| 1. |
- Dietze, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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A seismic monitoring approach to detect and quantify river sediment mobilization by steelhead redd-building activity
- 2020
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Ingår i: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0197-9337 .- 1096-9837. ; 45:12, s. 2840-2849
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The role of spawning salmonids in altering river bed morphology and sediment transport is significant, yet poorly understood. This is due, in large part, to limitations in monitoring the redd‐building process in a continuous and spatially extended way. A complementary approach may be provided through the use of a small seismic sensor network analysing the ground motion signals generated by the agitation of sediment during the redd‐building process. We successfully tested the viability of this approach by detecting and locating artificially generated redd signals in a reach of the Mashel River, Washington State, USA. We then utilize records of 17 seismic stations, in which we automatically detected seismic events that were subsequently manually checked, yielding a catalogue of 45 potential redd‐building events. Such redd‐building events typically lasted between 1 and 20 min and consisted of a series of clusters of 50–100 short energetic pulses in the 20–60 Hz frequency range. The majority (>90%) of these redd‐building events occurred within 11 days, predominantly during the early morning and late afternoon. The seismically derived locations of the signals were in agreement with independently mapped redds. Improved network geometry and installation conditions are required for more efficient detection, robust location and improved energetic insights into redd‐building processes in larger reaches. The passive and continuous nature of the seismic approach in detecting redds and describing fish behaviour provides a novel tool for fish biologists and fisheries managers, but also for fluvial geomorphologists, interested in quantifying the amount of sediment mobilized by this ecosystem engineer. When complemented with classic approaches, it could allow for a more holistic picture of the kinetics and temporal patterns (at scales from seconds to multiple seasons) of a key phase of salmonid life cycles.
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| 2. |
- Frainer, André, et al.
(författare)
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Enhanced ecosystem functioning following stream restoration : The roles of habitat heterogeneity and invertebrate species traits
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Applied Ecology. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 0021-8901 .- 1365-2664. ; 55:1, s. 377-385
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. Habitat restoration is increasingly undertaken in degraded streams and rivers to help improve biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Follow-up assessments focused on outcomes for biodiversity have often found scant evidence for recovery, raising concerns about the efficacy of habitat restoration for improving ecological integrity. However, responses of other ecological variables, such as ecosystem process rates and the functional trait composition of biological assemblages, have been little evaluated.2. We assessed how the restoration of habitat heterogeneity affected multiple functional parameters in 20 boreal stream reaches encompassing both more and less extensively restored sites, as well as channelised and natural reference sites. We further assessed relationships between our functional parameters and a fluvial geomorphic measure of habitat heterogeneity.3. Leaf decomposition was positively related to habitat heterogeneity. This was associated with shifts in the functional composition of detritivore assemblages, with the most obligate litter consumers more prominent in reaches showing higher habitat heterogeneity. The deposition of fine particulate organic matter was consistently higher in restored than channelised sites, and was positively related to the heterogeneity gradient. Algal biomass accrual per unit area did not vary either with restoration or the heterogeneity gradient.4. Synthesis and applications. Our findings demonstrate that restoration of river habitat heterogeneity can enhance retention and decomposition of organic matter, key ecosystem properties underpinning ecosystem functioning and service delivery. Significantly, enhanced litter decomposition was linked with a change in the functional composition rather than diversity of detritivore assemblages. Future evaluation of the success of habitat restorations should incorporate quantification of ecosystem processes and the functional traits of biota, in addition to measures of fluvial geomorphology and more traditional biotic metrics, to facilitate a more comprehensive and mechanistic assessment of ecological responses.
