Application of the ‘natural flow paradigm’ in a New Zealand context

The natural flow paradigm (NFP) emphasizes the need to partially or fully maintain or restore the range of natural intra‐ and interannual variation of hydrologic regimes to protect native biodiversity and the evolutionary potential of aquatic, riparian and wetland ecosystems. Based on our studies of natural and managed flow regimes in New Zealand, we do not believe that all components of the natural flow regime are necessary to achieve the objectives of the NFP, either partially or fully, because many aquatic species have very flexible niches and life‐history requirements (i.e. there is ‘ecological redundancy’). Obviously, maintaining the natural flow regime will maintain the hydrologic and hydraulic conditions necessary for sustaining natural ecosystems. However, if there is adequate knowledge of what ‘values’ need to be maintained in a waterway, and the aspects of the flow regime that are required to maintain those values are also known, then regimes can be designed that target these requirements and thus optimize conditions for the ‘values’. We believe that an assessment of ecosystem requirements using information on river processes together with habitat requirements and life‐history strategies of biota can achieve the best balance between resource use and sustaining ecosystem function and value, and show examples where changes to natural flow regimes have maintained, or even improved, instream values in some New Zealand rivers. We caution that simple flow‐based rules, such as those that might be developed under the NFP, could be unnecessarily restrictive on multiple use of water in New Zealand while, at the same time, preclude the opportunity for enhancement of key ecosystem values in many waterways. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Merging anchovy eggs abundance into a hydrodynamic model as an assessment tool for estuarine ecohydrological management

The impoundment of rivers by large dams is the biggest direct anthropogenic impact on the hydrological cycle. However, dams can help solving eutrophication in estuaries by controlling flow pulses, which in turn might enhance the advection of fish larval stages from their spawning and nursery areas. Thus, this work aimed to merge data on the abundance of anchovy eggs with MOHID hydrodynamic model for the Guadiana estuary, allowing dam/basin managers to set river discharge scenarios that might mitigate/prevent eutrophication, without compromising the presence of fish larval stages inside the estuary. Data on anchovy larval stages were assessed in the Guadiana estuary and adjacent coast and three simulation setups were developed. In Simulation A, anchovy eggs abundance was merged in the hydrodynamic model to compare the outputs with data on the abundance, distribution and development stage of anchovy eggs and larvae. In Simulation B, lagrangian particles were incorporated in the model to determine the percentage of particles released from the upper, middle and lower estuary that remain in the estuary along 10 days, in two tidal situations and in seven river discharge scenarios. In Simulation C, the abundance of anchovy eggs was merged in the model to select the discharge scenario(s) that do not compromise the presence of anchovy larval stages in the estuary. Results confirmed the spawning and nursery areas of anchovy and showed that scenarios B (Q_max = 20 m³ s^?1) and C (Q_max = 50 m³ s^?1) should be applied during neap tides. The choice between scenarios depends on the degree of eutrophication, the effectiveness of an inexistent monitoring program and on plankton response experiments to flushing and increased nutrient loading. This work produced an easy‐to‐use management tool for Guadiana managers, serving as an example to other estuarine sites around the world. Ultimately, this work suggests that river flow management must be guided by robust ecological studies, under an adequate sociological framework and adopting sustainable economic principles to maintain and improve the ecosystem services. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A ROADMAP FOR RIPARIAN INVASION RESEARCH

Riparian habitats provide numerous ecosystem services and support a diversity of ecological processes, yet they are environmentally sensitive landscapes susceptible to species invasion. As the global population grows, urban, exurban, suburban and rural development of riparian landscapes and dependence on the associated ecosystem services will increase. To preserve riparian systems, research should assess causes and consequences of riparian invasion and effective restoration measures across a diversity of biomes. This paper categorizes the types of riparian invasion research studies and investigates research trends in the riparian invasion literature. The analysis shows that research focuses on drivers and patterns of invasion is primarily focused on North America and Europe and is scant in high biodiversity biomes, such as the tropics and humid subtropics. Future population growth is predicted to occur in poorly researched regions. Future riparian invasion research should focus on regions of high biodiversity and identify consequences of invasion and restoration measures. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Longitudinal spatial variation in ecological conditions in an in‐channel floodplain river system during flow pulses

A field survey was conducted during flow pulses to investigate the longitudinal spatial patterns in water quality, dissolved inorganic and organic matter, phytoplankton, planktonic bacteria, zooplankton, gross primary productivity (GPP) of phytoplankton and planktonic respiration (PR) in channels of the large floodplain system (～124 km in length) of the Macquarie Marshes, south‐eastern Australia. Four river reaches (areas) with distinct hydrogeomorphological characteristics within the distributary zone of the lower Macquarie River were chosen for analysis of abiotic and biotic variables in their in‐stream environments. The results showed marked longitudinal spatial variation in the values within and among the measured environmental variables including such functional aspects as primary productivity and PR. The variables that tended to have increasing values in a downstream direction were conductivity, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), dissolved silica, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP), ratio of DOC/DON and counts of planktonic bacteria. Conversely, the values that tended to decrease downstream were the ratios of TN/TP, DIN/DRP, DOC/DOP, DON/DOP and GPP/PR. Variables that had a localized peak(s) were dissolved oxygen, turbidity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, GPP, PR and counts of cyanobacteria, diatoms, green algae, cryptomonads, protozoans, rotifers, copepods and cladocerans. Overall, two distinct ecological zones were identified within the broader distributary functional process zone (FPZ): these being the upstream zone with relatively high levels of DO, turbidity, diatoms and GPP/PR ratio, and the downstream zone with relatively high levels of nutrients, dissolved organic matter, cyanobacteria, planktonic bacteria, protozoans and cladocerans. The results of this study describe the spatial connectivity of ecological processes related to hydrogeomorphological factors within a FPZ of a riverine ecosystem, and support the predictions of the riverine ecosystem synthesis framework that ecological patterns and processes can be discontinuous on a longitudinal spatial scale. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydromorphological alteration of a large Mediterranean river: Relative role of high and low flows on the evolution of riparian forests and channel morphology

