scholarly journals Assessing the Connectivity of Riparian Forests across a Gradient of Human Disturbance: The Potential of Copernicus “Riparian Zones” in Two Hydroregions

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 674
Author(s):  
André Fonseca ◽  
Jean-Philippe Ugille ◽  
Adrien Michez ◽  
Patricia María Rodríguez-González ◽  
Gonçalo Duarte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Disturbance ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Riparian Forests ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Land Use Land Cover ◽  
Forest Connectivity ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Thematic Accuracy ◽  
Vegetation Patches

The connectivity of riparian forests can be used as a proxy for the capacity of riparian zones to provide ecological functions, goods and services. In this study, we aim to test the potential of the freely available Copernicus “Riparian Zones” dataset to characterize the connectivity of riparian forests located in two European bioclimatic regions—the Mediterranean and the Central Baltic hydroregions—when subject to a gradient of human disturbance characterized by land-use/land-cover and hydromorphological pressures. We extracted riparian patches using the Copernicus “Actual Riparian Zone” (ARZ) layer and calculated connectivity using the Integral Index of Connectivity (IIC). We then compared the results with a “Manual Riparian Zone” (MRZ) layer, produced by manually digitizing riparian vegetation patches over a very high-resolution World Imagery layer. Our research evidenced reduced forest connectivity in both hydroregions, with the exception of Least Disturbed sites in the Central Baltic hydroregion. The ARZ layer exhibited overall suitability to assess the connectivity of riparian forests in the Central Baltic hydroregion, while the Mediterranean hydroregion displayed a consistent pattern of connectivity overestimation in all levels of human disturbance. To address this, we recommend some improvements in the spatial resolution and thematic accuracy of the Copernicus ARZ layer.

scholarly journals Improved Accuracy of Riparian Zone Mapping Using Near Ground Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Photogrammetry Method

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1997
Author(s):  
Joan Grau ◽  
Kang Liang ◽  
Jae Ogilvie ◽  
Paul Arp ◽  
Sheng Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Agricultural Watershed ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Low Resolution ◽  
Channel Network ◽  
Aerial Vehicle

In agriculture-dominant watersheds, riparian ecosystems provide a wide array of benefits such as reducing soil erosion, filtering chemical compounds, and retaining sediments. Traditionally, the boundaries of riparian zones could be estimated from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) or field surveys. In this study, we used an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and photogrammetry method to map the boundaries of riparian zones. We first obtained the 3D digital surface model with a UAV. We applied the Vertical Distance to Channel Network (VDTCN) as a classifier to delineate the boundaries of the riparian area in an agricultural watershed. The same method was also used with a low-resolution DEM obtained with traditional photogrammetry and two more LiDAR-derived DEMs, and the results of different methods were compared. Results indicated that higher resolution UAV-derived DEM achieved a high agreement with the field-measured riparian zone. The accuracy achieved (Kappa Coefficient, KC = 63%) with the UAV-derived DEM was comparable with high-resolution LiDAR-derived DEMs and significantly higher than the prediction accuracy based on traditional low-resolution DEMs obtained with high altitude aerial photos (KC = 25%). We also found that the presence of a dense herbaceous layer on the ground could cause errors in riparian zone delineation with VDTCN for both low altitude UAV and LiDAR data. Nevertheless, the study indicated that using the VDTCN as a classifier combined with a UAV-derived DEM is a suitable approach for mapping riparian zones and can be used for precision agriculture and environmental protection over agricultural landscapes.

scholarly journals A Machine Learning Approach for Mapping Forest Vegetation in Riparian Zones in an Atlantic Biome Environment Using Sentinel-2 Imagery

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 4086
Author(s):  
Danielle Elis Garcia Furuya ◽  
João Alex Floriano Aguiar ◽  
Nayara V. Estrabis ◽  
Mayara Maezano Faita Pinheiro ◽  
Michelle Taís Garcia Furuya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Environmental Planning ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Learning Algorithms ◽  
Vegetation Mapping ◽  
Forest Vegetation ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Sentinel 2