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| 3. |
- Frainer, André, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Is ecosystem functioning enhanced when habitat complexity increases? : River restoration and the functioning of algal and detrital food webs
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Stream restoration is a multi-million dollar business that aims at rehabilitating systems impacted by hydrogeomorphological modifications, such as channelization, and ameliorating physical or ecological degradation caused by catchment-scale impacts, such as agriculture or urbanization. Despite extensive programs aimed at restoring habitat complexity in channelized streams, there is little evidence for a recovery of biological diversity, and functional responses have been little assessed. Notably large-scale habitat restorations have recently been undertaken in a river catchment in northern Sweden, including rehabilitation of large habitat structures (massive boulders, large woody debris) originally removed to facilitate timber floating. Based on a hydrogeomorphological measure of habitat complexity, we characterised variability in habitat complexity across 20 stream reaches in the catchment, including reference, channelised and restored sites. We assessed whether increased habitat complexity following restoration affected retention of organic matter (FPOM), the functional diversity and organisation of the detritivore feeding guild, and two ecosystem processes: algal productivity and litter decomposition. Deposition of FPOM increased along the complexity gradient, as did leaf litter decomposition mediated by invertebrates. The increase in invertebrate-mediated decomposition was associated with shifts in the functional composition of detritivore assemblages, with feeding traits associated with more efficient decomposition more prominent in the restored reaches. There was no change in algal productivity at local scales, but increases in shallow, well- lit habitats favourable for algal growth indicate a possible increase in algal productivity at the stream reach scale. Increases in habitat complexity enhanced functioning within the detritital foodweb at local scales, without any changes in the biodiversity of detritivores. Our findings indicate that aspects of functional diversity and ecosystem functioning may be better than measures of community structure for assessing stream restoration projects.
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| 4. |
- Gardeström, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
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Demonstration Restoration Measures in Tributaries of the Vindel River Catchment
- 2013
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Ingår i: Ecology and Society. - : Resilience Alliance Publications. - 1708-3087. ; 18:3, s. Article Number: UNSP 8-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Some ecological restoration projects include elements of trial and error where new measures are repeatedly tried, evaluated, and modified until satisfactory results are achieved. Thereafter, the resulting methods may be applied on larger scales. A difficult step is judging whether developed "best-practice" methods have become reasonably ecologically functional or whether further experimentation "demonstration" methods can lead to yet better results. Here, we use a stream restoration project as a case study for evaluating methods and abiotic effects and outlining stakeholder support for demonstration restoration measures, rather than only using best-practice methods. Our work was located in the Vindel River system, a free-flowing river that is part of the Natura 2000 network. The river was exploited for timber floating from 1850-1976, and rapids in the main channel and tributaries below timberline were channelized to increase timber transport capacity. Several side channels in multi-channeled rapids were blocked and the flow was concentrated to a single channel from which boulders and large wood were removed. Hence, previously heterogeneous environments were replaced by more homogeneous systems with limited habitat for riverine species. The restoration project strives to alleviate the effects of fragmentation and channelization in affected rapids by returning coarse sediment from channel margins to the main channel. However, only smaller, angular sediment is available given blasting of large boulders, and large (old-growth) wood is largely absent; therefore, original levels of large boulders and large wood in channels cannot be achieved with standard restoration practices. In 10 demonstration sites, we compensated for this by adding large boulders and large wood (i.e., entire trees) from adjacent upland areas to previously best-practice restored reaches and compared their hydraulic characteristics with 10 other best-practice sites. The demonstration sites exhibited significantly reduced and more variable current velocities, and wider channels, but with less variation than pre-restoration. The ecological response to this restoration has not yet been studied, but potential outcomes are discussed.
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| 5. |
- Hasselquist, Eliza Maher, et al.
