Effects of Water Level Fluctuations on Spawning Habitat of an Endangered Species,the Australian Lungfish (Neoceratodus Forsteri)

The Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri is an endangered native fish species currently protected under federal and international agreements. The impoundment of riverine habitats by water storages has substantially decreased the availability of dense beds of macrophyte (e.g. Vallisneria nana) in shallow water, the preferred spawning habitat of Australian lungfish. Storage management, such as storage drawdown and maintaining storages at specific levels, may impede establishment and development of dense macrophyte beds, although the effects of storage operation on macrophytes are poorly understood. Storage bathymetry and modelled stream data were used to examine the impact of water level changes (frequency and magnitude) on V. nana habitat within storages and associated riverine areas. Three storages located within the natural range of the Australian lungfish in the Burnett River (Ben Anderson Barrage, Ned Churchward Weir and Paradise Dam) were found to provide limited potential for V. nana habitat when at the full supply level. Furthermore, water storages within the distribution of Australian lungfish fluctuate by ±1 m more frequently in comparison to associated riverine environments. These frequent water level fluctuations challenge the establishment of dense macrophyte beds required for lungfish spawning. Since aquatic macrophytes and streamflow play an integral role in lungfish spawning, management of water storages should focus on releases to the downstream reaches. These releases should mimic natural flow and water temperature regimes to allow establishment and growth of V. nana beds in synchrony with the timing of Australian lungfish spawning. Riverine reaches downstream of storages have the greatest potential for restoration of macrophyte beds. © 2014 Queensland Government, Department of Natural Resources and Mines. River Research and Applications © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Supplemental water releases for fisheries restoration in a Brazilian floodplain river: a conceptual model

Highly productive floodplain rivers in Brazil and elsewhere provide livelihood and recreational fishing for millions of people around the world, but damming and controlled water discharge are a threat to these valuable ecosystems. Supplemental water releases (SWRs) at a dam are increasingly used for restoring fisheries productivity in many floodplain rivers. We proposed a conceptual model for a hypothetical water release to enhance fisheries using Três Marias Reservoir (TMR) on the São Francisco River (SFR), Brazil. The information needed by the model follows: (i) Biologically, what is the best release date? (ii) How much water will be released? (iii) What is the pattern of impoundment and how much impounded water will be released? (iv) What is the lost revenue to the power plant associated with SWR? (v) What is the relationship between river discharge and the area of floodplain that is flooded? (vi) What is the relationship between SWR and fisheries value? Ichthyoplankton studies in the SFR showed a clear positive relationship between fish density and water level (WL). While the relationship between WL and floodplain area flooded and recruitment is not known, we concluded the best date for release is when there is a natural flood, which naturally triggers fish spawning and the SWR will add to the natural flood and cover a greater floodplain area. The released volume will range from 0.302 km³ to 2.192 km³, depending on SWR duration. In most years from 1976 to 2003, TMR impounded enough water for SWR only in the second half of the fish‐spawning season (January–March). Lost revenue at TMR depended on release volume and ranged from US$ 0.493 million to US$ 3.452 million for the actual power rate. However, SWR could increase commercial fisheries income an estimated US$ 4.468 million. We forecast that SWR can bring fisheries benefits that surpass the lost revenue. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Environmental Factors Influencing Macrophytes Assemblages in a Middle‐Sized Mediterranean Stream

The occurrence of aquatic plants was analysed in a medium‐sized river in Greece. There were three objectives. The first was to examine the macrophyte assemblage structure along the river. The identification and hierarchical structure of aquatic plant assemblages were analyzed using Bray–Curtis analysis. Taxa primarily responsible for the differences among the assemblages were identified using similarity percentage analysis. The second objective was to investigate whether habitat features have greater impact on aquatic plant assemblages than chemical parameters. Partial canonical correspondence analysis was used for partitioning the total variation of the biological response. The third objective was to further explore the relationships between hydrophytes (water‐supported plants) richness and water quality using linear regression model. The results showed that from the 86 macrophyte taxa recorded, the 25 were found to be primarily responsible for the differences among the macrophytic assemblages. Both geomorphological and physicochemical variables proved to be significant in the Monte Carlo permutation test. The 14 out of 19 geomorphological variables were statistically significant (p<0.004) and included in the final canonical correspondence analysis model. From physicochemical variables, temperature, conductivity and water velocity were significant predictors of species distribution. Total macrophyte variation was divided into portions: (i) explained exclusively by geomorphological variables (34%); (ii) explained exclusively by physicochemical variables (3%); (iii) explained by both variables (52%); and (iv) unexplained (4%). Partitioning clearly revealed that macrophyte assemblage structure was strongly associated with geomorphological features. Τhe results indicated that hardness, DO and chl‐a play a more prominent role in hydrophyte species richness at community level. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SPAWNING OF THE ENDANGERED AUSTRALIAN LUNGFISH (NEOCERATODUS FORSTERI) IN A HEAVILY REGULATED RIVER: A PULSE FOR LIFE