Riparian zones consist of important environmental regions, specifically to maintain the quality of water resources. Accurately mapping forest vegetation in riparian zones is an important issue, since it may provide information about numerous surface processes that occur in these areas. Recently, machine learning algorithms have gained attention as an innovative approach to extract information from remote sensing imagery, including to support the mapping task of vegetation areas. Nonetheless, studies related to machine learning application for forest vegetation mapping in the riparian zones exclusively is still limited. Therefore, this paper presents a framework for forest vegetation mapping in riparian zones based on machine learning models using orbital multispectral images. A total of 14 Sentinel-2 images registered throughout the year, covering a large riparian zone of a portion of a wide river in the Pontal do Paranapanema region, São Paulo state, Brazil, was adopted as the dataset. This area is mainly composed of the Atlantic Biome vegetation, and it is near to the last primary fragment of its biome, being an important region from the environmental planning point of view. We compared the performance of multiple machine learning algorithms like decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and normal Bayes (NB). We evaluated different dates and locations with all models. Our results demonstrated that the DT learner has, overall, the highest accuracy in this task. The DT algorithm also showed high accuracy when applied on different dates and in the riparian zone of another river. We conclude that the proposed approach is appropriated to accurately map forest vegetation in riparian zones, including temporal context.

scholarly journals High-frequency measurements explain quantity and quality of dissolved organic carbon mobilization in a headwater catchment

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (22) ◽  
pp. 4497-4516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedikt J. Werner ◽  
Andreas Musolff ◽  
Oliver J. Lechtenfeld ◽  
Gerrit H. de Rooij ◽  
Marieke R. Oosterwoud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Dissolved Organic Carbon ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Frequency Measurements ◽  
Seasonal Scale ◽  
Headwater Catchment

Abstract. Increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and exports from headwater catchments impact the quality of downstream waters and pose challenges to water supply. The importance of riparian zones for DOC export from catchments in humid, temperate climates has generally been acknowledged, but the hydrological controls and biogeochemical factors that govern mobilization of DOC from riparian zones remain elusive. A high-frequency dataset (15 min resolution for over 1 year) from a headwater catchment in the Harz Mountains (Germany) was analyzed for dominant patterns in DOC concentration (CDOC) and optical DOC quality parameters SUVA254 and S275−295 (spectral slope between 275 and 295 nm) on event and seasonal scales. Quality parameters and CDOC systematically changed with increasing fractions of high-frequency quick flow (Qhf) and antecedent hydroclimatic conditions, defined by the following metrics: aridity index (AI60) of the preceding 60 d and the quotient of mean temperature (T30) and mean discharge (Q30) of the preceding 30 d, which we refer to as discharge-normalized temperature (DNT30). Selected statistical multiple linear regression models for the complete time series (R2=0.72, 0.64 and 0.65 for CDOC, SUVA254 and S275−295, resp.) captured DOC dynamics based on event (Qhf and baseflow) and seasonal-scale predictors (AI60, DNT30). The relative importance of seasonal-scale predictors allowed for the separation of three hydroclimatic states (warm and dry, cold and wet, and intermediate). The specific DOC quality for each state indicates a shift in the activated source zones and highlights the importance of antecedent conditions and their impact on DOC accumulation and mobilization in the riparian zone. The warm and dry state results in high DOC concentrations during events and low concentrations between events and thus can be seen as mobilization limited, whereas the cold and wet state results in low concentration between and during events due to limited DOC accumulation in the riparian zone. The study demonstrates the considerable value of continuous high-frequency measurements of DOC quality and quantity and its (hydroclimatic) key controlling variables in quantitatively unraveling DOC mobilization in the riparian zone. These variables can be linked to DOC source activation by discharge events and the more seasonal control of DOC production in riparian soils.

scholarly journals Quantifying the performance of automated GIS-based geomorphological approaches for riparian zone delineation using digital elevation models

