Dissertations / Theses: 'Riparian ecology'

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Cox, C. L. "Modelling channel dynamics and riparian ecology." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.598103.

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This study aimed to develop and evaluate a numerical simulation model of the interdependent dynamics of channel form, processes and floodplain vegetation using cellular automaton approaches. The model was developed and evaluated using data from the River Feshie, Scotland. Firstly, field and historic data were examined in order to understand the ecology and dynamic nature of the study site. The braidplain was shown to exhibit a number of different mechanisms of change, varying from a wandering anabranch river to a more fragmented braided pattern; however the relationship between channel pattern and vegetation was not found to be straightforward, and multiple successional pathways were identified, depending on local abiotic conditions. Secondly, the capability of cellular automata models to simulate realistic patterns of discharge, channel change and floodplain ecology was evaluated. Cellular automata models involve a high level of simplification in order to facilitate the modelling of medium time and space scales with highly mobile boundary conditions. The models can predict realistic patterns of discharge and reach-scale ecology compositions, but further work is needed to improve the sediment transport functions. Finally, a cellular automata model was applied to investigate how floodplain ecology responds to different flood disturbance regimes and land management practices. This showed that cellular automata models may be used successfully to explore relationships between discharge, land use management and floodplain ecology. However, uncertainties regarding the lack of physical realism in some aspects of the model predictions meant it was unclear to what extent the results accurately represented future conditions for the River Feshie. Therefore, at this stage cellular automata models cannot be recommended for detailed applied management purposes in specific contexts.

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Briggs, Mark Kendig. "An evaluation of riparian revegetation efforts in Arizona." Ann Arbor, Mich. : UMI, 1992.

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Zadnik, Andrew Karl. "Wildlife use and habitat quality of back channel areas associated with islands on the Ohio River, West Virginia." Morgantown, W. Va. : [West Virginia University Libraries], 2003. http://etd.wvu.edu/templates/showETD.cfm?recnum=2898.

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Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2003.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains v, 131 p. : col. ill., col. maps. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

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Orzetti, Leslie LuChar. "Stream community structure an analysis of riparian forest buffer restoration in the Chesapeake Bay watershed /." Full text available online (restricted access), 2004. http://images.lib.monash.edu.au/ts/theses/Orzetti.pdf.

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Nairn, Robert W. "Biogeochemistry of newly created riparian wetlands : evaluation of water quality changes and soil development /." Connect to resource, 1996. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view.cgi?acc%5Fnum=osu1251216965.

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Kimble, Matthew Sidney. "Variation of aquatic and terrestrial riparian biodiversity in response to watershed condition /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/5527.

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Malm, Renöfält Birgitta. "Vegetation patterns and processes in riparian landscapes." Doctoral thesis, Umeå University, Ecology and Environmental Science, 2004. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-342.

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The objective of this study was to increase understanding of the processes structuring and controlling the species richness of riparian plant communities. In particular, I examined the unimodal relationship, found in many rivers, between plant species richness and location along the river corridor. The most important finding was that this pattern is dynamic and varies with time, most likely in response to large-scale flood disturbances. I also found that the sensitivity to flood disturbance varied with the environmental setting of the riparian reaches. Turbulent sections of the river retained high species richness, whereas tranquil reaches had significantly lower species richness in years following high and prolonged flooding, compared to a period without extreme flood events. Riparian soils along turbulent reaches are more resistant to oxygen depletion during floods, a factor which is likely to contribute to the maintenance of species richness.

