mississippi River, tributaries and floodplain wetlands. Water and invertebrates were collected from 12 sites during 2007–2008. Water δD and δ¹⁸O differed among the river, its tributaries, and floodplain wetlands and were strongly correlated with invertebrate δD and δ¹⁸O. Variability in invertebrate δ¹⁸O rendered it ineffective as an indicator of invertebrate source environment. Mean δD of Mississippi River invertebrates differed from δD of invertebrates from floodplain wetlands; δD distinguished invertebrates from these two environments with >80% accuracy. Neither δD nor δ¹⁸O of aquatic insects changed following emergence from their natal site. Preservation method (ethanol or freezing) did not affect invertebrate δD or δ¹⁸O. Invertebrate δD may be a useful natural tracer of natal environment and dispersal in the Mississippi River‐floodplain ecosystem and other freshwater systems where spatial variation in water δD is present. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Floodplain forest dynamics: Half‐century floods enable pulses of geomorphic disturbance and cottonwood colonization along a prairie river

In dry ecoregions, trees are restricted to river valley floodplains where river water supplements the limited local precipitation. Around the Northern Hemisphere, cottonwoods, riparian poplars, are often predominant trees in floodplain forests and these ecological specialists require floods that create and saturate sand and gravel bars, enabling seedling recruitment. By pairing the interpretation of aerial photographs at approximately decade intervals with dendrochronology, we explored the coordination between river floods, geomorphic disturbance and colonization of plains cottonwoods (Populus deltoides) over eight meanders along the Red Deer River in the semi‐arid prairie of western Canada. This river has a relatively natural flow regime and minimal human alteration through the World Heritage Site of Dinosaur Provincial Park. We found that the 50‐year flood of 1954 increased channel migration and produced extensive accretion with downstream expansion of meander lobes and some channel infilling, which was followed by prolific cottonwood colonization. Those processes accompanied the major flood, while bank erosion and cottonwood losses were more gradual and continuous over the past half‐century. Results indicated even greater floodplain and woodland development after an earlier 100‐year flood in 1915. Each flood produced an arcuate band of mature cottonwoods and there were five to seven progressively older woodland bands across the floodplain, with each cottonwood age grouping increasing by about a half‐century. The 700 m wide floodplain was progressively reworked by the river through pulses of channel movement and floodplain and woodland development over approximately 250 years and correspondingly, the oldest cottonwoods were about 250 years old.     

汶川县渔子溪流域泥石流源区的崩滑体空间分布特征

为了明确崩塌滑坡转化为泥石流的特点,研究泥石流源区内的崩塌滑坡体特征,以映秀至卧龙间渔子溪流域为研究重点,划分研究区约396 km²,以研究区内23条泥石流沟(流域总面积约为208 km²)作为研究对象,利用高精度遥感影像将崩塌滑坡点进行解译,并通过野外实际调查进行复核,证实了遥感解译的可靠性,最终得到崩塌滑坡点2 741个,总面积23.6 km²。利用GIS对崩塌滑坡在高程、坡度、坡向、地层岩性和河流距离的分布特征进行了分析,结果表明在1 500~3 000 m海拔范围内,崩塌滑坡分布最多;坡度40°~50°范围,崩塌滑坡面积比例最大;坡向在90°~180°范围较为集中,此范围垂直于地震断层;崩塌滑坡较坚硬闪长岩岩组容易被地震、降雨等因素触发大量崩塌滑坡;距离河流较近的山体容易发生崩塌滑坡。     

Spatial patterns of fish communities in the Upper Mississippi River System: assessing fragmentation by low‐head dams

We assessed the similarity of fish communities among river reaches to assess community‐level fragmentation by low‐head dams in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). The spatial coverage of standardized electrofishing sampling used in the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) was extended for three of the six regional trend areas (RTA; pools 4, 13, and the Open River Reach) to include river reaches (outpools) immediately upstream and downstream from the standard RTA from 15 June to 31 October 2000. Additionally, pools 19 and 20 were sampled in September 2000. Cluster analysis and non‐metric multidimensional scaling of community composition and structure data revealed two major groups, upper and lower reaches, and four (for composition) or five (for structure) sub‐groupings of river reaches. In general, all outpools grouped with the nearest RTA for both community composition (no exception) and community structure (one exception). This suggests that fragmentation of fish communities from low‐head dams is minimal. Mantel correlations demonstrated strong inverse association between the similarity of fish communities with the distance between reaches. Habitat variables measured during electrofishing collections were significantly correlated with spatial variation of fish composition and community structure, but provided only marginal improvements to correlations with distance between reaches alone. Furthermore, habitat variability among river reaches also was related to distance between reaches. Determining the extent to which variation of fish communities is related to habitat or demographic processes (e.g. migration, larval drift, source‐sink dynamics) will be challenging for this system. Although low‐head dams on the UMRS may restrict movements for individuals and populations of certain fish species, we found little evidence that these effects have led to substantial, community‐level fragmentation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

