Considering river structure and stability in the light of evolution: feedbacks between riparian vegetation and hydrogeomorphology

Corenblit, Dov Jean-François; Davies, Neil S.; Steiger, Johannes; Gibling, Martin R.; Bornette, Gudrun

doi:10.1002/esp.3643

Cited by 98 publications

(95 citation statements)

References 165 publications

(388 reference statements)

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“…Alternatively, another interpretation of the guild‐by‐environment interactions found here is that the use of guilds obscures significant variation in species‐specific response–effect relationships. While the argument can be made that response–effect linkages are likely to be strong in riparian plant communities (Corenblit et al, ; Diehl et al, ), these linkages may be disrupted in environments with artificial flow regimes. Species within each of the effect guilds in this system do differ substantially in their responses to hydrology and climate (Butterfield, Palmquist, & Ralston, ), which may support a more individualistic approach to assessing response–effect relationships with respect to biotic feedbacks on sand deposition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Plant traits and feedbacks on sedimentation may indeed reflect adaptive responses to the flow regime (Corenblit, Davies, Steiger, Gibling, & Bornette, ; Lytle & Poff, ), but river regulation can introduce new selection pressures on vegetation and sediment dynamics that differ from expectations based on long‐term evolutionary processes (Bejarano, Nilsson, & Aguiar, ; Merritt & Cooper, ). A common downstream consequence of dams is reduced seasonal flood magnitude, as well as a change in the timing of flooding (Petts, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Associations between riparian plant morphological guilds and fluvial sediment dynamics along the regulated Colorado River in Grand Canyon

Butterfield

Grams

Cagney

et al. 2020

River Research & Apps

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Effects of riparian vegetation on fluvial sediment dynamics depend on morphological traits of the constituent species. Determining the effects of different morphological guilds on sedimentation rates, as influenced by multiple aspects of dam operations, can help identify viable strategies for streamflow and vegetation management to achieve riparian resource goals. Plants of increasing size and branching density or complexity have been found to have greater effects on sedimentation in free‐flowing systems; however, this relationship could differ in regulated rivers. We tested the hypothesis that plant guilds of increasing height and branching complexity would be positively associated with sedimentation rates on 23 sandbars deposited in zones of recirculating flow (eddies) along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. We used an image‐based vegetation classification and digital elevation models from annual topographic surveys to track associations between six plant morphological guilds and topographic change over 5 years. Vegetation had significant associations with deposition after accounting for geomorphic setting, but the ordinal guild scale was not positively correlated with deposition magnitude. Instead, low‐statured rhizomatous and herbaceous guilds were particularly effective at capturing sediment in the separation zone of sandbars, whereas tall herbs and large shrubs were most effective at capturing sediment in reattachment zones. These nuanced interactions between geomorphic position and morphological guild may be a direct consequence of flow regulation through modifications to physical deposition and erosion processes. Flow regulation may also select for a narrow subset of morphological guilds, reducing the diversity of vegetation feedbacks on sedimentation and emphasizing geomorphic drivers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between riparian plant morphological guilds and fluvial sediment dynamics along the regulated Colorado River in Grand Canyon

Butterfield

Grams

Cagney

et al. 2020

River Research & Apps

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“…In fluvially disturbed systems, self‐organization processes are accentuated by interactions between plants, the land surface and flowing water and sediment (Francis et al ., ; D'Odorico et al ., ; Corenblit et al ., ) giving rise to questions regarding the degree to which patterns emerge or are imposed by physical conditions or processes and other ecological factors (Scheffer et al, 2013). In general, local vegetated areas with relatively high above‐ground biomass (e.g.…”

Section: A Conceptual Model Of Vegetation–hydromorphology Interactionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Conceptual Model of Vegetation–hydrogeomorphology Interactions Within River Corridors