The finding that the species richness pattern varied with time led me to ask which factors control plant diversity along riparian zones. I addressed this question by formulating three contrasting, although not mutually exclusive, hypotheses: (1) longitudinal patterns in riparian plant species richness are governed by local, river-related processes independent of the regional species richness, (2) riparian plant species richness is controlled by dispersal along the river, i.e., longitudinal control, and (3) the variation in riparian plant species richness mirrors variation in regional richness, i.e., lateral control. I found indications of all three types of control, although local factors seemed to fit most of the criteria. Riparian species richness was not significantly correlated to species richness in the surrounding upland valley. It was however significantly negatively correlated to soil pH, a local habitat factor of the reach. The fact that the species richness pattern varied in time, corresponding to the presence or absence of extreme flood events suggest that it is influenced by local disturbance regimes. The potential for control by longitudinal dispersal was found to be highest in the middle reaches of a river. Here, the similarity between upland and riparian vegetation was lowest, and invasibility (germination ability) was highest. Earlier work has shown that regulated rivers have an inverted species richness pattern compared to free-flowing rivers, with lowest species richness in the middle reaches. One potential mechanism behind this could be varying susceptibility to disturbance along the river. I tested this by experimentally disturbing the vegetation, applying the same level of disturbance along an entire free-flowing river. However, the response to experimental disturbance did not vary with location, likely because of a major flood disturbance preceding the experiment.

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Mamone, Mario Salvatore. "A comparative study of small mammal communities in riparian and upland mixed-conifer forest habitats /." View full-text version online through Southern Oregon Digital Archives, 1994. http://soda.sou.edu/awdata/040308a1.pdf.

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Thesis (M.S.)--Southern Oregon State College, 1994.
Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-80). Also available via Internet as PDF file through Southern Oregon Digital Archives: http://soda.sou.edu. Search Bioregion Collection.

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O'Neill, Edel M. "Resource use by otters Lutra lutra in riparian habitats." Thesis, University of Ulster, 1995. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.241995.

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Palmer, Grant Campbell, and grant palmer@deakin edu au. "Ecological value of riparian zones to birds in forest landscapes." Deakin University. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2007. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20071115.083927.