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 3851-3862 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Fernández ◽  
J. Barquín ◽  
M. Álvarez-Cabria ◽  
F. J. Peñas
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Digital Elevation Models ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
River Networks ◽  
Riparian Areas ◽  
River Basin Scale ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
Objective Quantification

Abstract. Riparian zone delineation is a central issue for managing rivers and adjacent areas; however, criteria used to delineate them are still under debate. The area inundated by a 50-yr flood has been indicated as an optimal hydrological descriptor for riparian areas. This detailed hydrological information is usually only available for populated areas at risk of flooding. In this work we created several floodplain surfaces by means of two different GIS-based geomorphological approaches using digital elevation models (DEMs), in an attempt to find hydrologically meaningful potential riparian zones for river networks at the river basin scale. Objective quantification of the performance of the two geomorphologic models is provided by analysing coinciding and exceeding areas with respect to the 50-yr flood surface in different river geomorphological types.

scholarly journals Ecosystem services of a functionally diverse riparian zone in the Amazon–Cerrado agricultural frontier

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Luiz Bezerra Nóbrega ◽  
Taciana Ziembowicz ◽  
Gilmar N. Torres ◽  
Alphonce C. Guzha ◽  
Ricardo S. S. Amorim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Natural Soil ◽  
Plant Biodiversity ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Agricultural Frontier

The ecological services provided by protected riparian zones in human-altered landscapes are widely acknowledged, yet little is known about them. In this study, we assess ecosystem properties that a protected riparian zone maintains in contrast to environmental changes in its surroundings caused by agro-industrial activities in the northwestern fringe of the Brazilian Cerrado on the Amazon–Cerrado agricultural frontier. We assessed the plant biodiversity, soil hydro-physical properties, and water quality, to understand how the underlying ecological characteristics of a riparian zone withstand the effects of its neighboring cropland area on the stream water quality. We show that the riparian zone is fundamental in providing key ecosystem regulating services, including maintenance of plant biodiversity, soil properties, and water quality. Protection of plant biodiversity in the riparian zone sustains a synergy between soil, and functionally and phylogenetically diverse plant communities by promoting higher infiltration rates, higher soil porosity, and natural soil biogeochemistry conditions, which in turn have direct implications for stream water quality. Our study reaffirms that the conservation of riparian zones is crucial to buffer the negative impacts of agricultural practices on ecosystem services. Our results provide consistent evidence to support further studies and environmental policies for riparian environments, which are often the last fragment of natural vegetation remaining in the dominantly agricultural lands within the Cerrado and Amazon forests.

scholarly journals Influence of land use on the condition of the riparian zone along an urban-rural gradient in the Sabinal River, Mexico

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Díaz-Pascacio ◽  
Alejandro Ortega-Argueta ◽  
María Mercedes Castillo-Uzcanga ◽  
Neptalí Ramírez-Marcial
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Plant Species Composition ◽  
Human Settlements

<p><strong>Background</strong>: Riparian vegetation is strongly influenced by the surrounding land use. While it is known that urbanization processes can affect plant species composition and the ecological condition of the riparian zone, the specific responses require a fuller understanding.</p><p><strong>Hypothesis:</strong> The quality of riparian zones is inversely related to the degree of urbanization of adjacent areas, and that land uses that provide forest cover ensure a less degraded condition and greater diversity of species.</p><p><strong>Study site and year of study: </strong>Sabinal River basin, Chiapas, Mexico, 2015.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Methods:</strong><strong> </strong>Measures of the Riparian Quality Index (RQI) and plant species composition were compared among three different land use conditions (secondary forest, grasslands and crops, and human settlements). <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Riparian zones adjacent to secondary forest showed higher RQI than those next to grasslands and crops and human settlements. Riparian zones within secondary forest also had a higher woody species richness and better substrate condition, whereas reaches adjacent to human settlements appeared paved and eroded, exhibiting soil compaction. Species richness and diversity were positively correlated to the RQI and were greater in riparian zones adjacent to secondary forest than in those next to human settlements.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While grazing and cultivation affect the riparian zone, expansion of urban areas has a greater impact by reducing woody species richness and diversity, altering species composition and favoring soil compaction and bank erosion, which results in reduced riparian quality.</p>

scholarly journals Temporal and microtopographical variations in greenhouse gas fluxes from riparian forest soils along headwater streams