Gurnell

Corenblit

Jalón

et al. 2015

River Research & Apps

181

149

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We propose a conceptual model of vegetation-hydrogeomorphology interactions and feedbacks within river corridors (i.e. river channels and their floodplains) that builds on previous similar hydrogeomorphologically centred models by (i) incorporating hydrogeomorphological constraints on river corridor vegetation from region to reach scales; (ii) defining five dynamic river corridor zones within which different hydrogeomorphological processes are dominant so that plants and physical processes interact in different ways, and considering the potential distribution of these zones longitudinally from river headwaters to mouth, laterally across the river corridor, and in relation to different river planform styles; (iii) considering the way in which vegetation-related landforms within each zone may reflect processes of self-organization and the role of particular plant species as physical ecosystem engineers within the context of the dominant hydrogeomorphological processes; (iv) focussing, in particular, upon a 'critical zone' at the leading edge of plant-hydrogeomorphological process interactions that is located somewhere within the area of the river corridor perennially inundated by flowing water (zone 1) and the area that is frequently inundated and subject to both sediment erosion and deposition processes (zone 2). Within the critical zone some plant species strongly influence the position and character of the margin between the river channel and floodplain, affecting channel width, channel margin form and dynamics, and the transition from one river planform type to another; and (v) considering the vegetated pioneer landforms that develop within the critical zone and how their morphological impact needs to be scaled to the river size.The model is illustrated using three example reaches from rivers within different biogeographical zones of Europe, and its potential application in the context of river management and restoration/rehabilitation is discussed.

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“…The combination of local and downstream or downwind protective–accretive and off‐site erosive effects of plants controls spatial and temporal self‐organization of BEs, mainly during the biogeomorphic phase (Temmerman et al ., ; Bouma et al ., , ; Kim, ; Corenblit et al ., ). It has been further suggested that the pattern of sediment trapping and erosion corresponds to a biogeomorphic scale‐dependent feedback.…”

Section: Criterion 2: Effect Traits Of Engineer Plants That Modulate mentioning

confidence: 99%

Engineer pioneer plants respond to and affect geomorphic constraints similarly along water–terrestrial interfaces world‐wide

Corenblit

Baas

Balke

et al. 2015

Global Ecology and Biogeography

Self Cite

124

111

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Aim Within fluvial and coastal ecosystems world-wide, flows of water, wind and sediment generate a shifting landscape mosaic composed of bare substrate and pioneer and mature vegetation successional stages. Pioneer plant species that colonize these ecosystems at the land-water interface have developed specific traits in response to environmental constraints (response traits) and are able to modify habitat conditions by modulating geomorphic processes (effect traits). Changes in the geomorphic environment under the control of engineer plants often feed back to organism traits (feedback traits), and thereby ecosystem functioning, leading to eco-evolutionary dynamics. Here we explain the joint foundations of fluvial and coastal ecosystems according to feedback between plants and the geomorphic environment.Location Dynamic fluvial and coastal ecosystems world-wide.Method Drawing from a pre-existing model of 'fluvial biogeomorphic succession' , we propose a conceptual framework showing that fluvial and coastal 'biogeomorphic ecosystems' are functionally similar due to eco-evolutionary feedbacks between plants and geomorphology. ResultsThe relationships between plant traits and their geomorphic environments within different fluvial and coastal biogeomorphic ecosystems are identified and classified within a framework of biogeomorphic functional similarity according to three criteria: (1) pioneer plants develop specific responses to the geomorphic environment; (2) engineer plants modulate the geomorphic environment; (3) geomorphic changes under biotic control within biogeomorphic ecosystems feed back to organisms. Main conclusionsThe conceptual framework of functional similarity proposed here will improve our capacity to analyse, compare, manage and restore fluvial and coastal biogeomorphic ecosystems world-wide by using the same protocols based on the three criteria and four phases of the biogeomorphic succession model.

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Considering river structure and stability in the light of evolution: feedbacks between riparian vegetation and hydrogeomorphology

Abstract: International audienc

Cited by 98 publications

References 165 publications

Associations between riparian plant morphological guilds and fluvial sediment dynamics along the regulated Colorado River in Grand Canyon

Associations between riparian plant morphological guilds and fluvial sediment dynamics along the regulated Colorado River in Grand Canyon

A Conceptual Model of Vegetation–hydrogeomorphology Interactions Within River Corridors

Engineer pioneer plants respond to and affect geomorphic constraints similarly along water–terrestrial interfaces world‐wide

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