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Riparian zones are a characteristic component of many landscapes throughout the world and increasingly are valued as key areas for biodiversity conservation. Their importance for bird communities has been well recognised in semi-arid environments and in modified landscapes where there is a marked contrast between riparian and adjacent non-riparian vegetation. The value of riparian zones in largely intact landscapes with continuous vegetation cover is less well understood. This research examined the importance of riparian habitats for avifauna conservation by investigating the ecological interactions contributing to the pattern of bird assemblages in riparian and adjacent non-riparian habitats. Specifically, the focus is on the bird assemblages of riparian zones and those of adjacent non-riparian vegetation types and the influence that associated differences in resource availabilities, habitat structure and conditions have on observed patterns. This study was conducted in the foothill forests of the Victorian Highlands, south-east Australia. Mixed-species eucalypt (genus Eucalyptus) forests dominate the vegetation of this region. Site selection was based on the occurrence of suitable riparian habitat interspersed within extensive, relatively undisturbed (i.e. no recent timber harvesting or fire events) forest mosaics. A series of 30 paired riparian and non-riparian sites were established among six stream systems in three forest areas (Bunyip State Park, Kinglake National Park and Marysville State Forest). Riparian sites were positioned alongside the stream and the non-riparian partner site was positioned on a facing slope at a distance of approximately 750 m. Bird surveys were carried out during 29 visits to each site between July 2001 and December 2002. Riparian sites were floristically distinct from non-riparian sites and had a more complex vegetation structure, including a mid-storey tree layer mostly absent from non-riparian sites, extensive fine litter and coarse woody debris, and dense ground-layer vegetation (e.g. sedges and ground ferns). The characteristic features of non-riparian habitats included a relatively dense canopy cover, a ground layer dominated by grasses and fine litter, and a high density of canopy-forming trees in the smaller size-classes. Riparian zones supported a significantly greater species richness, abundance and diversity of birds when compared to non-riparian habitats. The composition of bird assemblages differed significantly between riparian and non-riparian habitats, with riparian assemblages displaying a higher level of similarity among sites. The strongest contributors to observed dissimilarities between habitat types included species that occurred exclusively in either habitat type or species with large contrasts in abundance between habitat types. Much of the avifauna (36%) of the study area is composed of species that are common and widespread in south-east Australia (i.e. forest generalists). Riparian habitats were characterised by a suite of species more typical of wetter forest types in south-east Australia and many of these species had a restricted distribution in the forest mosaic. Some species (7%) occurred exclusively in riparian habitats (i.e. riparian selective species) while others (43%) were strongly linked to these habitats (i.e. riparian associated species). A smaller proportion of species occurred exclusively (2%) in non-riparian habitats (i.e. non-riparian selective species) or were strongly linked to these habitats (10%; i.e. non-riparian associated species). To examine the seasonal dynamics of assemblages, the variation through time in species richness, abundance and composition was compared between riparian and non-riparian sites. Riparian assemblages supported greater richness and abundance, and displayed less variation in these parameters, than non-riparian assemblages at all times. The species composition of riparian assemblages was distinct from non-riparian assemblages throughout the annual cycle. An influx of seasonal migrants elevated species richness and abundance in the forest landscape during spring and summer. The large-scale movement pattern (e.g. coastal migrant, inland migrant) adopted by migrating species was associated with their preference for riparian or non-riparian habitats in the landscape. Species which migrate north-south along the east coast of mainland Australia (i.e. coastal migrants) used riparian zones disproportionately; eight of eleven species were riparian associated species. Species which migrate north-south through inland Australia (i.e. inland migrants) were mostly associated with non-riparian habitats. The significant differences in the dynamics of community structure between riparian and non-riparian assemblages shows that there is a disproportionate use of riparian zones across the landscape and that they provide higher quality habitat for birds throughout the annual cycle. To examine the ecological mechanisms by which riparian assemblages are richer and support more individual birds, the number of ecological groups (foraging, nest-type and body mass groups) represented, and the species richness of these groups, was compared between riparian and non-riparian assemblages. The structurally complex vegetation and distinctive habitat features (e.g. aquatic environments, damp sheltered litter) provided in the riparian zone, resulted in the consistent addition of ecological groups to riparian assemblages (e.g. sheltered ground invertebrates foraging group) compared with non-riparian assemblages. Greater species richness was accommodated in most foraging, nest-type and body mass groups in riparian than non-riparian assemblages. Riparian zones facilitated greater richness within ecological groups by providing conditions (i.e. more types of resources and greater abundance of resources) that promoted ecological segregation between ecologically similar species. For a set of commonly observed species, significant differences in their use of structural features, substrates and heights were registered between riparian and non-riparian habitats. The availability and dynamics of resources in riparian and non-riparian habitats were examined to determine if there is differential availability of particular resources, or in their temporal availability, throughout the annual cycle. Riparian zones supported more abundant and temporally reliable eucalypt flowering (i.e. nectar) than non-riparian habitats throughout the annual cycle. Riparian zones also supported an extensive loose bark resource (an important microhabitat for invertebrates) including more peeling bark and hanging bark throughout the year than at non-riparian sites. The productivity of eucalypts differed between habitat types, being higher in riparian zones at most times for all eucalypts combined, and for some species (e.g. Narrow-leaved Peppermint Eucalyptus radiata). Non-riparian habitats provided an abundant nectar resource (i.e. shrub flowering) at particular periods in the annual cycle. Birds showed clear relationships with the availability of specific food (i.e. nectar) and foraging resources (i.e. loose bark). The demonstration of a greater abundance of resources and higher primary productivity in riparian zones is consistent with the hypothesis that these linear strips that occupy only a small proportion of the landscape have a disproportionately high value for birds. Riparian zones in continuous eucalypt forest provide high quality habitats that contribute to the diversity of habitats and resources available to birds in the forest mosaic, with positive benefits for the landscape-level species pool. Despite riparian and non-riparian habitat supporting distinct assemblages of birds, strong linkages are maintained along the riparian-upslope gradient. Clearly, the maintenance of diverse and sustainable assemblages of birds in forest landscapes depends on complementary management of both riparian and non-riparian vegetation.

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Siegel, Darlene. "A Comparison of the Ecological Integrity of Headwater Streams Draining Harvested and Un-Harvested Watersheds in the Western Mountains of Maine, U.S.A." Fogler Library, University of Maine, 2003. http://www.library.umaine.edu/theses/pdf/SiegelD2003.pdf.

