Rossa O'Briain, Dov Corenblit, Virginia Garófano‐Gómez, Ciara O'Leary
{"title":"Towards biogeomorphic river restoration: Vegetation as a critical driver of physical habitat","authors":"Rossa O'Briain, Dov Corenblit, Virginia Garófano‐Gómez, Ciara O'Leary","doi":"10.1002/rra.4288","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The current focus of river restoration on flow and sediment transfer without proper consideration of vegetation as a key structuring agent, beyond its stabilising effect, is too simplistic. We contend that vegetation has an essential role in shaping the physical fluvial environment and should be considered equally alongside hydrogeomorphic processes in restoration projects. In support, we introduce engineer plants as important controls, along with flowing water and transported sediments, on the morphodynamics of river systems and associated physical habitat development. The effect of vegetation on channel planform is then summarised, the influence of vegetation on hydrogeomorphic connectivity is outlined, and then the role of vegetation in landform development and habitat provision, as encapsulated in the fluvial biogeomorphic succession model, is described. We then present examples demonstrating how vegetation has contributed to the recovery of degraded rivers through biogeomorphic processes. Finally, we advance the concept of biogeomorphic river restoration by proposing principles to support a closer synthesis of the component sciences and list key areas for practitioners to focus on. Vegetation succession has a significance that goes beyond its physical structure or influence on sediment stability. In many river settings, it is central to channel evolution. The coupled assembly of plant communities and fluvial landforms affect the development of spatially and temporally dynamic habitat through biogeomorphic interactions. Restoration approaches that do not fully consider this dynamic may fail to anticipate river behaviour and recovery trajectories.","PeriodicalId":21513,"journal":{"name":"River Research and Applications","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"River Research and Applications","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.4288","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The current focus of river restoration on flow and sediment transfer without proper consideration of vegetation as a key structuring agent, beyond its stabilising effect, is too simplistic. We contend that vegetation has an essential role in shaping the physical fluvial environment and should be considered equally alongside hydrogeomorphic processes in restoration projects. In support, we introduce engineer plants as important controls, along with flowing water and transported sediments, on the morphodynamics of river systems and associated physical habitat development. The effect of vegetation on channel planform is then summarised, the influence of vegetation on hydrogeomorphic connectivity is outlined, and then the role of vegetation in landform development and habitat provision, as encapsulated in the fluvial biogeomorphic succession model, is described. We then present examples demonstrating how vegetation has contributed to the recovery of degraded rivers through biogeomorphic processes. Finally, we advance the concept of biogeomorphic river restoration by proposing principles to support a closer synthesis of the component sciences and list key areas for practitioners to focus on. Vegetation succession has a significance that goes beyond its physical structure or influence on sediment stability. In many river settings, it is central to channel evolution. The coupled assembly of plant communities and fluvial landforms affect the development of spatially and temporally dynamic habitat through biogeomorphic interactions. Restoration approaches that do not fully consider this dynamic may fail to anticipate river behaviour and recovery trajectories.
期刊介绍:
River Research and Applications , previously published as Regulated Rivers: Research and Management (1987-2001), is an international journal dedicated to the promotion of basic and applied scientific research on rivers. The journal publishes original scientific and technical papers on biological, ecological, geomorphological, hydrological, engineering and geographical aspects related to rivers in both the developed and developing world. Papers showing how basic studies and new science can be of use in applied problems associated with river management, regulation and restoration are encouraged as is interdisciplinary research concerned directly or indirectly with river management problems.