Chemical sedimentation as a driver of habitat diversity in dryland wetlands

All cities face complex challenges managing urban stormwater while also protecting urban water bodies. Green stormwater infrastructure and process-based restoration offer alternative strategies that prioritize watershed connectivity. We report on a new urban floodplain restoration technique being tested in the City of Seattle, USA: an engineered hyporheic zone. The hyporheic zone has long been an overlooked component in floodplain restoration. Yet this subsurface area offers enormous potential for stormwater amelioration and is a critical component of healthy streams. From 2014 to 2017, we measured hyporheic temperature, nutrients, and microbial and invertebrate communities at three paired stream reaches with and without hyporheic restoration. At two of the three pairs, water temperature was significantly lower at the restored reach, while dissolved organic carbon and microbial metabolism were higher. Hyporheic invertebrate density and taxa richness were significantly higher across all three restored reaches. These are some of the first quantified responses of hyporheic biological communities to restoration. Our results complement earlier reports of enhanced hydrologic and chemical functioning of the engineered hyporheic zone. Together, this research demonstrates that incorporation of hyporheic design elements in floodplain restoration can enhance temperature moderation, habitat diversity, contaminant filtration, and the biological health of urban streams.

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Does Habitat Diversity Modify the Dietary and Reproductive Response to Prey Fluctuations in a Generalist Raptor Predator, the Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo?

Birds ◽

10.3390/birds2010008 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 114-126

Author(s):

Marek Panek

Keyword(s):

Habitat Quality ◽

Breeding Success ◽

Common Vole ◽

Habitat Diversity ◽

Crop Fields ◽

Buteo Buteo ◽

Nestling Diet ◽

Reproductive Response ◽

Agricultural Habitat ◽

Small Fields

Predators can modify their diet and demography in response to changes in food availability and habitat quality. I tested the prediction that some species can change their predation pattern, between specialist type and generalist type, depending on the complexity of habitat structure. It was hypothesized that their dietary response is stronger in diversified habitats than in simplified ones, but the opposite tendency occurs in the case of reproductive response. The nestling diet and breeding success of the Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo, the abundance of its main prey (the common vole Microtus arvalis), and that of the most important alternative prey group (passerines) were estimated over ten years in two types of agricultural habitat in western Poland, i.e., in the diversified habitat of small fields and the simplified habitat of large fields. The vole abundance was higher in large fields, but the abundance of passerines was greater in small fields. The frequency of voles in the Eurasian Buzzard nestling diet was higher in large fields than in small fields and increased with the abundance of this prey in crop fields. However, no difference in the relationship between the vole frequency in the diet of Eurasian Buzzards and the abundance of voles was found between the two habitat types. The breeding success of Eurasian Buzzards was dependent on the vole abundance, but this relationship did not differ between the two field types. It seems that the pattern of dietary and reproductive response of Eurasian Buzzards depends on the actual availability of individual prey species, which can be modified by habitat quality, rather than on relative prey abundance.

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Long-Term Changes in Floristic Diversity as an Effect of Transforming the Lake into a Retention Reservoir

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13147642 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 7642

Author(s):

Joanna Sender ◽

Danuta Urban ◽

Monika Różańska-Boczula ◽

Antoni Grzywna

Keyword(s):