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Wilkosz, Mary Elizabeth. "River and wetland conservation and preservation issues in Arizona : a study of agenda building." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1989. http://ezproxy.library.arizona.edu/login?url=.

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Miller, Travis John. "Evaluating riparian health assessment methods for perennial streams in Montana." Thesis, Montana State University, 2005. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2005/miller/MillerT0805.pdf.

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Jemison, Roy Leonard 1952. "Conditions that define a riparian zone in southeastern Arizona." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/191148.

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Riparian areas in Arizona have been centers for man's activities such as farming, cattle grazing, recreation, wildlife habitat, water, and cities, since the early 1800's. Representing less than one percent of Arizona's land resource base, riparian areas have received a disproportionately high amount of use and abuse. Public and private awareness of the necessity to preserve and manage riparian areas was aroused in the late 1960's by the Arizona Fish and Game Department and United States Forest Service with a study documenting that clearing of riparian areas was detrimental to wildlife habitats. Since the early 1970's national conferences, studies, and legislation concerning protection, preservation, and management of riparian areas have demonstrated the increasing public interest for riparian areas. Proper management of riparian areas requires land managers to have information on the environmental parameters active in these areas. Riparian areas have been studied since the 1930's, but early studies looked mainly at how to increase water yields from riparian areas through vegetation management. It has only been since the 1970's that studies have been aimed at protection and preservation of riparian areas. This dissertation documents an added effort to broaden the existing knowledge on riparian areas in the southwest. A riparian area bordering Paige Creek in southeastern Arizona was monitored for 24 months. Environmental data (e.g. precipitation, streamflow, watertable levels, soils, soil water status, and vegetation) were collected and analyzed with the objective, to determine if soil moisture content could be used as an indicator of a riparian area in the absence of typical riparian vegetation. Statistical tests indicated soil moisture in the upper 48 inches of soil could not be used to indicate the riparian area. The position of existing riparian vegetation was controlled by the location of the watertable. Unless the location of the free water supply is known, soil moisture readings alone could prove misleading.

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Stockan, Jennifer A. "Impacts of riparian buffer strips on biodiversity." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2013. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=211222.

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Buffer strips alongside watercourses are now a widely accepted method of reducing nutrient and sediment run-off from agricultural land thereby improving water quality and meeting policy goals. However, this change in land use may have consequences for riparian biodiversity which have yet to be fully understood. This study investigated the impact of buffering on various aspects of biodiversity by comparing three types of margins in three river catchments in north east Scotland. Margins were categorised as unbuffered (open and unfenced), buffered (fenced-off vegetated) and wooded (long established woody vegetation - fenced and unfenced). Components of biodiversity studied included vegetation patterns, and the abundance, diversity, movement and assemblage composition of ground-dwelling arthropods focussing primarily, though not exclusively, on ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae). This study further considered management options which may improve or enhance biodiversity. Evidenced changes in vegetation were associated with soil parameters (including decreasing pH), channel morphology, decreasing light availability and tree canopy cover, and bryophyte abundance along a successional gradient from unbuffered-buffered-wooded sites. Buffered and wooded sites showed lower activity density and species richness of ground beetles, but while one measure of functional diversity was high for wooded sites, buffered sites were found to have significantly lower values. Both species and trait assemblage structure of ground beetles were influenced by soil and vegetation, but also by features of buffer strip design such as width, length and age. Active management of sites through grazing or cutting increased ground beetle abundance, particularly hygrophilous species, but did not affect diversity. Radiotracking showed increased movement of ground beetles was correlated with intensity of grazing. Few truly riparian plant or arthropod species were identified indicating the process of buffering essentially 'terrestrialises' the riparian margins. The presence of a tree canopy layer appears to be the key instigator of change in soil conditions with vegetation and arthropods responding accordingly. Therefore planting and maintaining trees in buffer strips could be crucial to ensuring that functional diversity and associated ecosystem services are maintained. Active management through grazing or cutting could help in this regard. The results from this study suggest that rather than buffering all riparian margins within catchments, it is fundamentally important for biodiversity to maintain a mosaic of different successional stages and a diversity of habitats.