The Australian lungfish is an endangered native species currently protected under various state, federal and international agreements. Scarce information on their early life history is available due to the absence of juveniles collected in the wild. This has led to concerns about the sustainability of the species and become a driver for the conservation effort for Australian lungfish. This study aimed to consolidate knowledge on the critical hydraulic habitat requirements of this species within a water resource management context. In this study, spawning of Australian lungfish was found to be a seasonal strategy that is highly reliant on a variable low‐flow regime within riverine habitat. Suitable conditions for spawning were characterized by small flow events in early‐to‐mid spring when water temperatures are between 18 and 28 °C, leading to oviposition on short dense macrophytes in shallow water. Importantly, many of the key environmental factors driving the ecological response are manageable through existing water resource infrastructure. Specifically, releases from water storages within the current distribution of Australian lungfish should mimic the natural inflow and temperature regime within the spawning period, and also provide suitable riverine habitat within projected full supply limits. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of fish habitat suitability using a coupled ecohydraulic model: Habitat model selection and prediction

The selection of an approach to evaluate habitat suitability for a specific fish or life stage has been a matter of concern in habitat quality modelling studies. This study has taken Jinshaia sinensis, a commercially valuable fish endemic to the Jinsha River, China, as the target fish species. One‐ and two‐dimensional hydrodynamic models were coupled and combined with fish habitat models for a middle reach of the Jinsha River. The resulting ecohydraulic model was used to predict the changes in hydrodynamics and spawning habitat suitability that resulted from the operation of an under‐construction reservoir downstream of the study area. The preference function (product, arithmetic mean, geometric mean, and minimum value) and fuzzy logic habitat evaluation methods were compared to predict the spawning habitat suitability of the fish. The model was validated using the numbers of spawning eggs, and the results show that both the arithmetic mean and fuzzy logic method can be used to predict spawning habitat suitability. The model predictions show that the hydrodynamics of the study area would be altered if the impoundment water level exceeded 969 m. During the spawning season, the spawning habitat suitability would increase from April to early June and has little change from early June to July under the impact of the reservoir impoundment. The optimal river discharge rate for fish spawning is ~3,500 m³/s, and this would not change after the reservoir begins operation. This research can benefit other regions that will be affected by planned dams by predicting the impacts of reservoir operation on fish habitat quality, and the results will help decision makers protect the health of rivers and the overall ecosystem.     

Juvenile Salmonid Utilization of Floodplain Rearing Habitat After Gravel Augmentation in a Regulated River

Gravel augmentation is used in sediment‐starved streams to improve salmonid spawning habitat. As gravel is added to river channels, water surface elevations may rise in adjacent areas, activating floodplain habitat at lower flows, and floodplains inundate more frequently, potentially affecting the quantity and quality of juvenile salmonid rearing habitat. We analysed 5 years of juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tschawytscha and steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss data from snorkel surveys before and after gravel augmentation in the Lower American River, a low‐gradient, highly regulated alluvial river in California's Central Valley. We measured the quality and quantity of rearing habitat (current velocity and areal extent of inundated riparian vegetation) following gravel placement and tested whether these factors affected juvenile abundance. Gravel augmentation increased floodplain extent by 3.7–19.8%, decreased average flow velocity from 1.6 to 0.3 m s^?1 and increased the amount of vegetative cover from 0.3% to 22.6%. Juvenile abundances increased significantly for both species following augmentation. However, the strength of the relationship between abundance and habitat variables was greater for smaller salmonids. These results suggest that, in addition to enhancing salmonid spawning habitat, gravel augmentation can improve rearing habitat where channel incision and/or regulated hydrographs disconnect floodplains from main river channels. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution,movements and habitat use of channel catfish in a river with multiple low‐head dams

Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus is a highly mobile species and is known to make extensive seasonal movements in lotic systems. Dams have been suggested to detrimentally affect this species, although abundant channel catfish populations are known to occur in many fragmented rivers. To examine factors that allow channel catfish to persist in impounded rivers, we assessed relative abundance of channel catfish in three impounded and three flowing sites of the Fox River, Illinois, USA. Radiotelemetry was used to determine movement and habitat use patterns of channel catfish among flowing and impounded areas. Relative abundance of channel catfish was consistently higher at flowing sites than at impounded sites during summer. Several radio‐tagged channel catfish moved downstream into impounded areas in fall, and all tagged individuals were found in impounded areas during winter. The majority of tagged channel catfish moved upstream into flowing areas during spring. Channel catfish used a wide range of depths (0.28–2.60 m), and were always found in current velocities less than 0.50 m s^?1. They selected most strongly for coarse substrates, but were infrequently found near cover. Although low‐head dams restrict the movements of channel catfish, impounded areas appear to provide overwintering habitats that may eliminate the need for seasonal long‐distance movements. Small run‐of‐river impoundments, however, may contain unsuitable conditions for channel catfish during other seasons. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A role for aeration and intake depth in managing toxic Cylindrospermopsis: A comparison between off‐stream and riverine environments in the Fitzroy Basin,Australia

Cylindrospermopsis is a cyanobacterial species of global concern, due to its ability to produce potent toxins and its near‐cosmopolitan distribution. To date, both management and research efforts for Cylindrospermopsis have focused on riverine settings. By contrast, off‐stream storages are inadequately studied, particularly in terms of population dynamics and toxin profiles, how these are linked with the riverine systems that seed them, and what management options are best for optimizing water quality. This is a critical gap, given that storages are key off‐take points for many water users, including for livestock watering and industrial supply. This study examined the relationship between a riverine and an off‐stream environment, with respect to the development of toxic Cylindrospermopsis blooms in central Queensland. It discusses the role of an aeration system in preventing or delaying bloom development and explores the implications of intake depth with respect to population (cell density) and toxicity. Along the impounded river, the study sites featured warm, stratified conditions and an anoxic hypolimnion. By contrast, the off‐stream storage dam lacked stratification, due to the constant aeration provided by a hypolimnetic bubbler. Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii blooms appeared in both environments, with peak cellular concentrations detected in the subsurface waters. The dynamics of the toxin profiles differed, however, with the riverine concentrations being mostly epilimnetic, whereas the dam featured toxin distributed throughout the water column. Concentrations of both cylindrospermopsin (CYN) and deoxy‐cylindrospermopsin (deoxy‐CYN) were lower in the dam, compared with the riverine sites. A one‐month lag period was evident before C. raciborskii cells appeared in the dam following their observation in the river samples, and a similar period elapsed before the dam populations reached their peak concentrations. These data are invaluable in considering the best management options for off‐stream sites that experience seeding from riverine populations, particularly for toxin producers such as Cylindrospermopsis.     

Small hydropower dam alters the taxonomic composition of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in a neotropical river

Hydropower dams substantially modify lotic ecosystems. Most studies regarding their ecological impacts are based on large dams and provide little information about the far more abundant effects of small hydropower dams. Our aim was to characterize the ecological effects of a small hydropower dam and run‐of‐the‐river reservoir on the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Pandeiros River located in the neotropical savanna of Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in sites directly affected by the dam and reservoir would show a different taxonomic structure compared with those in free‐flowing sites. We expected to find sensitive native species associated with the free‐flowing sites, whereas resistant and non‐native invasive taxa were expected in impounded sites. We also explored associations between the presence of native and non‐native invasive taxa to each habitat type. We found that the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages was significantly different between free‐flowing and impounded sites. Also, we found that the dam and reservoir facilitated colonization of non‐native invasive species (Corbicula fluminea and Melanoides tuberculata) because only in those sites they were found in high abundance, in contrast to the free‐flowing sites. Although the environmental conditions imposed by the impoundment altered the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages, the effects were limited to sites closest to the dam. Our results highlight the necessity of understanding physical habitat changes caused by the presence and management of run‐of‐the‐river dams and reservoirs.     

