Modeling the response of the Rhine–Meuse fluvial system to Late Pleistocene climate change

Balen, R.T. van; Busschers, Freek S.; Tucker, G. E.

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.08.007

Cited by 55 publications

(55 citation statements)

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“…Numerous distributed numerical models of sediment transfer through river networks (Gasparini et al, 1999;Sklar et al, 2006;Lewicki et al, 2007;Neupane and Yager, 2013;Gran and Czuba, this volume) or across landscapes (Gasparini et al, 2004(Gasparini et al, , 2008van Balen et al, 2010;Coulthard and Van de Wiel, 2012) include spatially explicit, time-dependent adjustment of bed material grain size and bed elevation that could be used to detect confluence aggradation. Czuba and Foufoula-Georgiou (2015) have recently offered a numerical modelling framework for identifying places of excess sediment accumulation ("clusters") in river networks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tributary connectivity, confluence aggradation and network biodiversity

Rice

2017

Geomorphology

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In fluvial networks, some confluences are associated with tributary-driven aggradation where coarse sediment is stored, downstream sediment connectivity is interrupted and substantial hydraulic and morphological heterogeneity is generated. To the extent that biological diversity is supported by physical diversity, it has been proposed that the distribution and frequency of tributary-driven aggradation is important for the magnitude and spatial structure of river biodiversity. Relevant ideas are formulated within the Link Discontinuity Concept and the Network Dynamics Hypothesis, but many of the issues raised by these conceptual models have not been systematically evaluated. This paper first tests an automated method for predicting the likelihood of tributary-driven aggradation in three large drainage networks in the Rocky Mountain foothills, Canada. The method correctly identified approximately 75% of significant tributary confluences and 97% of insignificant confluences. The method is then used to evaluate two hypotheses of the Network Dynamics Hypothesis: that linear-shaped basins are more likely to show a longitudinal, downstream decline in tributary-driven aggradation; and that larger and more compact basins contain more confluences with a high probability of impact. The use of a predictive model that included a measure of tributary basin sediment delivery, rather than symmetry ratio alone, mediated the outcomes somewhat, but as anticipated, the number of significant confluences increased with basin size and basin shape was a strong control of the number and distribution of significant confluences. Doubling basin area led to a 1.9-fold increase in the number of significant confluences and compact basins contained approximately twice as many significant confluences per unit channel length as linear basins. In compact basins, significant confluences were more widely distributed, whereas in linear basins they were concentrated in proximal reaches. Interesting outstanding issues include the possibility of using spatially-distributed sediment routing models to predict tributary-driven confluence aggradation and the need to gather ecological data sufficient to properly test for increases in local and network-scale biodiversity associated with significant confluences and their network-scale controls.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tributary connectivity, confluence aggradation and network biodiversity

Rice

2017

Geomorphology

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“…Fluvial modelling experiments for Rhine and Meuse also demonstrated gradual coarsening and increasing valley aggradation downstream of the mountain front of the Schiefergebirge and Ardennes respectively (Van Balen et al, 2010). Longitudinal propagation of aggradation might have controlled the routing and partitioning of the Rhine over its three Late Pleniglacial courses.…”

Section: Late Pleniglacial Bølling and Older Dryasmentioning

confidence: 95%

Climate-driven fluvial development and valley abandonment at the last glacial-interglacial transition (Oude IJssel-Rhine, Germany)

Janssens

Kasse

Bohncke

et al. 2012

Netherlands Journal of Geosciences

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Although numerous studies have been performed on fluvial system change over the last glacial-interglacial transition, the response of river systems to allogenic (climate) and autogenic forcing mechanisms and timing of this response are still not completely understood (e.g. Starkel, 1983;Vandenberghe et al., 1995;Rose, 1995;Blum & Törnqvist, 2000;Gibbard & Lewin, 2002;Vandenberghe, 2008;Erkens, 2009). The valleys of the Rhine and the Maas in the Lower Rhine Embayment have a long research history on this topic (Pons,1957;Van de Meene, 1977;Verbraeck, 1984;Klostermann, 1992;Schirmer, 1995;Berendsen & Stouthamer, 2001;Cohen et al., 2002;Busschers et al., 2007;Erkens et al., 2011). In this area, a well-preserved terraced morphology exists, with OSL-datable fluvial sequences with aeolian cover and with palaeochannel fills that allow vegetation AbstractIn the Weichselian, the Lower Rhine in the Dutch-German border region has used three courses, dissecting ice-marginal topography inherited from the Saalian. In the Late Weichselian, the three courses functioned simultaneously, with the central one gaining importance and the outer ones abandoning. This study aims to reconstruct the fluvial development and forcings that culminated in abandonment of the northern branch 'Oude IJssel-Rhine', at the time of the Lateglacial to Holocene transition. The fluvial architecture is studied using a cored transect over the full width of the valley, detailed cross-sections over palaeochannels and geomorphological analysis using digital elevation and borehole data. Biostratigraphy, radiocarbon dating and OSL dating provide a timeframe to reconstruct the temporal fluvial development. In its phase of abandonment, the fluvial evolution of the Oude IJssel-Rhine course is controlled by the ameliorating climate and related vegetation and discharge changes, besides by intrinsic (autogenic) fluvial behaviour such as the competition for discharge with the winning central branch and the vicinity of the Lippe tributary confluence. The rapid climate warming at the start of the Late Glacial resulted in flow contraction as the initial response. Other fluvial geomorphic adjustments followed, with some delay. An aggrading braided or transitional system persisted until the start of the Allerød, when channel patterns finally changed to meandering. Floodplain incision occurred at the Allerød -Younger Dryas transition and a multi-channel system developed fed by Rhine discharge. At the start of the Holocene, this system transformed into a small-scale, local meandering system, which was abandoned shortly after the start of the Holocene.The final abandonment of the Oude IJssel-Rhine and Niers-Rhine courses can be attributed to deep incision of the Central Rhine course in the earliest Holocene and is considered to be controlled by flow contraction induced by climate and related vegetation and discharge changes.

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“…The relationship between the intensity of climatic and tectonic forcing, and the resulting fluvial response, is non-linear because of the role of lag effects and thresholds (Knox, 1972;Schumm, 1979;Vandenberghe, 2002;Van Balen et al, 2010). Tectonic movements and climate changes are independent forcing factors and their interplay may have conflicting, or at least complex, effects on the resulting fluvial morphology and sedimentary sequences.…”

Section: Contents Lists Available At Sciencedirectmentioning

confidence: 99%