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Brand, L. Arriana. "Prediction and assessment of edge response and abundance for desert riparian birds in southeastern Arizona." Access citation, abstract and download form; downloadable file 6.23 Mb, 2004. http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcit/3131659.

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Sinnadurai, Paul. "The ecology of Riparian Carabidae (Coleoptera) in a regulated river system." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2014. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/68179/.

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Rivers and riparian zones are among the most threatened ecosystems globally, with modification of their natural flow regime a major source of change. Exposed riverine sediments (ERS) are characteristic of unregulated rivers in their upper and middle reaches and among the few remaining natural riparian habitats. However, they are in decline across the UK and Europe as a result of widespread modifications to channel structure and flow regimes. Studies of ERS and their dependent carabid beetles can help to understand how environmental change is affecting river ecosystems more generally, but prolonged research is scarce. This thesis reports on a three year study of carabid beetles at multiple sites in the Usk river system, Wales, during an extended period of low river discharge. Plot-scale experimentation and reach-scale surveys showed consistently that carabid assemblage structure and distribution varied more strongly in response to time and across the reach than to within-patch habitat character. There was no evidence of carabid assemblage succession, though generalist species richness appeared to increase through the study as specialist species richness declined, and general conditions for specialist species may have declined. It is suggested that specialist carabids of high conservation importance could be squeezed as land use encroachment and river regulation causes a decline in the ERS resource. Management interventions at the reach- or catchment scale are advocated to maintain and restore the ephemerality of ERS. Being responsive to reach- and catchment scale events, exposed riverine sediments and their dependent fauna should be the focus of long term study to appraise rates of environmental change or resilience to anthropogenic stressors. In particular, long term studies may not only reveal trends on ERS towards homogenisation, indicative of environmental decline within the wider river system, but might also help to detect the effectiveness of river restoration.

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Small, Stacy L. "Conservation and ecology of breeding landbirds in a riparian restoration context." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/4427.

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on May 6, 2009) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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Reinecke, Michiel Karl. "Links between lateral riparian vegetation zones and flow." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/95482.