黄河下游滩区实行分类管理的设想

随着小浪底水利工程的投入运用和黄河下游河道整治工程的逐步完善,以往笼统地将黄河下游滩区作为行洪河道管理的方式已不适应社会经济发展的要求。在全面调研分析的基础上,提出将黄河下游滩区按其功能分为3类进行建设与管理的新思路,即:Ⅰ类为行洪区、Ⅱ类为行滞洪区、Ⅲ类为集中居住区。为做好滩区的分类管理,现阶段应重点研究滩区的分类试点、滩区的补偿政策以及生产堤建设标准与管理政策等。     

金沙江干流植被空间异质性及其对生态恢复的影响分析

利用2013年金沙江干流8个典型断面的植被生态现场考察资料,综合运用定性与定量分析方法,对金沙江干流的植被空间异质性及其对生态恢复的影响进行了初步分析。分析结果表明:1干流植被空间异质性特征明显,表现为上、中、下游植被景观格局、群落结构与物种组成均存在明显的差异;2金沙江干流自然植被群落的结构完整性不高、组分单一、多以灌木和草本为主,生长型和生活型上具有多旱生、寒生植物的特点;3自然植被及其空间分异对干流生态环境具有重要指示意义,建议在金沙江干流的生态恢复实践中,充分尊重植被空间异质性的自然规律,分区域、分类型地制定生态恢复策略,同时利用好本土植物种子资源,以旱生灌、草类植物作为先锋物种,分步骤、分阶段地开展生态恢复工作。     

Patterns in groundwater nitrogen concentration in the riparian zone of a large semi‐arid river (River Murray,Australia)

Lateral exchanges of surface water between river channels and their floodplains are important for vegetation health and aquatic food‐web productivity in semi‐arid ecosystems. However, the significance of the lateral connectivity via sub‐surface pathways in these systems is not as well understood. Patterns in nitrogen concentration in groundwater and in the unsaturated zone were used to infer the sub‐surface biogeochemistry of N in the riparian zone of a large semi‐arid floodplain (Hattah‐Kulkyne National Park) of the River Murray, Australia. The riparian zone plays a special role in this system as it is an area of transition between fresh surface waters and saline floodplain groundwater. The river was losing water to the floodplain during baseflow conditions but gradients were temporarily reversed following floods. In general, the redox conditions were sub‐oxic to anoxic in riparian groundwater and the main forms of N present were NH and dissolved organic N. There was a gradient in NH concentration from the river to the floodplain, suggesting that the main source of NH was from the decomposition of organic matter in fluvial sediments. Elevated concentrations of NO were occasionally found in shallow groundwater away from the river following floods but tended not to persist. The source of the NO appeared to be unsaturated‐zone NO displaced to the water table during floods. Assuming that denitrification was the main attenuation process, this displacement of unsaturated zone NO to anoxic groundwater could be a significant N removal process from the ecosystem (estimated at 18 kg N ha^?1 for the largest flood during the study). Understanding the impact of river regulation on floodplain nutrient cycles in River Murray floodplains will be challenging because the changes in floodplain hydrology are complex and coincide with salinization of soils and groundwater. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Applicability of the flood‐pulse concept in a temperate floodplain river ecosystem: thermal and temporal components

Annual growth increments were calculated for blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) from the lower Mississippi River (LMR) to assess hypothesized relationships between fish growth and floodplain inundation as predicted by the Flood‐Pulse Concept. Variation in catfish growth increment was high for all age classes of both species, and growth increments were not consistently related to various measures of floodplain inundation. However, relationships became stronger, and usually direct, when water temperature was integrated with area and duration of floodplain inundation. Relationships were significant for four of six age classes for blue catfish, a species known to utilize floodplain habitats. Though similar in direction, relationships were weaker for flathead catfish, which is considered a more riverine species. Our results indicate the Flood‐Pulse Concept applies more strongly to temperate floodplain‐river ecosystems when thermal aspects of flood pulses are considered. We recommend that future management of the LMR should consider ways to ‘recouple’ the annual flood and thermal cycles. An adaptive management approach will allow further determination of important processes affecting fisheries production in the LMR. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The importance of inshore areas for adult fish distribution along a free‐flowing section of the Danube,Austria