This paper evaluates the causes and effects of the hydrogeomorphological alteration of the central reach of the Ebro River (NE Spain). The Ebro River is one of the largest Mediterranean rivers. In this reach, it develops a meandering planform in a wide floodplain. Geographic Information System (GIS) analyses of historic aerial photographs, analysis of hydrologic data and measurement of various indicators linked to the fluvial morphology and the structure and distribution of the riparian vegetation led to the establishment of the prevailing processes in the dynamics of this river. Statistical analyses conducted on some of the main components of the flow regime, including floods, droughts and flow duration curves, showed a role for these components in river dynamics. Similarly, a thorough analysis of the evolution of the aforementioned indicators was performed to identify and measure the effects of the hydrological regulation of the river. These indicators were measured in 1927, 1956 and 2003 for a 106 km reach. The geomorphic dynamics of the Ebro River in its central reach reflect a remarkable tendency for stabilization and rigidification of the channel. The active river corridor has largely been modified, primarily in the second half of the twentieth century. The corridor lost a huge portion of its width and extension, the channel suffered an intense narrowing and the natural mobility of the meander train decayed proportionally. The structure and distribution of the riparian vegetation were completely transformed. The riparian forest lost its original function, behaving as a linear corridor and was notably continuous and very close to the channel thalweg. The vegetation colonized most of the previously active channel, contributing to the loss of the natural dynamics of the river. The hydrological analyses suggest that the large morphological modification of the river planform and the parallel alteration of the riparian forests are not to be seen as a consequence of a loss of the attributes of natural floods. On the contrary, these extreme hydrological events only generate slight alterations due to river regulation and are not capable of enhancing the aforementioned evolution. Nevertheless, a profound change in the attributes of the low (summer) flows was found. The modification of the low flows was studied through its relationship with the global evolution of the geomorphic indicators and the riparian forest indicators. The results show the relative role played by high and low flows in the evolution of the river dynamics. These results are used to propose a future scenario of ecohydrological management in the central reach of the Ebro River. This scenario is intended to improve its ecological status and recover, at least partially, its natural dynamics. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

流域水文过程与植被相互作用研究评述

从流域水文过程与植被相互作用规律、流域生态水文模型、流域生态水文对气候变化的响应三个方面，对国内外相关研究现状进行了总结分析。研究发现，当前流域水文学正在从以单一水循环过程为主要研究对象发展成以研究水分、能量与物质耦合循环以及水文过程与生态过程的相互作用等为主要内容的综合性和交叉性学科。现关于流域水文过程与植被之间的关系研究多集中于单向作用的研究，如水文过程对植被的影响研究和植被变化对水文过程的影响研究，而对水文过程与植被之间的反馈机制以及对流域内土壤-植被-大气复杂系统的整体研究不足，缺乏对流域水文过程与植被相互作用机理的全面认识。研究表明气候变化已经影响到流域水文过程和植被生长，气候变化下的流域生态水文响应是水文学研究的前沿课题。水文学需要强化对流域生态水文机理的研究，只有在充分揭示流域生态水文机理的前提下，才能预测未来气候变化下的流域生态水文响应。生态最优性原理能够解释植被对外界环境变化的响应，从而被应用于描述植被与水文过程的相互作用。基于生态最优性原理的流域生态水文模型已逐渐成为生态水文学的研究热点之一。     

生态水文双向耦合模型的研发与应用:Ⅱ.模型应用

陆地生态水文过程的耦合集中体现在水碳循环的相互作用与反馈,研究这种耦合关系以及变化环境下水文、能量通量、碳收支过程的响应特征对于理解生态水文过程的作用机理具有重要意义。本研究基于构建的生态水文双向紧密耦合模型DTVGM-CASACNP,选取Ameriflux Duke森林生态系统站点,验证了该耦合模型的适用性。结果表明,该模型在水、能量通量及碳通量的模拟方面均取得了较好的效果。水碳耦合关系结果表明植被生产力与蒸散发具有较强的正相关关系;气孔对蒸腾的调控结果显示在冬季蒸腾受到气孔的控制作用强,在夏季蒸腾受到外界环境因子的控制作用更强;日内变化中日间蒸腾受到环境因子的控制作用较夜间高。双倍CO_2浓度条件下,植物蒸腾减小,但截留蒸发增加,感热通量增加显著,碳汇作用将加强。