Ephemeral wetlands along a spatially intermittent river: Temporal patterns of vegetation development

Stromberg, Juliet C.; Hazelton, Andrea F.; White, Margaret S.; White, Jacqueline M.; Fischer, Richard A.

doi:10.1672/08-124.1

Cited by 28 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Among the three hydrologic conditions, the stream section with seasonal flow had the greatest plant diversity. This result is consistent with several studies (Stromberg et al 2009a;Katz et al 2012), suggesting that intermittent flow sites support higher mean richness than perennial and dried-up flow sites. This indicates that the ''disturbance'' of periodic drought at the intermittent (seasonal) flow sites may increase plant diversity (Tabacchi et al 1996;Stromberg et al 2005).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Researchers have found that in-channel flow or floods produced by summer rainfall contribute to homogenizing species pools by dispersing seeds within river corridors (Jansson et al 2005;Stromberg et al 2008). In the present study, the hydrics had greater compositional similarity between perennial and seasonal flow sites, indicating that the hydric herbs may be a nested subset of those at upstream perennial sites (Stromberg et al 2009b). This may explain why plant composition could somehow maintain its structure after the seasonal flow cut-off.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

“…A number of eco-hydrological studies have identified relationships between riparian vegetation and hydrologic parameters, including frequency, timing, duration, rate of change, and magnitude of base flows (Nilsson and Svedmark 2002;Elmore et al 2003). Vegetation can be characterized in many ways, and studies have examined effects of surface water flow regimes on plant species diversity (Katz et al 2009;Stromberg et al 2009a;Katz et al 2012), species composition (Shafroth and Stromberg 2002), plant moisture group Katz et al 2009), and plant growth (Stromberg and Patten 1990). Flow regime adaptations of riparian and aquatic plant communities are dictated by the pattern of temporal river flow variation, which involves plant life histories and morphologies (Lytle and Poff 2004) and compositional differences between streamflow types Leigh et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Flow regime adaptations of riparian and aquatic plant communities are dictated by the pattern of temporal river flow variation, which involves plant life histories and morphologies (Lytle and Poff 2004) and compositional differences between streamflow types Leigh et al 2010). Relationships between species diversity and hydrologic streamflow regime change have been described for a few semiarid rivers (Stromberg et al 2009a;Katz et al 2012), but relationships of riparian plant community metrics to those regimes have garnered less research attention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of hydrologic modifications to riparian plant communities in a large river system in northern China

Xiu

Gerisch

Ilg

et al. 2015

Ecological Research

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Hydrologic modifications to rivers caused by anthropogenic activity have major impacts on riparian ecosystems. Alterations to the hydrologic regime and their interactions with natural environmental parameters exert selective pressures on riparian vegetation, resulting in adaptations to specific flow attributes. However, few studies have attempted to detect these effects under multiple hydrologic conditions, especially for rivers in semi-dry and semi-humid regions. Using the ''space-for-time substitution'' method, we investigated the effects of hydrologic modifications to the riparian plant community along the Yongding River of northern China, by comparing community structure metrics (diversity, plant moisture affinity group, and lifespan) and a function metric (biomass) under three streamflows (perennial, seasonal and dried-up). Among these streamflows, seasonal flow reaches had the greatest plant diversity. Responses of plant moisture group and lifespan were inconsistent in different hydrologic stages, although they varied significantly (P < 0.01). Annuals and biennials greatly increased from perennial to seasonal streamflow ($59 %), while perennials decreased ($41 %). However, from seasonal to dried-up flow, the percentage of mesics and xerics increased by 12.8 and 11.8 %, respectively, while hydrics decreased dramatically (by 24.6 %). Perennial flow had significantly greater aboveground biomass (P < 0.05) than the other two flows. Hydrologic conditions and their related soil nutrients were the main driving factors of community structure and function, which explained 21.0 and 18.0 % of variation, respectively. These findings reveal the response process of the riparian plant community during hydrologic modification from perennial to dried-up streamflow.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Effects of hydrologic modifications to riparian plant communities in a large river system in northern China

Xiu

Gerisch

Ilg

et al. 2015

Ecological Research

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“…Although species in arid environments are generally adapted to temporary drying, the abundance and composition of animal communities would be altered in streams experiencing significant changes in the timing, duration, velocity, and magnitude of surface flow (Stanley et al 1994;Lake 2003;Sada et al 2005;Archer and Predick 2008;McCluney and Sabo 2011;Datry 2012). Similarly, construction-related hydrologic changes could also affect vegetation communities, as the distribution, density, diversity, and species composition of vascular plant communities are largely determined by flow (Stromberg et al 2009;Katz et al 2011). For example, Schlesinger et al (1989) found lower biomass of desert shrub species in areas experiencing flow diversions compared with areas receiving natural surface flow.…”