This study analyses bank morphological parameters of inshore areas as significant qualifying criteria for the habitat of riverine fish in large rivers. The mesoscaled (1.04±0.35 km) spatial distribution of adult fish was studied along a 50 km stretch of a free‐flowing section of the Austrian Danube. Fish abundance at the inshore zone of the main channel was assessed every month from March 1992 to May 1993, applying stratified random sampling by electrofishing. In order to calculate river morphological variables, a specific DOS application was programmed taking riverbank profiles, slope of the Danube and mean daily water level into account. The sampling sites by environmental variables were analysed by principal component analysis (PCA). PCA scores, together with the relative densities of each fish species in terms of their proportions per catch, were treated by a simple logistic regression. The different species exhibit specific patterns of statistical probability in terms of distribution and densities at distinct structural inshore types with regard to area, slope, habitat heterogeneity and connectivity parameters. Large gradually sloping inshore areas are characterized by rheophilic Chondrostoma nasus, Leuciscus idus and Abramis ballerus, whereas eurytopic species do not show a consistent pattern. Heterogeneous stretches contain high proportions of Leuciscus cephalus, Abramis brama and Abramis ballerus. Connectivity discriminates strictly riverine species like Chondrostoma nasus from rheophilic species which require non‐channel habitat during their life history. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Responses of fishes and lampreys to the re‐creation of meanders in a small English chalk stream

River rehabilitation initiatives have become commonplace in European water courses as a result of European Union Water Framework Directive requirements. However, the short‐term responses of fishes to such work have thus far been varied, with some river rehabilitation efforts resulting in demonstrable improvements in diversity and size structure, whereas others have resulted in little or no change. Electrofishing and channel character surveys were conducted annually between 2009 and 2014 on a reach of the River Glaven (North Norfolk, UK) before and after rehabilitation work (embankment removal in 2009 and re‐meandering in 2010) as well as on a control reach immediately upstream. To assess the effects of rehabilitation work, before‐after‐control‐impact analysis tested for changes in channel character (geomorphology, substratum composition, and mesohabitat structure) and in fish species richness, relative abundance, population density, and size structure (calculated after fish data entry into the UK Environment Agency's National Fisheries Population Database). Following re‐meandering work (i.e., treatment), habitat heterogeneity and depth variation increased in the treatment reach, but fish responses were not significant except for biomass and density increases of brown trout Salmo trutta and abundance decreases of European eel Anguilla anguilla, in the treatment but not the control reach. These results are consistent with comparable river rehabilitation initiatives elsewhere, and they suggest that larger‐scale rehabilitations are probably needed to produce greater increases in fish density and diversity. It is recommended that future rehabilitation initiatives address catchment‐scale factors that can enhance ecosystem recovery, for example, removal of barriers to colonization, and increases in connectivity and water quality issues linked to eutrophication, elevated fine sediment inputs, and various pollutants.     

基于水量平衡的长江上游地区气象水文要素时空变化特征分析

基于1980—2019年长江上游地区的逐月气温、降水数据,采用一元线性回归、F趋势检验、水量平衡分析、质心识别等方法,揭示了长江上游地区近40 a来气象水文要素的时空分布特征和变化规律.研究结果表明:①长江上游地区年均气温、年均降水量和年均蒸发量的空间分布均呈现由东南向西北逐渐降低的趋势,年均土壤蓄水变化量有着较大的空...     

A novel SON2‐based similarity index and its application for the rationalization of river water quality monitoring network

In this paper, a novel self‐organizing network (SON) based similarity index and its application for the optimization of sampling locations in an existing river water quality monitoring network (WQMN) is presented. A rationalization of the River Danube WQMN on its stretch through Serbia was performed using the proposed SON²‐based similarity index. A high‐dimensional dataset was used, which is composed of 18 water quality parameters that were collected during the period 2002–2010 at 17 monitoring locations. The SON‐based seasonal classification that divides 12 months into the cold, moderate, and warm seasons was employed, whereas its second application on each seasonal class yielded subclasses that were used to compare the monitoring locations. The obtained SON²‐based similarity index can be utilized for analysing seasonal variations, as well as overall similarities among neighbouring sites. Based on the calculated similarities of locations and characteristics of the River Danube basin a rationalized WQMN, which uses 30% less monitoring sites, has been proposed.     

