Disturbance legacies of historic tie-drives persistently alter geomorphology and large wood characteristics in headwater streams, southeast Wyoming

Ruffing, Claire M.; Daniels, Melinda D.; Dwire, Kathleen A.

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.10.029

Cited by 22 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 73 publications

(89 reference statements)

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“…, Miller , Ruffing et al. ). The net effect of simplifying and homogenizing channel geometry is to reduce OC storage in the channel and floodplain, although some logs that were commercially floated became saturated and were buried in the streambed.…”

Section: Human Alterations Of Carbon Dynamics In River Corridorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon dynamics of river corridors and the effects of human alterations

Wohl

Hall

Lininger

et al. 2017

Ecological Monographs

101

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Research in stream metabolism, gas exchange, and sediment dynamics indicates that rivers are an active component of the global carbon cycle and that river form and process can influence partitioning of terrestrially derived carbon among the atmosphere, geosphere, and ocean. Here we develop a conceptual model of carbon dynamics (inputs, outputs, and storage of organic carbon) within a river corridor, which includes the active channel and the riparian zone. The exchange of carbon from the channel to the riparian zone represents potential for storage of transported carbon not included in the “active pipe” model of organic carbon (OC) dynamics in freshwater systems. The active pipe model recognizes that river processes influence carbon dynamics, but focuses on CO2 emissions from the channel and eventual delivery to the ocean. We also review how human activities directly and indirectly alter carbon dynamics within river corridors. We propose that dams create the most significant alteration of carbon dynamics within a channel, but that alteration of riparian zones, including the reduction of lateral connectivity between the channel and riparian zone, constitutes the most substantial change of carbon dynamics in river corridors. We argue that the morphology and processes of a river corridor regulate the ability to store, transform, and transport OC, and that people are pervasive modifiers of river morphology and processes. The net effect of most human activities, with the notable exception of reservoir construction, appears to be that of reducing the ability of river corridors to store OC within biota and sediment, which effectively converts river corridors to OC sources rather than OC sinks. We conclude by summarizing knowledge gaps in OC dynamics and the implications of our findings for managing OC dynamics within river corridors.

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Section: Human Alterations Of Carbon Dynamics In River Corridorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon dynamics of river corridors and the effects of human alterations

Wohl

Hall

Lininger

et al. 2017

Ecological Monographs

101

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“…Use of streams for tie drives involved construction of splash dams that were dynamited to send a wave of water and timber down the channel; removal of in‐stream obstacles such as naturally occurring LW, boulders, and bedrock constrictions; and blocking of overbank areas or secondary channels (Young et al, ; Wohl, ). More than a century after tie drives ceased, streams used for this purpose remain more physically homogeneous and have lower abundance and diversity of in‐stream and riparian habitat (Young et al, ; Miller, ; Ruffing et al, ). Our observations suggest that, even in unconfined valley segments, streams with a history of land use have only single‐thread channel planform, rather than multithread.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical land use as a driver of alternative states for stream form and function in forested mountain watersheds of the Southern Rocky Mountains

Livers

Wohl

Jackson

et al. 2017

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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We demonstrate how land use can drive mountain streams in the Southern Rockies across a threshold to induce an alternative state of significantly reduced physical complexity of form and reduced ecological function. We evaluate field data from 28 stream reaches in relatively laterally unconfined valleys and unmanaged forest that is either old‐growth forest or naturally disturbed younger forest, and 19 stream reaches in managed forest with past land use. We evaluate potential differences in stream form, as reflected in channel planform, cross‐sectional geometry, and in‐stream wood loads, and stream function, as reflected in pool volume and storage of organic carbon. Field data indicate a threshold of differences in stream form and function between unmanaged and managed stream reaches, regardless of forest stand age, supporting our hypothesis that the legacy effects of past land use result in an alternative state of streams. Because physical complexity that increases stream retentiveness and habitat can maintain aquatic‐riparian ecosystem functions, the alternative physical state of streams in managed watersheds creates a physical template for an alternative ecological state with reduced pool volume, organic carbon storage, and ecosystem productivity. We recommend maintaining riparian forests that can supply large wood to streams as a stream restoration technique in historically forested stream segments. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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“…Our general hypothesis that differences in CPOM and FPOM would be positively related to legacies associated with channel roughness and complexity was not supported, despite observed differences in channel complexity (Ruffing et al , ). Debris dams, channel morphology, riparian vegetation and discharge are channel elements controlling both the transport and retention of particulate organic material (Brookshire and Dwire, ; Daniels, ) and wood jams function as storage sites for considerable quantities of in‐stream C (Beckman and Wohl, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Significant geomorphologic differences associated with tie‐driving were identified along these reaches in a previous study (Ruffing et al , ). When channel geometry was scaled to contributing watershed area, tie‐driven channels were narrower and more shallow, had smaller cross‐sectional areas, greater width‐to‐depth ratios, and lower roughness values compared to non‐driven reaches.…”

Section: Study Area and Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Total wood loads in second‐order study streams were similar, although most wood in Trail Creek (tie‐driven) was found in debris jams while wood in North Fork Rock Creek (non‐driven) was evenly distributed throughout the study reach. First‐order tie‐driven reaches were dominated by riffle and run morphologies while the second‐order tie‐driven reach had a large proportion of wood‐forced pools caused by wood jams (Ruffing et al , ).…”

Section: Study Area and Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbon pools in stream‐riparian corridors: legacy of disturbance along mountain streams of south‐eastern Wyoming

Ruffing

Dwire

Daniels

2015

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Streams and their accompanying riparian environments are intrinsic components of terrestrial carbon cycling. However, they have been understudied in terms of the magnitude of their storage components and the role of disturbance in determining carbon storage capacity. This study presents partial carbon budgets for stream-riparian corridors along six study reaches in mountain headwater streams of southeast Wyoming to evaluate the impact of tie-driving, a historic disturbance legacy, on contemporary carbon storage. Detailed measurements of biomass were collected for in-stream components of carbon including fine and coarse particulate organic matter and in-stream large wood. Biomass was also estimated for riparian components including standing trees (live and dead), regenerating conifers, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation, downed wood, litter, and duff (partially decayed litter). Biomass was converted to carbon for all components and differences in storage were compared between tie-driven and non-driven reaches. Carbon content in riparian soils (to approximately 20 cm) was also measured. Twice the amount of carbon was stored in the riparian areas relative to the streams; most carbon was stored in standing trees (live and dead). While overall carbon storage within the riparian areas and streams were similar between disturbance conditions, the amount of carbon stored in large in-stream wood and downed wood on the floodplain was significantly higher in systems that were not tie-driven. The results of this study indicate that legacies of tie-driving influence carbon storage within the region, while also capturing baseline estimates of carbon storage in the wake of recent bark beetle infestations.

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Disturbance legacies of historic tie-drives persistently alter geomorphology and large wood characteristics in headwater streams, southeast Wyoming

Cited by 22 publications

References 73 publications

Carbon dynamics of river corridors and the effects of human alterations

Carbon dynamics of river corridors and the effects of human alterations

Historical land use as a driver of alternative states for stream form and function in forested mountain watersheds of the Southern Rocky Mountains

Carbon pools in stream‐riparian corridors: legacy of disturbance along mountain streams of south‐eastern Wyoming

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