Section: Construction Phasementioning

confidence: 99%

Solar Energy Development and Aquatic Ecosystems in the Southwestern United States: Potential Impacts, Mitigation, and Research Needs

Grippo

Hayse

O’Connor

2014

Environmental Management

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The cumulative impacts of utility-scale solar energy facilities on aquatic ecosystems in the Southwestern United States are of concern, considering the many existing regional anthropogenic stressors. We review the potential impacts of solar energy development on aquatic habitat and biota. The greatest potential for impacts is related to the loss, fragmentation, or prolonged drying of ephemeral water bodies and drainage networks resulting from the loss of desert washes within the construction footprint of the facility. Groundwater-dependent aquatic habitat may also be affected by operational groundwater withdrawal in the case of water-intensive solar technologies. Solar panels have also been found to attract aquatic insects and waterbirds, potentially resulting in mortality. Avoiding construction activity near perennial and intermittent surface waters is the primary means of reducing impacts on aquatic habitats, followed by measures to minimize erosion, sedimentation, and contaminant inputs into waterways. Currently, significant data gaps make solar facility impact assessment and mitigation more difficult. Examples include the need for more regional and site-specific studies of surface-groundwater connectivity, more detailed maps of regional stream networks and riparian vegetation corridors, as well as surveys of the aquatic communities inhabiting ephemeral streams. In addition, because they often lack regulatory protection, there is also a need to develop valuation criteria for ephemeral waters based on their ecological and hydrologic function within the landscape. By addressing these research needs, we can achieve the goal of greater reliance on solar energy, while at the same time minimizing impacts on desert ecosystems.

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Novel water sources restore plant and animal communities along an urban river

et al. 2014

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Many projects have been undertaken to restore urban rivers in arid regions. At the same time, passive discharge of urban water sources has stimulated redevelopment of wetlands and riparian forests along stretches of dewatered rivers. In Phoenix, Arizona, for example, some segments of the dewatered Salt River have been actively restored by planting and irrigation, whereas others have revegetated in response to runoff from storm drains and effluent drains. Our research documents how biotic communities differ between these actively restored and 'accidentally' restored areas, and between wetter and drier urban reaches. We addressed these objectives with a multi-taxa, multi-season sampling approach along reaches of the Salt River. We quantified plants using cover estimates in quadrats, birds using fixed radius, point-count surveys, and herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) using visual-encounter surveys. One notable finding was that wetland plants had greater richness and cover at accidentally restored sites compared with actively restored, dry urban, and non-urban reference sites. Birds and herpetofauna, however, were most species-rich at actively restored and non-urban reference sites, and riparian birds were more abundant at sites with perennial flows compared with ephemeral reaches. From a landscape perspective, the range of management approaches along the river (including laissez-faire) is sustaining a diverse riparian and wetland mosaic. Urban water subsidies are sustaining freshwater forests and marshlands, the latter a regionally declining ecosystem. In urbanized rivers of arid regions, mapping and conserving perennial stream flows arising from stormwater and effluent discharge can be an important complement to active restoration. Figure 2. Species accumulation curves for (A) vascular plants, (B) bird species, and (C) herpetofauna species along the Salt River in central Arizona. Plants were surveyed during the pre-monsoon dry season. Birds and herpetofauna were surveyed during warm seasons (March to September). 798 H. L. BATEMAN et al.Figure 5. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) graph showing locations of seven vegetation sampling sites in each of two seasons (July and September). (A) NMDS axis 1 separates plant species (small dots) by flow permanence, and (B) NMDS axes 2 and 3 separate species by degree of urbanization. 802 H. L. BATEMAN et al.Figure 6. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS and SE ellipses) graphs for bird species (plotted as four-letter codes; Appendix 3) sampled among seven river reaches. (A) NMDS axis 1 separates bird species by season, with most waterfowl and marshland birds being abundant during winter (ellipses: fall is black, winter is grey, spring is grey dotted, and summer is black dotted). (B) NMDS axis 2 separates bird community by amount of flow, with urban dry sites most dissimilar to other reaches. 803 URBAN NOVEL WATER SOURCES

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Ephemeral wetlands along a spatially intermittent river: Temporal patterns of vegetation development

Cited by 28 publications

References 53 publications

Effects of hydrologic modifications to riparian plant communities in a large river system in northern China

Effects of hydrologic modifications to riparian plant communities in a large river system in northern China

Solar Energy Development and Aquatic Ecosystems in the Southwestern United States: Potential Impacts, Mitigation, and Research Needs

Novel water sources restore plant and animal communities along an urban river

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