Drainage System ◽

High Water ◽

Diversity Indices ◽

Habitat Diversity ◽

Peat Bogs ◽

Ecological Index ◽

Natural Lakes ◽

Lighting Conditions ◽

Low Reaction Temperature

The Łęczna-Włodawa Lake District is one of the most valuable natural regions in Europe. It is an area of numerous lakes, peat bogs, swamps and forests, which has been undergoing intensive transformation for decades. Among the largest projects were the creation of the Wieprz Krzna Canal system along with the drainage system and the transformation of natural lakes into retention reservoirs. Among the transformed lakes is Lake Wytyckie. The land was used for analyses near the lake, and floristic and habitat analyses were carried out within the boundaries of the contemporary embankment. The studies were carried out from the 1950s, when the lake functioned as a natural reservoir, through to the 1980s (the transformation of the lake), to the 2020s. Lake Wytyckie was transformed into a retention reservoir by increasing its size and flooding the areas inhabited mainly by peat bog, meadow and forest vegetation, which contributed to the impoverishment of both species and habitat diversity of the area, while it increased the nutrient richness of the water. This was reflected both in the decline in the value of individual diversity indices as well as in the ecological index numbers. In the first period of the research, the area was dominated by wetlands, not drained, with a large variety of species that preferred good lighting conditions. Additionally, the habitat was characterized by low reaction, temperature and trophic values. In the following period, there was an increase in the depth of the water of the reservoir, characterized by high water visibility values, which contributed to the presence of protected species, as did the low moisture content of the areas within the embankment and a neutral pH. The factors currently influencing the formation of the vegetation structure are the high humidity of the entire embankment area, the increase in pH, and the significant increase in the share of built-up areas in the immediate vicinity.

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Eighty years of change: vegetation in the montane ecoregion of Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x02-112 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 32 (11) ◽

pp. 2010-2021 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Jeanine M Rhemtulla ◽

Ronald J Hall ◽

Eric S Higgs ◽

S Ellen Macdonald

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Vegetation Change ◽

Fire Regime ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Habitat Diversity ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Aerial Photographs ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Jasper National Park ◽

Closed Canopy

Repeat ground photographs (taken in 1915 and 1997) from a series of topographical survey stations and repeat aerial photographs (flown in 1949 and 1991) were analysed to assess changes in vegetation composition and distribution in the montane ecoregion of Jasper National Park, in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. A quantitative approach for assessing relative vegetation change in repeat ground photographs was developed and tested. The results indicated a shift towards late-successional vegetation types and an increase in crown closure in coniferous stands. Grasslands, shrub, juvenile forest, and open forests decreased in extent, and closed-canopy forests became more prevalent. The majority of forest stands succeeded to dominance by coniferous species. Changes in vegetation patterns were likely largely attributable to shifts in the fire regime over the last century, although climatic conditions and human activity may also have been contributing factors. Implications of observed changes include decreased habitat diversity, increased possibility of insect outbreaks, and potential for future high-intensity fire events. Results of the study increase knowledge of historical reference conditions and may help to establish restoration goals for the montane ecoregion of the park.

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Diversity and distribution of large branchiopods in Kiskunság (Hungary) in relation to local habitat and spatial factors: implications for their conservation

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf08154 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 59 (10) ◽

pp. 940 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Liesbet Boven ◽

Bram Vanschoenwinkel ◽

Els R. De Roeck ◽

Ann Hulsmans ◽

Luc Brendonck

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Hot Spot ◽

Local Environment ◽

Common Species ◽

Habitat Diversity ◽

Ecological Knowledge ◽

Species Dispersal ◽

Local Conditions ◽

Spatial Factors ◽

Large Branchiopods

Large branchiopods are threatened worldwide by the loss and degradation of their temporary aquatic habitats owing to drainage and intensive agriculture. Sound ecological knowledge of their diversity and distribution is a prerequisite to formulate effective conservation measures. In the present study, large branchiopods were collected from 82 temporary freshwater pools belonging to five habitat types in Kiskunság (Hungary). Dormant propagule bank analysis complemented the field survey. Eleven species were found, with large branchiopods occurring in more than half of the study systems. The high regional species richness and occurrence frequency of large branchiopods make Kiskunság a true ‘hot spot’ of large branchiopod diversity. The local environment was more important than spatial factors (isolation) in explaining the presence of the most common species. Dispersal was most likely not limiting for the large branchiopods in the study area and colonisation success of different species was differentially affected by local conditions, possibly invertebrate predation risk and hydroperiod. Meadow pools and wheel tracks contributed most to regional species richness through the presence of rare and exclusive species. To conserve branchiopod diversity, we stress the importance of high habitat diversity in the landscape and the need to conserve neglected habitats such as wheel tracks.