三峡初期蓄水对典型鱼类栖息地适宜性的影响

三峡工程是长江中游干流最大的骨干工程，蓄水后下游水文情势发生明显改变。分析水库运行后下游水文情势的改变情况，将为了解大型水利工程对河流健康状况的影响程度和开展生态保护提供有意义的信息和帮助。本文选择宜昌站作为研究对象，并以中华鲟和四大家鱼为典型代表物种，研究三峡工程初期蓄水对下游生态系统的影响。结果表明，三峡工程蓄水运行后，(1) 坝下宜昌站生态水文条件发生明显变化，主要表现为多年平均水温上升，多年平均流量、水位和含沙量下降；(2) 非汛期的水温以及汛期的流量、水位和含沙量月径流过程明显改变；(3) 下游生态水文条件的改变，导致中华鲟鲟卵孵化适宜度和四大家鱼产卵适宜度明显降低；(4) 栖息地内生态水文条件的变化是影响中华鲟鲟卵孵化和四大家鱼产卵行为的关键因素，而不是影响中华鲟产卵和四大家鱼鱼卵孵化的关键因素。     

River impoundment and sunfish growth

Impoundment of rivers by dams is widespread and one of the most devastating anthropogenic impacts to freshwater environments. Linking theoretical and applied research on river impoundment requires an improved capacity for predicting how varying degrees of impoundment affects a range of species. Here, growth of 14 North American sunfish species resilient to river impoundment was compared in rivers versus impoundments. Growth response to river impoundment varied widely, but consistently among taxa: five species (shadow bass, rock bass, flier, redbreast sunfish and green sunfish) showed significantly higher growth in riverine ecosystems, four species (largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass and longear sunfish) showed significantly higher growth in impounded ecosystems, and five species (bluegill, black crappie, white crappie, redear sunfish and warmouth) displayed no difference in growth between rivers and impoundments. Furthermore, significant linear models were developed for predicting growth of two species (largemouth bass, R² = 0.75 and warmouth, R² = 0.44) based on a physiographically specific index of reservoir retention time. For another species (white crappie), growth could not be predicted by the retention time index in Central Lowlands rivers (R² = 0.001), but was strongly predicted by this factor in southeastern Coastal Plain rivers (R² = 0.76) showing how impacts of impoundment, and prediction of its consequences, can vary across river landscape types. Further analysis of fish growth in response to river impoundment, regulation and fragmentation could greatly enhance conservation biology, restoration ecology and basic land use decisions in riverine landscapes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gradients in Catostomid Assemblages along a Reservoir Cascade

Serial impoundment of major rivers leads to alterations of natural flow dynamics and disrupts longitudinal connectivity. Catostomid fishes (suckers, family Catostomidae) are typically found in riverine or backwater habitats yet are able to persist in impounded river systems. To the detriment of conservation, there is limited information about distribution of catostomid fishes in impounded rivers. We examined the longitudinal distribution of catostomid fishes over 23 reservoirs of the Tennessee River reservoir cascade, encompassing approximately 1600 km. Our goal was to develop a basin‐scale perspective to guide conservation efforts. Catostomid species composition and assemblage structure changed longitudinally along the reservoir cascade. Catostomid species biodiversity was greatest in reservoirs lower in the cascade. Assemblage composition shifted from dominance by spotted sucker Minytrema melanops and buffalos Ictiobus spp. in the lower reservoirs to carpsuckers Carpiodes spp. midway through the cascade and redhorses Moxostoma spp. in the upper reservoirs. Most species did not extend the length of the cascade, and some species were rare, found in low numbers and in few reservoirs. The observed gradients in catostomid assemblages suggest the need for basin‐scale conservation measures focusing on three broad areas: (1) conservation and management of the up‐lake riverine reaches of the lower reservoirs, (2) maintenance of the access to quality habitat in tributaries to the upper reservoirs and (3) reintroductions into currently unoccupied habitat within species' historic distributions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The increasing damming of the Paraná basin and its effects on the lower reaches

