Hydrogeomorphology-Ecology Interactions in River Systems

The work included in this special issue was funded by the European Union's FP7 programme under grant agreement no. 282656 (REFORM

The biogeomorphological life cycle of poplars during the fluvial biogeomorphological succession: a special focus on Populus nigra L.

Riverine ecosystems are recurrently rejuvenated during destructive flood events and vegetation succession starts again. Poplars (i.e. species from Populus genera) respond to hydrogeomorphological constraints, but, in turn, also influence these processes. Thus, poplar development on bare mineral substrates is not exclusively a one-way vegetative process. Reciprocal interactions and adjustments between poplar species and sediment dynamics during their life cycle lead to the emergence of biogeomorphological entities within the fluvial corridor, such as vegetated islands, benches and floodplains. Based on a review of geomorphological, biological and ecological literature, we have identified and described the co-constructing processes between riparian poplars and their fluvial environment. We have explored the possibility that the modification of the hydrogeomorphological environment exerted, in particular, by the European black poplar (Populus nigra L.), increases its fitness and thus results in positive niche construction. We focus on the fundamental phases of dispersal, recruitment and establishment until sexual maturity of P. nigra by describing the hierarchy of interactions and the pattern of feedbacks between biotic and abiotic components. We explicitly relate the biological life cycle of P. nigra to the fluvial biogeomorphic succession model by referring to the ‘biogeomorphological life cycle’ of P. nigra. Finally, we propose new research perspectives based on this theoretical framework

Vegetation-Hydrogeomorphology Interactions in a Low-Energy, Human-Impacted River

The work leading to this paper received funding from the European Union's FP7 programme under grant agreement no. 282656 (REFORM)

Biogeomorphologic succession dynamics in a Mediterranean river system

Biogeomorphologic succession (i.e. reciprocal adjustments between vegetation and geomorphologic dynamics) of the Mediterranean River Tech, France, was analysed using aerial photographs over a period of sixty years between 1942 and 2000. A spatial analysis of the biogeomorphologic succession was undertaken considering effects of flood regime. Interactions between vegetation dynamics and flood events largely controlled the spontaneous replacement of the dense riparian forest removed in October 1940 during an exceptional high magnitude flood event with a recurrence time !100 yr. In response to this major disturbance event, the fluvial landscape demonstrated a very high resilience emphasizing the existence of a positive feedback driven by pioneer riparian vegetation. The observed feedback corresponded to landform accretion, vegetation succession and to an increase of biogeomorphologic stability under current hydrogeomorphologic and bioclimatic conditions. The evolution of the biogeomorphologic system toward stabilisation appeared to be non-linear with a threshold occurring thirty years after the exceptional destructive flood event. This threshold materialized a reinforcement of biogeomorphologic cohesive forces driven by vegetation dynamics. This study showed the control of riparian vegetation on the dynamics of Mediterranean fluvial landscapes and pointed to the need to improve our knowledge about biogeomorphologic succession cycles and threshold dynamics within different biogeomorphologic settings

Une analyse écologique orientée vers des processus d’un système riverain dynamique: la rivière Allier aval (France)

International audienceRiparian ecosystems are highly dynamic ecosystems subjected to hydrogeomorphological processes. Their geomorphological, sedimentological and hydrological heterogeneity makes them one of the richest ecosystems in terms of species diversity. In addition, riparian zones also provide numerous ecosystem functions and services to society. In the European context, the lower river Allier (France) is one of the last remaining rivers with laterally dynamic sections. Its historical evaluation has shown repeated river bed displacements during the last century. Spatio-temporal processes on a highly mobile river section of the lower river Allier have been studied analysing the mosaic of vegetation types and successional phases as well as physical habitat parameters. Understanding riparian ecosystem functioning and evolution in natural or nearly natural systems is essential for river restoration practices in highly degraded rivers. This understanding may lead to the establishment of better sustainable river rehabilitation targets that consider societal needs and natural processes.Les écosystèmes riverains sont des écosystèmes dynamiques soumis aux processus hydrogéomorphologiques avec une forte hétérogénéité géomorphologique, sédimentologique et hydrologique et de nombreux services écosystémiques rendus à la société. Ils font partie des écosystèmes les plus riches en termes de diversité des espèces. Dans le contexte européen, la rivière Allier aval est une des dernières rivières avec des sections à forte mobilité latérale. L'analyse historique a démontré cette forte mobilité latérale des chenaux durant le siècle dernier. Des processus spatio-temporels d'une section de rivière très mobile ont été étudiés à travers l'analyse de la mosaïque des types de végétation, les phases de succession, ainsi que les paramètres physiques des habitats. Comprendre le fonctionnement et l'évolution des écosystèmes riverains dans des systèmes naturels ou proche de l'état naturel est essentiel pour la restauration des cours d'eau très dégradées, afin de permettre la mise en place de stratégies de réhabilitions durables qui considèrent les besoins de la société et les processus naturels