(författare)
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Contrasting effects of geomorphic complexity on diversity of three aquatic organism groups after stream restoration
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Ecological theory states that greater habitat heterogeneity should support higher biodiversity. Many stream restoration projects aim to increase geomorphic complexity, assuming that this increases habitat heterogeneity and, thus, biodiversity. However, little evidence has been published that supports this theory, especially with respect to stream restoration and aquatic organisms.Previous assessments of stream habitat restoration have suffered from four major limitations: (1) incomplete quantification of habitat complexity metrics, (2) assessment of the responses of only one organism group, most often macroinvertebrates, (3) mismatch between scale of restoration and scale of disturbance, and (4) limited number of restoration measures applied.We used 12 metrics of geomorphic complexity spanning five dimensions of complexity (sediment grain size distribution, longitudinal profile, cross section, planform, and instream wood) to evaluate if the diversity, abundance and community composition of three aquatic organism groups (benthic macroinvertebrates, diatoms and macrophytes) relate positively to complexity along near-natural, restored and channelised stream reaches in rural northern Sweden where disturbance to the streams has been primarily reach-scale channelisation to facilitate timber floating.We found that the variation in biodiversity and abundance within each of the three organism groups could be described by multiple regression models that included only geomorphic complexity metrics, but the variation within an organism group could rarely be described by only one metric of complexity in isolation. Rather, three metrics were needed on average to describe the variation in biodiversity and abundance, and rarely did all metrics relate positively to diversity. Sediment grain size distribution metrics were most often significant as explanatory variables, but were inconsistent in the direction of influence. The other four dimensions of complexity were less consistently significant but were nearly all positively related to our diversity metrics.Most of the variation in these metrics was driven by advanced restoration techniques and to a lesser extent older best practice techniques. Three complexity metrics were most often included in multiple regression models as well as described community composition in ordinations: a metric quantifying heterogeneity of small sediment sizes, a metric that represents the variation in stream depth along the longitudinal profile, and instream wood metrics. Therefore, specifically these metrics could be targets for future restoration. The organism groups were not concordant in their patterns of diversity, abundance, or community composition; thus, none can be used as a surrogate in monitoring biodiversity of these sites.Synthesis and applications. Geomorphic complexity should be measured in multiple dimensions, and ideally in all five dimensions, to understand the full breadth of restoration impacts to which organisms could be responding. More than one organism group should be used in monitoring to ensure biodiversity goals are met. Finally, even though the scale of the restorations matched the scale of the disturbance at the reach scale, the older best practice methods of restoration rarely restored the large-scale features necessary to bring the sites up to their potential levels of complexity as these elements (large boulders, bedrock, log jams) had been destroyed or removed from the system. Although the advanced restoration sites were the youngest, advanced restoration techniques that added big boulders, coarse gravel and instream wood increased complexity to a level that elicited a biological response. Finally, the complexity level needed to elicit a biological response could be difficult to understand for a given system, so we suggest doing restoration work in an experimental way in collaboration with geomorphologists to determine what level of complexity is needed.
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| 6. |
- Hasselquist, Eliza Maher, et al.
(författare)
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Contrasting Responses among Aquatic Organism Groups to Changes in Geomorphic Complexity Along a Gradient of Stream Habitat Restoration : Implications for Restoration Planning and Assessment
- 2018
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Ingår i: Water. - : MDPI. - 2073-4441. ; 10:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many stream restoration projects aim to increase geomorphic complexity, assuming that this increases habitat heterogeneity and, thus, biodiversity. However, empirical data supporting these linkages remain scant. Previous assessments of stream restoration suffer from incomplete quantification of habitat complexity, or a narrow focus on only one organism group and/or one restoration measure, limiting learning. Based on a comprehensive quantification of geomorphic complexity in 20 stream reaches in northern Sweden, ranging from streams channelized for timber floating to restored and reference reaches, we investigated responses of macroinvertebrates, diatoms, and macrophytes to multiple geomorphic metrics. Sediment size heterogeneity, which was generally improved in restored sites, favored macroinvertebrate and diatom diversity and macroinvertebrate abundance. In contrast, macrophyte diversity responded to increased variation along the longitudinal stream profile (e.g., step-pools), which was not consistently improved by the restoration. Our analyses highlight the value of learning across multiple restoration projects, both in identifying which aspects of restoration have succeeded, and pinpointing other measures that might be targeted during adaptive management or future restoration. Given our results, a combination of restoration measures targeting not only sediment size heterogeneity, but also features such as step-pools and instream wood, is most likely to benefit benthic biota in streams.
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| 7. |
- Hasselquist, Eliza Maher, et al.
