Strategies for Restoring River Ecosystems: Sources of Variability and Uncertainty in Natural and Managed Systems

2003 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Classification Systems ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Stream Classification ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Inadequate Knowledge ◽  
Scientific Principles ◽  
Decision Support Models ◽  
Complex Ecosystem ◽  
Restoration Strategies ◽  
Ecosystem Interactions

<em>Abstract</em>.—A major challenge in planning and executing aquatic ecosystem restoration strategies is the need to make decisions without complete understanding of ecosystems or processes affecting their conditions. Information-gathering tools such as stream classification systems, riparian-growth and wood-recruitment models, watershed assessments, historical reconstruction, and decision-support models can help reduce uncertainty in defining a path for aquatic restoration activities. We demonstrate how these tools can be used to systematically gather information for achieving improved management decisions and restoration strategies. Two major sources of uncertainty are considered: inadequate knowledge of system behavior and natural variability. Uncertainty in assessing watershed and habitat conditions to be restored reflects the lack of prior knowledge of an ecosystem’s status and functions as well as problems of coupling scientific principles with management objectives. These shortcomings arise from difficulties in defining and understanding complex ecosystem interactions and from not recognizing human limits in controlling natural environments. Additional uncertainty is due to rivers having geographically diverse and unique arrays of environmental problems and societal situations. We suggest that watershed restoration plans and efforts that incorporate uncertainty will have a greater chance of long-term success.

scholarly journals Comparing the performance of different stream classification systems using aquatic macroinvertebrates

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márlon de Castro Vasconcelos ◽  
Adriano Sanches Melo ◽  
Albano Schwarzbold
Keyword(s):  
Randomization Test ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Data Type ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Stream Classification ◽  
Environment Variables ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Community Data ◽  
Performance Results ◽  
Classification Strength

AIM: We evaluated five stream classification systems observing: 1) differences in richness, abundance and macroinvertebrates communities among stream classes within classification systems; and 2) whether classification systems present better performance using macroinvertebrates. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of taxonomic resolution and data type (abundance and presence) on results. METHODS: Five stream classification systems were used, two based on hydroregions, one based on ecoregions by FEOW, a fourth one based on stream orders and the last one based on clusters of environment variables sampled in 37 streams at Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. We used a randomization test to evaluate differences of richness and abundance, a db-MANOVA to evaluate the differences of species assemblages and Classification Strength (CS) to evaluate the classifications performance. RESULTS: There were differences of richness and abundance among stream classes within each stream classification. The same result was found for community data, except for stream order classifications in family level. We observed that stream classes obtained for each stream classification differed in terms of environment variables (db-MANOVA). The classification based on environment variables showed higher CS values than other classification systems. The taxonomic resolution was important to the observed results. Data on genera level presented CS values 12% higher than family level for cluster classification, and the data type was dependent on the classification system and taxonomic resolution employed. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that classifications based on cluster of environment variables was better than other stream classification systems, and similar results using genera level can be obtained for management programs using family resolution in a geographical context similar to this study.

Panel Discussion of Stream Classification Systems

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Klingeman ◽  
Donald Carpenter ◽  
Douglas Shields, Jr. ◽  
Sue Niezgoda ◽  
Andrew Simon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Panel Discussion ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Stream Classification

scholarly journals Restauración de montes quemados en condiciones mediterráneas

2018 ◽  
pp. 55-60
Author(s):  
Victoriano Ramón Vallejo ◽  
Susana Bautista ◽  
José Antonio Alloza
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Regeneration Capacity ◽  
Degradation Mechanisms ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Restoration Planning ◽  
Burned Areas ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Restoration Techniques ◽  
Restoration Strategies

Wildfires may produce ecosystem damages that would require post-fire mitigation and/or restoration actions. The question is what are the criteria to identify those burned areas that show high degradation risk in order to plan and prioritise restoration projects. To address that question it is necessary to start with the analysis of fire impact, and from that analysis to derive predictive tools for assessing the fragility and regeneration capacity of burned ecosystems. The identification of post-fire degradation mechanisms provides the basis for developing the corresponding specific mitigation/restoration actions. The diagnostic of ecological impact of wildfires together with the established forest management objectives allow deriving mitigation/restoration strategies and the subsequent implementation projects.We present our experience on the evaluation of post-fire ecosystem vulnerability and on the assessment of restoration planning derived from recent and ongoing EC research projects. This includes the development of short-term restoration techniques suited for degraded soils and dry Mediterranean conditions, where fire-induced degradation is complicated with water shortage for regenerating vegetation.

Effect of Iron Limitation on the Ultrastructure of Agmenellum Quadruplicatum

1981 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 410-411
Author(s):  
L. P. Hardie ◽  
D. L. Balkwill ◽  
S. E. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Growth Medium ◽  
Green Alga ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Iron Limitation ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Blue Green Alga ◽  
Marine Cyanobacterium ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Thin Sectioning ◽  
Agmenellum Quadruplicatum

Agmenellum quadruplicatum is a unicellular, non-nitrogen-fixing, marine cyanobacterium (blue-green alga). The ultrastructure of this organism, when grown in the laboratory with all necessary nutrients, has been characterized thoroughly. In contrast, little is known of its ultrastructure in the specific nutrient-limiting conditions typical of its natural habitat. Iron is one of the nutrients likely to limit this organism in such natural environments. It is also of great importance metabolically, being required for both photosynthesis and assimilation of nitrate. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects (if any) of iron limitation on the ultrastructure of A. quadruplicatum. It was part of a broader endeavor to elucidate the ultrastructure of cyanobacteria in natural systemsActively growing cells were placed in a growth medium containing 1% of its usual iron. The cultures were then sampled periodically for 10 days and prepared for thin sectioning TEM to assess the effects of iron limitation.

Barriers to colorectal cancer (CRS) screening in minority communities: inadequate knowledge of guidelines by physicians in training

2001 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. A604-A604
Author(s):  
M GENNARELLI ◽  
L JANDORF ◽  
C CROMWELL ◽  
H VALDIMARSDOTTIR ◽  
W REDD ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Minority Communities ◽  
Inadequate Knowledge

Using Personal Cell Phones for Ecological Momentary Assessment

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Kuntsche ◽  
Florian Labhart
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Cell Phones ◽  
Personal Digital Assistants ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Mobility Patterns ◽  
Standard Data ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is a way of collecting data in people’s natural environments in real time and has become very popular in social and health sciences. The emergence of personal digital assistants has led to more complex and sophisticated EMA protocols but has also highlighted some important drawbacks. Modern cell phones combine the functionalities of advanced communication systems with those of a handheld computer and offer various additional features to capture and record sound, pictures, locations, and movements. Moreover, most people own a cell phone, are familiar with the different functions, and always carry it with them. This paper describes ways in which cell phones have been used for data collection purposes in the field of social sciences. This includes automated data capture techniques, for example, geolocation for the study of mobility patterns and the use of external sensors for remote health-monitoring research. The paper also describes cell phones as efficient and user-friendly tools for prompt manual data collection, that is, by asking participants to produce or to provide data. This can either be done by means of dedicated applications or by simply using the web browser. We conclude that cell phones offer a variety of advantages and have a great deal of potential for innovative research designs, suggesting they will be among the standard data collection devices for EMA in the coming years.

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