The development of large impoundments along the Paraná river, particularly on the Superior section, with fifteen large dams having a capacity over 25000 MW, has had important hydrological and ecological impacts on the lower reaches. The important retention of the suspended solids by the dams has caused a significant reduction of P concentrations. With river impoundment and water eutrophication, cyanophiceae currently dominate during spring and summer, with brief but dense blooms of Anabaena spiriodes and Microcystis aeruginosa. Many fishes of the Superior Paraná have been dispersed downstream as the Itaipú reservoir covered the Guayra falls, the natural barrier for these fishes. The most important effects of Superior Paraná dams are related to the changed hydrological regime in the alluvial Middle and Lower reaches. This floodplain plays an important role in the bioproductivity of the river. Fisheries production depends to a high degree on the relationship of the river and its alluvial valley, where the alevines and small fishes of migratory species develop after spawning. During falling river levels the waters carry large quantities of organic matter, floating vegetation, important amounts of plankton and fishes from the alluvial plain to the river. Before the dams, the river defined two subsystems which were joined for about six months during the flood season and effectively isolated during low water periods. Since the commencement of river impoundment and flow regulation, the river ecology has begun a sequence of changes especially within the alluvial reaches.     

Partitioning of macroinvertebrate communities in a large New Zealand river highlights the role of multiple shore‐zone habitat types

Bank stabilization is increasing along large rivers as urban areas expand, and the need to protect infrastructure increases in the face of changing climate and flow patterns, but the cumulative effects of different stabilization approaches on reach‐scale biodiversity are not well understood. We investigated physical habitat characteristics and macroinvertebrate community composition and diversity for four shore‐zone habitat types across nested spatial scales over two sampling occasions. Distinct physical conditions were evident for riprap, beach and willow (mixed trees dominated by Salix spp.) habitats, reflecting variations in the combinations of shade, water velocity and substrate size/type, but there was wide variation in habitat conditions for mixed willow‐riprap sites. Additive biodiversity partitioning decomposed reach (γ) diversity into within (α) and among (β₁) sample, among habitat (β₂), and among site (β₃) components, and highlighted significant effects of all spatial scales on macroinvertebrate diversity. Low autumn water levels led to truncated species accumulation curves at beach sites where macrophyte beds that supported macroinvertebrates became stranded, or elevated species accumulation curves for exposed willow‐riprap sites where the river benthos was sampled during hydrological disconnection of bank habitats. Spring and autumn differences in macroinvertebrate community composition were stronger than differences between habitat types. Our findings (a) highlight the interacting effect of river level with shore‐zone habitat function, and (b) underscore the importance of maintaining a diversity of bank habitat types at multiple sites along river shore‐zones to maximize macroinvertebrate diversity.     

APPLICATION OF AERIAL DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY FOR MACROPHYTE COVER AND COMPOSITION SURVEY IN SMALL RURAL STREAMS

Macrophytes are a key biological component in many fluvial ecosystems. In altered streams, they can become highly dominant features, covering extensive parts of the channel with cascading effects on stream conditions and biological composition. The aim of this study is to examine the possibility of using information collected by aerial digital photography‐spectral analysis (ADP‐SA) as an alternative, cost‐effective methodology to the commonly used spectral procedure at a large (section) scale, and to the ground level visual survey (gridded frame) at a smaller (organism) scale. Cladophora glomerata and Nasturtium officinale, were selected as the targeted macrophyte species and classified at the same time (species relative cover) by using the three methodologies. Our findings show that the ADP‐SA methodology was able to detect species and relative cover in similar accuracy (≤10% differences) at the two spatial scales. ADP‐SA had a better spatial resolution than both the hyperspectral and the visual methodology (4 cm vs. 1 m and 10 cm, respectively) and was capable to differentiate submerged from emergent plants. However, on a smaller scale, ground level work is suitable and essential for detecting rarer species and is not hindered by weather, canopy cover or multi‐layered plant composition. ADP‐SA can therefore add a cost‐effective and nonsubjective practice to the existing tool kit of macrophyte surveys, particularly in small streams, which require high spatial resolution. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Abiotic Characterization of Brown Trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Spawning Redds Affected by Small Hydropower Plants — Case Studies from Austria

Salmonid rivers in Austria are considerably regulated by small hydropower facilities, resulting in potential declines of the spawning habitats of salmonids. To assess the restrictions and possible quality of hydropower‐influenced river sections for salmonid, spawning redd densities of brown trout and rainbow trout were monitored in two rivers in 2014 and 2015. The results showed spawning close to small hydropower facilities for both investigated species — with similarities in redd characteristics like pit and tail length. Differences occurred concerning the distance of redd construction to the next shore. Brown trout spawn close to the banks in comparison to rainbow trout which use the entire active channel width. In addition to the preference of brown trout for certain cover types, it turned out that the presence of high quality spawning gravel in the river is the dictating abiotic variable (probably bottleneck) in the control of salmonid populations even for river reaches impacted by small hydropower plants. Moreover, the assessments of spawning redd densities enabled a discussion of different opportunities for spawning habitat enhancement of salmonids in river sections regulated by small hydropower facilities. Here, in conclusion, it was found that the fill‐up of the backwater sites by transported sediments or the structural modification (e.g. boulder placement) in the tail of the backwater could improve the spawning situation in a sustainable way. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Present status of submerged macrophyte growth in Lake Biwa: Recent recovery following a summer decline in the water level