(författare)
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The role of riparian buffer width on sediment connectivity through windthrow in a boreal headwater stream
- 2024
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Ingår i: Geomorphology. - : Elsevier. - 0169-555X .- 1872-695X. ; 461
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Riparian buffers are commonly used to mitigate the negative effects of forestry operations near water, particularly sediment transport to streams. In Sweden, current practices typically involve 5-7 m wide riparian buffers along small streams. Historical forest management, which favored conifers up to the channel edge, has resulted in these narrow buffers having a simplified tree species composition and structure, making them prone to windthrow. While windthrow can contribute large wood (LW) to streams, windthrow also risks increasing sediment inputs if rootwads are exposed near stream edges. This disturbance affects sediment connectivity, or the movement of particles through the fluvial system, but the interaction between LW dynamics and sediment connectivity in small boreal streams is not well understood. We investigated sediment connectivity at the Trollberget Experimental Area in northern Sweden, where six 100 m stream reaches had either 5 m or 15 m wide riparian buffers. Pre-harvest and one-year post-harvest data on windthrow, hydrology, and sediment yields were collected. Forest harvesting increased sediment connectivity in the streams regardless of buffer width, indicating that buffers wider than 15 m are necessary to reduce sediment input impacts in small headwater streams. Windthrow affecting stream channels was more common in the 5 m buffers, leading to significantly higher deposition of very fine sediments (<250 μm) compared to the 15 m buffers. Coarse (>1 mm) and fine sediments (250 μm – 1 mm) were also higher in the 5 m buffers. We found that sediment connectivity in streams was closely linked to LW dynamics, negatively before harvest but positively after harvest. Before harvest, LW trapped sediment and prevented downstream transport, but after harvest, the increased sediment input overwhelmed this function. Our results highlight a trade-off between the recruitment of LW and minimizing sediment connectivity, two key objectives in riparian buffer management.
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| 8. |
- Hasselquist, Eliza Maher, et al.
(författare)
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Time for recovery of riparian plants in restored northern Swedish streams : A chronosequence study
- 2015
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Ingår i: Ecological Applications. - : Wiley. - 1051-0761 .- 1939-5582. ; 25:5, s. 1373-1389
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A lack of ecological responses in stream restoration projects has been prevalent throughout recent literature with many studies reporting insufficient time for recovery. We assessed the relative importance of time, site variables, and landscape setting for understanding how plant species richness and understory productivity recover over time in riparian zones of northern Swedish streams. We used a space-for-time substitution consisting of 13 stream reaches restored 5-25 years ago, as well as five unrestored channelized reference reaches. We inventoried the riparian zone for all vascular plant species along 60-m study reaches and quantified cover and biomass in plots. We found that while species richness increased with time, understory biomass decreased. Forbs made up the majority of the species added, while the biomass of graminoids decreased the most over time, suggesting that the reduced dominance of graminoids favored less productive forbs. Species richness and density patterns could be attributed to dispersal limitation, with anemochorous species being more associated with time after restoration than hydrochorous, zoochorous, or vegetatively reproducing species. Using multiple linear regression, we found that time along with riparian slope and riparian buffer width (e.g., distance to logging activities) explained the most variability in species richness, but that variability in total understory biomass was explained primarily by time. The plant community composition of restored reaches differed from that of channelized references, but the difference did not increase over time. Rather, different time categories had different successional trajectories that seemed to converge on a unique climax community for that time period. Given our results, timelines for achieving species richness objectives should be extended to 25 years or longer if recovery is defined as a saturation of the accumulation of species over time. Other recommendations include making riparian slopes as gentle as possible given the landscape context and expanding riparian buffer width for restoration to have as much impact as possible.
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| 9. |
- Hof, Anouschka, et al.
(författare)
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Forest Restoration : Do Site Selection and Restoration Practices Follow Ecological Criteria? A Case Study in Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: Forests. - : MDPI. - 1999-4907. ; 12:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The speed with which restoration will, or can, be accomplished depends on the initial state and location of the sites. However, many factors can undermine the process of choosing sites that are deemed the best ecological choice for restoration. Little attention has been paid to whether site selection follows ecological criteria and how this may affect restoration success. We used habitat inventory data to investigate whether ecological criteria for site selection and restoration have been followed, focusing on restoration for the white-backed woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos B.) in Sweden. In our study region, which is situated in an intensively managed forest landscape with dense and young stands dominated by two coniferous species, purely ecological criteria would entail that sites that are targeted for restoration would (1) initially be composed of older and more deciduous trees than the surrounding landscape, and (2) be at a scale relevant for the species. Furthermore, restoration should lead to sites becoming less dense and less dominated by coniferous trees after restoration, which we investigated as an assessment of restoration progress. To contextualize the results, we interviewed people involved in the restoration efforts on site. We show that although the first criterion for ecological site selection was largely met, the second was not. More research is needed to assess the motivations of actors taking part in restoration efforts, as well as how they interlink with public efforts. This would allow us to identify possible synergies that can benefit restoration efforts.
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| 10. |
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