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Flow and wake characteristics associated with large wood to inform river restoration

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-87892-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Isabella Schalko ◽

Ellen Wohl ◽

Heidi M. Nepf

Keyword(s):

Habitat Suitability ◽

River Restoration ◽

Recirculation Zone ◽

Habitat Diversity ◽

Turbulence Level ◽

Large Wood ◽

River Ecosystem ◽

Mean Velocity ◽

Physical Model Tests ◽

Channel Center

AbstractWood is an integral part of a river ecosystem and the number of restoration projects using log placements is increasing. Physical model tests were used to explore how the wood position and submergence level (discharge) affect wake structure, and hence the resulting habitat. We observed a von-Kármán vortex street (VS) for emergent logs placed at the channel center, while no VS formed for submerged logs, because the flow entering the wake from above the log (sweeping flow) inhibited VS formation. As a result, emergent logs placed at the channel center resulted in ten times higher turbulent kinetic energy compared to submerged logs. In addition, both spatial variation in time-mean velocity and turbulence level increased with increasing log length and decreasing submergence level. Submerged logs and logs placed at the channel side created a greater velocity deficit and a longer recirculation zone, both of which can increase the residence time in the wake and deposition of organic matter and nutrients. The results demonstrate that variation in log size and degree of submergence can be used as a tool to vary habitat suitability for different fish preferences. To maximize habitat diversity in rivers, we suggest a diverse large wood placement.

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Diversity, status and habitat usage of avifauna at sadar upazila, magura, Bangladesh

Bangladesh Journal of Zoology ◽

10.3329/bjz.v48i2.52434 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 441-456

Author(s):

Ashikur Rahman Shome ◽

Md Mahabub Alam ◽

Md Fazle Rabbe ◽

Mohammad Mijanur Rahman ◽

Mohammad Firoj Jaman

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Winter Season ◽

Bird Species ◽

Diversity Indices ◽

Habitat Diversity ◽

Seasonal Abundance ◽

Line Transect ◽

Common Myna ◽

Rural And Urban

A study on diversity, status, and habitat preference of avifauna was conducted from November 2017 to October 2018 in Magura Sadar upazila, Magura. Data was collected through direct field observations using line-transect method. Field surveys were made for three days per month in both rural and urban sites. A total of 140 species of birds belonged to 18 orders and 48 families were reported. Among the total species, 55% (77 species) were non-passerines and 45% (63 species) passerines with the highest individuals were counted under order Passeriformes. Resident bird species were dominant (106 species, 75.71%) over migratory (34 species, 24.28%) species. Species richness was the highest in the rural areas (124 species, 88.57%) and occurrence was the highest in winter season (97 species, 69.29%). The maximum species were recorded from trees (87 species, 62.14%) as preferred habitat. In this study, in total 4,060 individuals of birds were counted and among them, 51.55% (n=2093) were observed in the rural areas and 48.45% (n=1967) were in the urban areas. The highest number of birds was found in December (10.34%, n=432) and seasonal abundance was the highest in winter (40.15%, n=1630). Abundance was the highest for Common Myna (5.76%, n=234) among all recorded species. Diversity indices showed that the bird species were the most diverse in the rural areas in the winter season and in July. Habitat diversity indices were the highest for trees and birds used different types of habitats at different times for roosting, breeding and feeding. Regarding the observation status, 29.28% species was very common, 4.28% common, 31.42% fairly common, and 35% were few. This baseline data indicate that this study site is significant from the ecological and conservation point of views. Therefore, further research is necessary to understand how this avian diversity is maintained in this ecological setting. Bangladesh J. Zool. 48(2): 441-456, 2020

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