Utilisation de la photogrammétrie pour l’étude de la végétation riveraine

International audienceThis study presents the results of methodological tests in aerial photogrammetry with the objective of a diachronic survey of riparian vegetation in three dimensions, i.e. its spatial distribution and height. The study is undertaken at two complementary scales. The first one corresponds to a 10 km reach of the Allier river floodplain. At this scale, aerial photographs were taken from a small airplane. The second level of analysis corresponds to a wooded point bar located within the 10 km reach. At this scale, the photographs were taken from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Canopy height models (CHM) are produced at two scales of analysis. The accuracy of the CHMs is then analysed by comparison with vegetation height measurements collected during a filed campaign. The results show significant agreement for the models derived from two approaches, with an error of one meter at the floodplain scale and few centimetres at the bar scale. This variation in error is mainly due to different photographic resolutions. The two approaches appeared to be complementary. The first one is adequate for mapping vegetation structure at the floodplain scale, the second for mapping vegetation in smaller areas but at a higher resolution.Cette étude présente les résultats de tests méthodologiques réalisés en photogrammétrie aérienne avec pour objectif le suivi diachronique de la végétation riveraine dans ses trois dimensions, c’est-à-dire sa distribution spatiale et sa hauteur. L’étude est menée à deux échelles d’analyse. La première échelle est celle d’un tronçon longitudinal de 10 km de la plaine alluviale de la rivière Allier. À cette échelle de travail, un avion a été utilisé pour les prises de vue aérienne. La deuxième échelle d’analyse est celle d’un banc boisé, localisé dans la zone de 10 km. À cette échelle, la couverture photographique a été faite à l’aide d’un drone. Pour les deux objets d’étude des modèles de hauteur du couvert végétal (MHC) sont produits. La précision des MHC est ensuite vérifiée à partir de la mesure de la hauteur d’arbres sur le terrain. Les résultats révèlent une très bonne précision des modèles pour les deux approches, de l’ordre du mètre à l’échelle du tronçon de 10 km et de quelques centimètres à l’échelle du banc. Cette inégalité s’explique surtout par des résolutions photographiques différentes pour les deux missions. Il ressort de ce travail que les deux approches sont complémentaires. La première permet de cartographier la structure de la végétation à l’échelle de la plaine alluviale, la deuxième permet une cartographie de la végétation à plus haute résolution mais seulement à une échelle plus réduite

Ecosystem engineers modulate exotic invasions in riparian plant communities by modifying hydrogeomorphic connectivity

Patterns of native and exotic plant species richness and cover were examined in relation with ecosystem engineer effects of pioneer vegetation within the Mediterranean gravel bed river Tech, South France. The floristic composition was characterized according to two distinct vegetation types corresponding to two habitats with contrasted conditions: (i) open and exposed alluvial bars dominated by herbaceous communities; and (ii) islands and river margins disconnected from annual hydrogeomorphic disturbances and covered by woody vegetation. A significant positive correlation between exotic and native plant species richness and cover was observed for both vegetation types. However, significant differences in native and exotic species richness and cover were found between these two vegetation types. Higher values of total species richness and Shannon diversity were attained within the herbaceous vegetation type than within the woody type. These differences are most likely related to changes in local exposure to hydrogeomorphic disturbances driven by woody engineer plant species and to vegetation succession. A lower exotic species cover within the woody vegetation type than within the herbaceous type suggested an increase of resistance to invasion by exotic species during the biogeomorphic succession. The engineer effects of woody vegetation through landform construction resulted in a decrease of alpha (a) diversity at the patch scale but, in parallel, caused an increase in gamma (g) diversity at the scale of the studied river segment. Our study corroborates recent investigations that support the theory of biotic acceptance of exotic species by native species at the local scale (generally <10 m2) within heterogeneous and disturbed environments. Furthermore, we suggest that in riparian contexts such as the River Tech exotic species trapp sediment at the same time as native species and thus contribute to the increase in ecosystem resistance during the biogeomorphic succession

Considering river structure and stability in the light of evolution: Feedbacks between riparian vegetation and hydrogeomorphology

River ecological functioning can be conceptualized according to a four-dimensional framework, based on the responses of aquatic and riparian communities to hydrogeomorphic constraints along the longitudinal, transverse, vertical and temporal dimensions of rivers. Contemporary riparian vegetation responds to river dynamics at ecological timescales, but riparian vegetation, in one form or another, has existed on Earth since at least the Middle Ordovician (c. 450 Ma) and has been a significant controlling factor on river geomorphology since the late Silurian (c. 420 Ma). On such evolutionary timescales, plant adaptations to the fluvial environment and the subsequent effects of these adaptations on aspects of fluvial sediment and landform dynamics resulted in the emergence, from the Silurian to the Carboniferous, of a variety of contrasted fluvial biogeomorphic types where water flow, morphodynamics and vegetation interacted to different degrees. Here we identify several of these types and describe the consequences for biogeomorphic structure and stability (i.e. resistance and resilience), along the four river dimensions, of feedbacks between riparian plants and hydrogeomorphic processes on contrasting ecological and evolutionary timescales.This is the author's accepted manuscript and will be under embargo until the 18th of September 2015. The final version is available from Wiley at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/esp.3643/abstrac

A Conceptual Model of Vegetation-hydrogeomorphology Interactions Within River Corridors

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: M. GURNELL, D. CORENBLITc, D. GARCÍA DE JALÓN, M. GONZÁLEZ DEL TÁNAGO, R. C. GRABOWSKI, M. T. O’HARE, M. SZEWCZYK (2015) A conceptual model of vegetationhydrogeomorphology interactions within river corridors. River Research and Applications (early view), which has been published in final form at 10.1002/rra.2928. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.European Union. Grant Number: no. 28265