The magnitude and significance of sediment oxygen demand in gravel spawning beds for the incubation of salmonid embryos

Sear, David; Pattison, Ian; Collins, Adrian L.; Smallman, D.J.; Jones, J. Iwan; Naden, Pamela S.

doi:10.1002/rra.3212

Cited by 17 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…The experiments presented here were conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, with sediment deposition being the only factor which was manipulated. Within the natural environment, clogging of interstitial pore space has the potential to modify interstitial flow and the transport of dissolved solutes and resources, resulting in reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations and water quality (Greig, Sear, & Carling, ; Sear et al., ). Consequently, the effects on an organism's ability to utilise the subsurface sediments following fine sediment loading at levels reported in this study may represent an upper estimate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of fine sediment characteristics and body size on the vertical movement of a freshwater amphipod

Mathers

Hill

Wood³

et al. 2018

Freshwater Biology

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Sedimentation and clogging (colmation) of interstitial pore spaces with fine sediment particles is widely considered to be one of the most significant threats to lotic ecosystem functioning. This paper presents the results of a running water mesocosm study examining the effect of benthic and hyporheic fine sediment loading and particle size on the vertical movement and distribution of the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex. A gradient of fine sediment loading and different particle sizes were used to examine the ability of G. pulex from two body size classes to access and migrate vertically within subsurface sediments. We tested three hypotheses: (a) sediment loading would modify the distribution of G. pulex by limiting vertical movement; (b) the deposition of large particles and heterogenous sediments would limit the vertical movement of individuals more than homogeneous fine‐grained sediments; and (c) large bodied individuals would be prevented from migrating vertically with increasing sediment loading and particle size/heterogeneity. Sediment loading, particle size and heterogeneity of deposited sediment had a significant effect on the vertical movement of individuals, with heterogeneous sand (0.125–4 mm) acting as the strongest barrier to the vertical movement of individuals through the infilling and clogging of interstitial spaces followed by coarse (1–4 mm) and fine sand (0.125–4 mm). Fine sediment loading and particle size acted as a filter on body size and limited the ability of large bodied individuals to migrate vertically to a greater extent than small bodied individuals. This study demonstrates that the effects of fine sediment on habitat availability and faunal movement is dependent on both sedimentological characteristics and an individual's body size. The results illustrate the importance of both abiotic and biotic factors when evaluating the ecological effects of fine sediment deposition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of fine sediment characteristics and body size on the vertical movement of a freshwater amphipod

Mathers

Hill

Wood³

et al. 2018

Freshwater Biology

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“…Another well‐studied impact on the benthic community is a reduction in hyporheic exchange flow due to the deposition of excess fine sediment (Veličković, ; Wharton et al, ). Within the interstices, the breakdown of fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) increases sediment oxygen demand, exacerbating the hypoxia initiated by physical clogging (Chapman et al, ; Greig, Sear, & Carling, ; I. Jones, Growns, Arnold, McCall, & Bowes, ; Sear et al, ; Soulsby, Youngson, Moir, & Malcolm, ). Under such conditions, methanogenic microbial communities develop at the oxic–anoxic interface, resulting in the precipitation of ocherous masses of iron hydroxides (Emerson & Revsbech, ) and further saturating the bed matrix with fine particulate matter.…”

Section: Abiotic Controls On Fine Sediment Transport and Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers

et al. 2018

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Excess fine sediment, comprising particles <2 mm in diameter, is a major cause of ecological degradation in rivers. The erosion of fine sediment from terrestrial or aquatic sources, its delivery to the river, and its storage and transport in the fluvial environment are controlled by a complex interplay of physical, biological, and anthropogenic factors. While the physical controls exerted on fine sediment dynamics are relatively well‐documented, the role of biological processes and their interactions with hydraulic and physicochemical phenomena has been largely overlooked. The activities of biota, from primary producers to predators, exert strong controls on fine sediment deposition, infiltration, and resuspension. For example, extracellular polymeric substances associated with biofilms increase deposition and decrease resuspension. In lower energy rivers, aquatic macrophyte growth and senescence are intimately linked to sediment retention and loss, whereas riparian trees are dominant ecosystem engineers in high energy systems. Fish and invertebrates also have profound effects on fine sediment dynamics through activities that drive both particle deposition and erosion depending on species composition and abiotic conditions. The functional traits of species present will determine not only these biotic effects but also the responses of river ecosystems to excess fine sediment. We discuss which traits are involved and put them into context with spatial processes that occur throughout the river network. While strides towards better understanding of the impacts of excess fine sediment have been made, further progress to identify the most effective management approaches is urgently required through close communication between authorities and scientists. This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Science of Water > Water Quality

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“…The resulting embryos remain in the gravel bed for several months during incubation. Embryo survival is sensitive to disturbance, particularly infiltration of fine sediment into the redd, which reduces intragravel flows and oxygen delivery to developing embryos Sear et al, 2017). Where a salmon chooses to spawn is crucial because a large fraction of salmon mortality occurs during the egg incubation period (Malcolm et al, 2012;Quinn, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical Controls on Salmon Redd Site Selection in Restored Reaches of a Regulated, Gravel‐Bed River

Harrison

Bray

Overstreet

et al. 2019

Water Resources Research

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Large‐scale river restoration programs have emerged recently as a tool for improving spawning habitat for native salmonids in highly altered river ecosystems. Few studies have quantified the extent to which restored habitat is utilized by salmonids, which habitat features influence redd site selection, or the persistence of restored habitat over time. We investigated fall‐run Chinook salmon spawning site utilization and measured and modeled corresponding habitat characteristics in two restored reaches: a reach of channel and floodplain enhancement completed in 2013 and a reconfigured channel and floodplain constructed in 2002. Redd surveys demonstrated that both restoration projects supported a high density of salmon redds, 3 and 14 years following restoration. Salmon redds were constructed in coarse gravel substrates located in areas of high sediment mobility, as determined by measurements of gravel friction angles and a grain entrainment model. Salmon redds were located near transitions between pool‐riffle bedforms in regions of high predicted hyporheic flows. Habitat quality (quantified as a function of stream hydraulics) and hyporheic flow were both strong predictors of redd occurrence, though the relative roles of these variables differed between sites. Our findings indicate that physical controls on redd site selection in restored channels were similar to those reported for natural channels elsewhere. Our results further highlight that in addition to traditional habitat criteria (e.g., water depth, velocity, and substrate size), quantifying sediment texture and mobility, as well as intragravel flow, provides a more complete understanding of the ecological benefits provided by river restoration projects.

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The magnitude and significance of sediment oxygen demand in gravel spawning beds for the incubation of salmonid embryos

Cited by 17 publications

References 52 publications

The role of fine sediment characteristics and body size on the vertical movement of a freshwater amphipod

The role of fine sediment characteristics and body size on the vertical movement of a freshwater amphipod

Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers

Physical Controls on Salmon Redd Site Selection in Restored Reaches of a Regulated, Gravel‐Bed River

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