Whole‐lake areal distribution of submerged macrophyte growth in Lake Biwa was surveyed using aerial photographs in 1994 and 2000, when unusual declines in the water level of approximately 1 m occurred in the dry summers. The estimated total areas of the submerged macrophyte communities were 1441 ha for 1994 and 2825 ha for 2000. In the shallow and eutrophic southern basin, the bottom area covered by vegetation gradually increased year by year after 1994, and the ratio of this area to the total surface area of the basin in 2000 amounted to 52%. The dominant species were two natives, Hydrilla verticillata and Myriophyllum spicatum, and one exotic, Egeria densa. Changes in physical conditions and water quality associated with the decline in the water level, as well as the reactions of submerged plants to aquatic environments and ecosystem dynamics, are discussed.     

PHYSICAL AND PLANT COMMUNITY CONTROLS ON NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS LEACHING FROM IMPOUNDED RIVERINE WETLANDS FOLLOWING DAM REMOVAL

Dam removal has emerged as a critical issue in water resources engineering and management. Of particular concern in many regions of the USA is the effect of dam removal on downstream water quality and potential methods of decreasing sediment and nutrient loading to downstream reaches. Rapid revegetation of reservoir sediments has been suggested as a means of reducing the impact of dam removal, although little data exist about the role of vegetation in controlling the downstream release of sediment or nutrients. This study investigated an impounded riverine wetland complex on the Little River, North Carolina, before and after the removal of a low‐head dam. We quantified the leaching of interstitial nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to the adjacent river channel during reservoir dewatering and, through experimental manipulations, isolated the difference between physical (soil) and biological (plant) controls on N and P leaching from dewatering impoundment sediments. We found that the rate and the quantity of N and P leaching from impounded dewatering sediment are predominately controlled by sediment porosity and specific yield. Although vegetation controls on N and P leaching were statistically significant during the first growing season following dam removal, vegetation is likely to be more important as a long‐term control on sediment and nutrient loads. Our results suggest that the initial release of N and P from a dewatered reservoir will be difficult to control but that vegetation may play an important long‐term role. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Explaining Spatial Patterns of Mussel Beds in a Northern California River: The Role of Flood Disturbance and Spawning Salmon

Despite considerable effort, predicting habitat preferences for freshwater mussels has remained elusive. This study identified four parameters that correlate with bed stability to decipher fine‐scale spatial patterning of habitat use by the western pearl shell mussel (Margaritifera falcata) in the Trinity River of Northern California. Logistic regression analysis correctly predicted the occurrence of 83% of mussel bed areas based on water depth, velocity, substrate size, and distance to the stream bank as estimated from hydrodynamic modelling of low‐flow conditions. These parameters coincide with bed stability at high flow and provide support for the ‘refugia hypothesis’. Our data clearly demonstrate that mussel beds occupied the most stable portions of the riverbed; however, habitat was partitioned with one of their primary host fish, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), a species that also requires stable bed areas for spawning. Mussels occupied significantly deeper and lower velocity areas that were closer to the streambank compared with spawning salmon, but where habitats directly overlapped (30% of potential mussel habitat) mussels were excluded because the act of spawning disturbs the riverbed. By necessity, mussels and salmon must co‐exist, but results of this study indicate that they compete for stable bed areas that may be limiting in dynamic river systems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三峡库区156 m蓄水水文泥沙变化分析

为掌握三峡水库2007年156 m蓄水过程中库区水文河道变化情况,通过观测与分析三峡库区蓄水过程的水沙变化,探讨蓄水过程水位、河道比降及水文泥沙运动的变化规律,为三峡库区175 m蓄水后的水面线对比分析、回水区的界定等研究打下基础,同时也为三峡库区175 m正常蓄水运用后,三峡水库库尾重庆变动回水区河段的水沙冲淤变化、河道走沙规律分析研究提供了条件。