基于GeoDatabase的长江流域生态环境信息库模型

 从空间数据库模型的角度出发,深入分析长江流域生态环境数据的主要种类及其特点,引入GeoDatabase模型的基本概念,尝试使用GeoDatabase模型来组织和管理这些数据,并分别给出长江流域生态环境信息库中特征数据集、栅格数据集和TIN数据集的组织方式,讨论空间数据与属性数据的连接方法,最后进行了模型评价。     

澜沧江真核浮游生物的空间格局及其多样性

目前关于澜沧江浮游生物的研究多局限于浮游植物,缺乏从整个真核生物群落的角度进行探讨的研究。为填补相关方面的研究空白,于2020年10月在澜沧江近2 000 km的区域布设了36个样点进行样品采集,基于18S rRNA宏条形码技术探究了真核浮游生物群落的空间分布差异及其对环境因子的响应。测序共得到1 269个OTU,涵盖了45门284属,测序深度足够反映物种多样性。NMDS和ANOSIM分析显示澜沧江真核浮游生物群落依据地理空间分布可划分为3个分组：上游的自然河道段、中游的乌弄龙电站和功果桥电站之间区域、下游的功果桥电站以下区域。根据多样性及群落组成数据发现：属于自然河道段的上游群落组成最为均匀,金藻门和硅藻门广泛分布于该区域;属于水库段的中游和下游多样性类似且均低于上游,隐藻门广泛分布于该区域。影响澜沧江真核浮游生物群落结构变化的环境因子主要为水温和碱度。上、中、下游的环境驱动因子有所不同,电导率是影响上游真核浮游生物群落结构的关键环境因子,水温是影响中游的关键环境因子,而下游则主要受总磷的影响。     

Spatial organization of fish diversity in a species‐rich basin

Many abiotic and biotic environmental characteristics in river basins show spatial gradients from river source to main stem. We examined the spatial organization of fish within the Duck River Basin to document patterns in diversity that could help guide conservation strategies relevant to controlling the detrimental effects of basin development. In all, over 0.33 million fishes representing 145 species and 18 families, including 9 non‐native species, were collected in 207 samples distributed throughout the basin. Main stem sites with large catchment areas supported more fish diversity than smaller sites in tributaries. Moreover, rare species were most common in the main stem and ubiquitous species in tributaries. The spatial organization of species assemblages was mostly nested, as assemblages appeared to disassemble in an upstream direction from main stem sites and confluences. These findings suggest that fish conservation efforts might emphasize main stem segments and confluences that support higher biodiversity including the rare species often most in need of protection. The main stem can support the populations needed to recolonize tributaries and rescue populations that might periodically go extinct after droughts or other major disturbances. In tributaries, conservation of species assemblages may focus on managing between‐patch connectivity via corridor maintenance or creation.     

黄河内蒙古河段冰凌时空分布特性分析

基于黄河内蒙古段系列历史冰情资料,利用小波分析方法对冰期气温、冰期径流、流凌日期、封河日期、开河日期进行了多时间尺度分析。结果表明:巴彦高勒、三湖河口、头道拐三站的冰期气温总体呈上升的变化规律,并且三站的冰期气温变化趋势一致,黄河内蒙古段冰期气温存在15 a左右的周期;实测径流在分析序列中不存在显著周期;三站流凌日期和封河日期整体上推迟,开河日期提前,封冻时间缩短;流凌日期存在12 a左右的周期,封河日期和开河日期不存在显著强周期。     

基于MOD16的东江流域地表蒸散发时空特征分析

流域内蒸散特征及其变化原因对于保持能量平衡和水循环有关键作用。基于MOD16遥感数据集,分析东江流域地表蒸散发年际和年内的时空分布规律以及不同土地覆被类型的地表蒸散发时空特征。结果表明:①东江流域蒸散值(ET)整体呈中游>下游>上游的态势,而潜在蒸散发值(PET)呈下游>中游>上游的趋势。②10 a中,ET值波动较小,而PET值则相对波动较大,二者在2014年后均有增加趋势。③年内各月ET呈单峰型,ET值较高的月份集中在5—10月,最高月份在9月,ET值较低的月份集中在12月—次年2月,最低月份为2月;其次,流域内四季的ET均值表现为秋季>夏季>春季>冬季。④不同土地利用类型下,年尺度上,ET表现为裸地>耕地>城市用地>草地>林地;PET表现为城市用地>耕地>草地>林地>裸地;月尺度上,ET与年尺度基本一致,且冬季ET变异系数较高,夏季较低;在林地,四季ET的变异系数均较低,离散程度小。研究结果为预防东江流域的旱涝灾害提供理论依据。