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa K. Silverthorn ◽  
John S. Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Headwater Streams ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Gas Fluxes ◽  
Ghg Fluxes

Abstract Riparian zones of headwater streams have valuable ecosystem functions and are prevalent across many landscapes. Nevertheless, studies of greenhouse gas (GHG; CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 O) fluxes from these unique ecosystems, with fluctuating water tables and high soil organic matter, remain limited. Our objectives were to (1) to quantify the effects of local riparian groundwater conditions on soil GHG flux rates, namely to determine if groundwater discharge (DIS) areas in the riparian zone would have higher soil moisture than adjacent non-discharge (ND) areas in the riparian zone, impacting GHG fluxes; and (2) to examine the relationship between GHG fluxes, soil moisture, soil temperature, and groundwater depth. We measured gas fluxes in situ alongside two relatively undisturbed headwater streams over one year, using closed static chambers and gas chromatography. We found that, although not significant, DIS areas had on average lower CH 4 uptake and lower CO 2 emissions than ND areas. We further found that soil temperature explained 30.0% and 26.2% of variation in CO 2 and N 2 O fluxes, respectively, and soil moisture explained 9.8% of variation in CH 4 fluxes. Our results provide information on the magnitude and drivers of GHG fluxes in riparian zones to help inform GHG budgets and forest management.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Effects of Pressure Indicators on Riparian Zone Health Conditions in the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir, China

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Arif ◽  
Songlin Zhang ◽  
Zheng Jie ◽  
Wokadala Charles ◽  
Pinky Sanelisiwe Mzondi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Three Gorges Dam ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Three Gorges ◽  
Dam Reservoir ◽  
The Three Gorges ◽  
Agglomerative Hierarchical Cluster Analysis ◽  
Pressure Indicators ◽  
The Three Gorges Dam

The possible negative impacts of flow regulation on riparian zone conditions can be observed due to the disruption of the natural flow regime in reservoirs. In spite of considerable literature on the qualitative effects of external disturbances on riparian health indicators (RHIs), quantitative evaluations of such changes induced by pressure are rare in the literature. Our study evaluated the effects of pressure indicators on the RHIs, and the responses of RHIs relevant to the riparian zones of the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir (TGDR), China, by using the field-based approach. This paper is a component of a large project—rapid appraisal of riparian condition for the TGDR, China. The analysis has compared pressures (13 indicators) and RHIs (27 indicators) determined from the transects (259) identified throughout the TGDR (within 15 counties) by categorizing into upstream, midstream, and downstream. By using basic statistical techniques (Kruskal-Wallis tests and Pearson’s correlation), pressure indicators were found to significantly differently influence RHIs for the categorized three sections of the riparian zones of the TGDR. The correlation analysis confirmed that the pressure indicators correlated (range of r = −0.496–0.971) with the RHIs (enlisted as habitat, plant cover, regeneration, erosion, and exotic parameters). Moreover, pressure indicators were found to have a highly significant influence on erosion and habitat parameters, but moderate effects on plant cover, exotic and regeneration parameters. In addition, the highest relative effect of the pressure indicators was detected in the upstream transects, whereas the lowest was in the downstream transects. Agglomerative Hierarchical Cluster analysis also confirmed the substantial dissimilarity in the upstream transects, whereas significant similarities were identified between midstream and downstream transects. These results may be particularly important in the planning stages, to help administrators and planners form better priorities and treatments for reach-scale conservation and restoration of wide-ranging riparian zones.

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