A conservation paradox for riparian habitats and river corridor species

Looy, Kris Van; Meire, Patrick

doi:10.1016/j.jnc.2008.12.001

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…The need for human‐mediated action in the recovery of wetlands contrasts partly with previous evidence that emphasized the uselessness of restoration programmes for aquatic sites isolated from river dynamics (Van Looy & Meire, 2009). In the vast majority of cases, however, it is not possible to imagine alternative approaches.…”

Section: Secondary Impactsmentioning

confidence: 77%

Linking vegetation patterns, wetlands conservation, and ecosystem services provision: From publication to application

Bolpagni

2020

Aquatic Conservation

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Natural wetlands emerge as the best sites to preserve the diversity of aquatic and riparian vegetation; however, especially in the lowlands, pristine wetlands and aquatic ecosystems have almost completely disappeared through land reclamation and agricultural development. Actions are needed, therefore, to maintain and recreate a wide network of wetlands able to preserve adequate levels of vegetation diversity. Focusing on a complex wetland system located in an overexploited plain, the article entitled ‘The importance of being natural in a human‐altered riverscape: Role of wetland type in supporting habitat heterogeneity and the functional diversity of vegetation’, published in 2016 in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (AQC) explored the role of wetland origin and hydrology as the main drivers of physical and vegetation functional diversity, following a hierarchical sampling approach. The main results reinforced the key contribution of natural sites in maintaining vegetation diversity in heavily impaired riverine contexts, suggesting a direct effect of the interannual and seasonal dynamics of water‐level variations in the observed vegetation patterns. The article offered an important contribution to our knowledge of vegetation patterns in wetlands, partly attributed to the innovative functional, hierarchical approach applied which is able to guarantee reliable data on the distribution patterns of physical heterogeneity and wetland vegetation. The findings of the article have been applied and adopted in a series of technical handbooks designed, inter alia, to support the monitoring programmes of habitats of community interest or vegetation of relevance for aquatic biodiversity conservation. In addition, this article has helped to raise awareness of the essential roles played by wetlands in agricultural landscapes and has emphasized the need for a better synergy between the European Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive. Several ecological recovery projects have been funded in line with the results described in the AQC article.

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Section: Secondary Impactsmentioning

confidence: 77%

Linking vegetation patterns, wetlands conservation, and ecosystem services provision: From publication to application

Bolpagni

2020

Aquatic Conservation

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“…, 1989; Van Looy et al. , 2006; Van Looy & Meire, 2009; but see Honnay et al. , 2001) presents an apparent contradiction, which has been referred to as the ‘drift paradox’ (Anholt, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of population genetic diversity in riparian and aquatic plant species along rivers

Honnay

Jacquemyn

Nackaerts

et al. 2010

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim The downstream hydrochoric spread of seeds of aquatic and riparian plant species, without upstream compensation, can be expected to result in downstream accumulation of population genetic diversity. This idea has been termed the 'unidirectional dispersal hypothesis' and is the genetic equivalent of the more generally known 'drift paradox'. Our aim was to test this unidirectional diversity hypothesis, and to present a general synthesis of the patterns of population genetic variation across different riparian and aquatic plant species along rivers.Location The Meuse River (Belgium) and rivers world-wide.Methods First, we used amplified fragment length polymorphism markers to compare patterns of within-and between-population genetic diversity among three riparian plant species (Sisymbrium austriacum, Erysimum cheiranthoides and Rorippa sylvestris), typically occurring in different habitats along a gradient perpendicular to the Meuse River. Second, we performed a meta-analysis on studies reporting on the population genetic structure of riparian and aquatic plant species along rivers.Results Along the Meuse River, we found significant genetic differentiation among populations of all three riparian species, and significant isolation by distance for one of them (R. sylvestris). There was no clear association between the typical habitat of a species and its population genetic structure. None of the three species provided evidence for the unidirectional dispersal hypothesis. The meta-analysis, based on 21 data records, did not support the unidirectional dispersal hypothesis either. Average weighted population genetic differentiation across species was significant.Main conclusions Important mechanisms of upstream seed dispersal, probably through zoochory, together with higher seed recruitment opportunities in upstream habitats due to density dependence of recruitment, may explain the absence of downstream accumulation of genetic diversity. Also, it seems difficult to find consistent patterns in genetic variation in species from aquatic and riparian habitats. We argue that this is due to the recurrent extinctions and colonizations characteristic of these habitats, resulting in complex genetic patterns. Our results strongly support previous suggestions that stream ecology should consistently embrace metapopulation theory to be able to understand patterns of genetic diversity, as well as species diversity.

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“…But the populations of invasive alien taxa in the Oder River Valley are much larger. Invaders more easily dominate and establish their own communities in degraded ecosystems, which could be related to the seed bank size and the process of the withdrawal of resident taxa, particularly those with a narrow ecological amplitude [ 54 , 55 ]. In the Oder and San river valleys, invasive alien and resident species coexist and increase in numbers and abundance until their populations exceed the peak-threshold point, when competition for resources intensifies the formation of dominance hierarchies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As is known from the study by Crawford et al [ 62 ] or Geissler and Gzik [ 63 ], river corridor species are more tolerant of inundations, which may restrict other species. Plants confined to river valleys simply need cyclic disturbances (regardless of whether they are natural or anthropogenic), which cause a reduction in plant cover and allow the creation of sites suitable for colonization [ 49 , 55 ]. The high dynamism of river banks determines not only the structure and composition of natural vegetation, but it is also associated with alien species invasion [ 64 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do invasive alien plants really threaten river bank vegetation? A case study based on plant communities typical for Chenopodium ficifolium—An indicator of large river valleys

2018

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Riparian zones are very rich in species but subjected to strong anthropogenic changes and extremely prone to alien plant invasions, which are considered to be a serious threat to biodiversity. Our aim was to determine the spatial distribution of Chenopodium ficifolium, a species demonstrating strong confinement to large river valleys in Central Europe and an indicator of annual pioneer nitrophilous vegetation developing on river banks, which are considered to be of importance to the European Community. Additionally, the habitat preferences of the species were analysed. Differences in the richness and abundance of species diagnostic for riverside habitats, as well as the contribution of resident and invasive alien species in vegetation plots along three rivers differing in terms of size and anthropogenic impact were also examined. Finally, the effect of invaders on the phytocoenoses typical for C. ficifolium was assessed. The frequency of C. ficifolium clearly decreased with an increasing distance from the river. Among natural habitats, the species mostly preferred the banks of large rivers. The vegetation plots developing on the banks of the three studied rivers differed in total species richness, the number and cover of resident, diagnostic and invasive alien species, as well as in species composition. Our research indicates that abiotic and anthropogenic factors are the most significant drivers of species richness and plant cover of riverbank vegetation, and invasive alien plants affect this type of vegetation to a small extent.

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A conservation paradox for riparian habitats and river corridor species

Cited by 13 publications

References 58 publications

Linking vegetation patterns, wetlands conservation, and ecosystem services provision: From publication to application

Linking vegetation patterns, wetlands conservation, and ecosystem services provision: From publication to application

Patterns of population genetic diversity in riparian and aquatic plant species along rivers

Do invasive alien plants really threaten river bank vegetation? A case study based on plant communities typical for Chenopodium ficifolium—An indicator of large river valleys

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