Standards for ecologically successful river restoration

Palmer, Margaret A.; Bernhardt, Emily S.; Allan, J. David; Lake, P. S.; Alexander, Gaylord R.; Brooks, Shane; Carr, J.; Clayton, Stephen; Dahm, Clifford N.; Shah, J. Follstad; Galat, David L.; Loss, S. G.; Goodwin, Peter; Hart, David D.; Hassett, Brooke A.; Jenkinson, Rebecca; Kondolf, G. Mathias; Lave, Rebecca; Meyer, Judy L.; O’Donnell, T. Kevin; Pagano, Laura; Sudduth, Elizabeth B.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2005.01004.x

Cited by 1,228 publications

(1,056 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…The principles and success indicators of river restoration are currently being debated (Palmer et al 2005). Our study demonstrates that the genetic status of populations is also a factor that should be taken into account in this context.…”

Section:     mentioning

confidence: 85%

Genetic restoration of a stocked brown trout Salmo trutta population using microsatellite DNA analysis of historical and contemporary samples

Hansen¹,

Bekkevold²,

Jensen

et al. 2006

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary1. Gene flow from domesticated to wild populations is a major threat to wild salmonid fish. However, few studies have addressed how populations could be restored after admixture has occurred. We analysed the prospects for restoring the previously intensively stocked brown trout population of the Skjern River, Denmark, by identifying remaining nonadmixed individuals to be used for supportive breeding. 2. We analysed microsatellite DNA markers in historical (1940 -50s) and contemporary (1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004) samples from the Skjern River system, from the strain of domesticated trout previously used for stocking, and from the neighbouring Storå River. We analysed admixture proportions to estimate the genetic contribution by domesticated trout. We identified non-admixed trout using assignment tests, and further analysed the possible sources of indigenous trout by estimating contemporary migration among populations. 3. Genetic differentiation between the historical Storå and Skjern river populations was low ( θ ST = 0·004), suggesting considerable gene flow in the past. The contemporary Skjern and Storå river populations and a supportive breeding brood stock were strongly admixed, but some non-admixed individuals nevertheless remained in the wild-caught samples. In addition, two resident populations in isolated tributaries were found to be indigenous. The indigenous anadromous individuals from the Skjern River were unlikely to have been recruited from either the isolated tributary populations or the neighbouring Storå River and were presumably derived from unidentified spawning sites in the river system. 4. All but one non-admixed anadromous Skjern River trout were females, which we ascribed to sampling bias. Moreover, all non-admixed fish were late-spawning (JanuaryFebruary) whereas the majority of all trout caught for the study were ripe by NovemberDecember. The difference in spawning time could be an important factor delaying complete admixture of domesticated and indigenous trout. 5. Synthesis and applications. This study demonstrates the feasibility of restoring populations that have been admixed with exogenous individuals, by identifying non-admixed individuals using genetic markers. However, the results also highlight the problem that numbers of identified non-admixed individuals may be small, necessitating identification of nearby, closely related populations that can be incorporated into breeding programmes.

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Section:     mentioning

confidence: 85%

Genetic restoration of a stocked brown trout Salmo trutta population using microsatellite DNA analysis of historical and contemporary samples

Hansen¹,

Bekkevold²,

Jensen

et al. 2006

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…The Basin Plan should incorporate fine-scale physical ecosystem restoration and conservation measures that build resilience against additional climate change impacts (Table 3). Standards for ecologically successful river restoration have been proposed, and although they do not explicitly consider climate change, they can build resilience (Palmer et al 2005;Jenkins and Boulton 2007). These include restoration of riparian vegetation, reduction in sediment and pollution loads, and establishment of freshwater-protected or refuge areas (Bond et al 2008;Nelson et al 2009).…”

Section: Future Options For Freshwater Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Australia's Murray - Darling Basin: freshwater ecosystem conservation options in an era of climate change

Pittock

Finlayson

2011

Mar. Freshwater Res.

183

114

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Abstract. River flows in the Murray-Darling Basin, as in many regions in the world, are vulnerable to climate change, anticipated to exacerbate current, substantial losses of freshwater biodiversity. Additional declines in water quantity and quality will have an adverse impact on existing freshwater ecosystems. We critique current river-management programs, including the proposed 2011 Basin Plan for Australia's Murray-Darling Basin, focusing primarily on implementing environmental flows. River management programs generally ignore other important conservation and adaptation measures, such as strategically located freshwater-protected areas. Whereas most river-basin restoration techniques help build resilience of freshwater ecosystems to climate change impacts, different measures to enhance resilience and reoperate water infrastructure are also required, depending on the degree of disturbance of particular rivers on a spectrum from free-flowing to highly regulated. A crucial step is the conservation of free-flowing river ecosystems where maintenance of ecological processes enhances their capacity to resist climate change impacts, and where adaptation may be maximised. Systematic alteration of the operation of existing water infrastructure may also counter major climate impacts on regulated rivers.

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“…This has led to major changes in policy, such as the water framework directive (WFD; 2000/60/EC) in the EU. As a result of these policy changes, an increasing number of river restoration projects are being conducted in Switzerland and worldwide (Nakamura et al, 2006;Palmer and Bernhardt, 2006;Palmer et al, 2005;Wohl et al, 2005). These projects generally aim to improve the flood protection and biodiversity reservoir functions of floodplains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of earthworm communities and species traits in relation to the perturbation gradient of a restored floodplain

Fournier

Samaritani

Shrestha

et al. 2012

Applied Soil Ecology

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a b s t r a c tLittle is known about the diversity and ecology of earthworms in floodplains, as well as their response to natural and anthropic perturbations (e.g. floods, river channelisation, floodplain restoration). We characterised the patterns of earthworm communities and species traits in the different habitats of a lowland restored floodplain in Switzerland. In addition to classical species-based metrics, such as species richness and Shannon diversity, species traits were used to calculate the community weighted means (CWMs) of traits and functional dispersion (FDis). We hypothesised that trait-based metrics would reveal clearer patterns than classical approaches. The distribution of earthworm traits varied among habitats in relation to changes in flooding frequency: poorly developed gravel bar soils most exposed to flooding were characterised by high abundance of small epigeic species and low abundance of large anecic species. Differences in anecic and endogeic earthworm community structure matched flood frequency. In agreement with our hypothesis, CWMs were more strongly correlated to environmental variables than species composition, diversity, or functional diversity. Based on these results, the ratio of the relative abundances of epigeic and anecic species, and the differences in species composition within anecic and endogeic ecological types of earthworms were identified as indicators of soil development in floodplains.

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Standards for ecologically successful river restoration

Cited by 1,228 publications

References 75 publications

Genetic restoration of a stocked brown trout Salmo trutta population using microsatellite DNA analysis of historical and contemporary samples

Genetic restoration of a stocked brown trout Salmo trutta population using microsatellite DNA analysis of historical and contemporary samples

Australia's Murray - Darling Basin: freshwater ecosystem conservation options in an era of climate change

Patterns of earthworm communities and species traits in relation to the perturbation gradient of a restored floodplain

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