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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Riparian vegetation communities that occur along perennial rivers are structured in lateral zones that run parallel to river flow. This dissertation investigated the structure of South African riparian vegetation communities along perennial, single-thread headwater streams. The central assumption was that lateral zones result from differential species’ responses to changing abiotic factors along a lateral gradient up the river bank. It was first necessary to establish the pattern of zones and whether this pattern occurs repetitively and predictably on different rivers in different biomes. Since the flow regime is considered to be the master variable that controls the occurrence of lateral zones, the link between flow as the major abiotic driver and the distribution of plants in zones was determined. Predictions were made with respect to how variable flow may influence phenological traits, particularly with respect to seed dispersal, and physiological tolerances to drying out and were tested. The existence of lateral zones at reference sites in the Western Cape of South Africa was explored and their vegetation characteristics were described. Plant distribution was related to bank slope, as defined by elevation and distance from the wetted channel edge during summer (dry season) low flow, indicating a direct link to river bank hydraulics. Whether or not the same zonation patterns occur in riparian communities in other parts of South Africa was explored next. The four zones described for Fynbos Riparian Vegetation were evident at all of the other rivers tested, despite major differences in geographic location, vegetation community type, climate and patterns of seasonal flow. The four lateral zones could be separated from each other using a combination of flood recurrence and inundation duration. Functional differences were investigated between three tree species that occur in Fynbos Riparian Vegetation. Functional differences were apparent with respect to timing of seed dispersal, growth in branch length versus girth and three physiological measures of tolerance to drying out; specific leaf area (cm2.g-1), wood density (g.cm-3) and levels of carbon isotopes (δ13C). In order to determine the impact of invasive alien plants and to monitor recovery after clearing, the physical rules devised to help delineate zones were used to locate lateral zones that had been obliterated after invasion and subsequent clearing. At the sites invaded by A. mearnsii plants, the zone delineations showed that invasion started in the lower dynamic zone, where adult and sapling A. mearnsii were most abundant. In un-invaded systems, this zone was the least densely vegetated of the four zones, the most varied in terms of inundation duration and the frequency of inter- and intra-annual floods, and was an area of active recruitment comprised mainly of recruiting seedlings and saplings. An understanding of the functional differences between lateral zones was a common thread at each riparian community that was linked to the annual frequency of inundation and the period, when inundated.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oewer plantegroei gemeenskappe wat langs standhoudende riviere voorkom is gestruktureer in laterale sones parallel met die rivier vloei. Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek die struktuur van Suid-Afrikaanse oewer plantegroei gemeenskappe langs standhoudende, enkelloop hoof strome. Die sentrale aanname was dat laterale sones vorm as gevolg van verskillende spesies se reaksie teenoor die verandering van abiotiese faktore teen 'n laterale gradiënt met die rivierbank op. Dit was eers nodig om die patroon van die gebiede vas te stel en uit te vind of hierdie patroon herhaaldelik en voorspelbaar binne verskillende riviere in verskillende biome voorkom. Aangesien die vloeiwyse beskou word as die hoof veranderlike wat die teenwoordigheid van laterale sones beheer, is die skakel tussen die vloei, as die belangrikste abiotiese bestuurder, en die verspreiding van plante in sones bepaal. Voorspellings is gemaak met betrekking tot hoe veranderlike vloei fenologiese eienskappe kan beïnvloed, veral met betrekking tot die saad verspreiding, en fisiologiese toleransie teen uitdroog, en is getoets. Die bestaan van laterale sones binne verwysings studie terreine in die Wes-Kaap van Suid- Afrika is ondersoek en hul plantegroei eienskappe is beskryf. Plant verspreiding was verwant aan bank helling, soos gedefinieer deur hoogte en afstand vanaf die nat kanaal rand gedurende somer (droë seisoen) lae vloei, en dui dus op 'n direkte skakel met die rivier bank hidroulika. Of dieselfde sonering patrone voorkom in oewer gemeenskappe in ander dele van Suid-Afrika is volgende verken. Die vier sones beskryf vir fynbos oewer plantegroei was duidelik by al die ander riviere wat ondersoek is, ten spyte van groot verskille in geografiese ligging, plantegroei gemeenskap tipe, klimaat en patrone van seisoenale vloei. Die vier laterale sones kan onderskei word van mekaar deur middel van 'n kombinasie van vloed herhaling en oorstroomde toestand duur. Funksionele verskille is ondersoek tussen drie boom spesies wat voorkom in Fynbos Oewer Plantegroei. Funksionele verskille was duidelik met betrekking tot tydsberekening van saad verspreiding, groei in tak lengte tenoor omtrek, en drie fisiologiese maatstawwe van verdraagsaamheid teenoor uitdroging; spesifieke blaar area (cm2.g-1), hout digtheid (g.cm-3) en vlakke van koolstof isotope (δ13C). Ten einde die impak van indringerplante te bepaal en die herstel na ontbossing te monitor is die fisiese reëls voorheen vasgestel om sones te help baken gebruik om laterale sones, wat vernietig is na indringing en die daaropvolgende ontbossing, te vind. Op die terreine wat deur A. mearnsii indringerplante binnegeval is, het die indeling van sones getoon dat die indringing begin het in die laer dinamiese sone, waar volwasse en klein A. mearnsii bome die volopste was. In stelsels wat nie binnegeval is deur indringerplante was hierdie sone die minste dig begroei van die vier sones, die mees verskillend in terme van oorstroomde toestand duur en die frekwensie van inter-en intra-jaarlikse vloede, en was 'n gebied van aktiewe werwing hoofsaaklik bestaande uit rekruut saailinge en boompies. 'n Begrip van die funksionele verskille tussen laterale sones was 'n algemene verskynsel by elke oewer gemeenskap wat gekoppel was aan die jaarlikse frekwensie van oorstroming en die oorstroomde toestand duur.

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Pollock, Michael Moritz. "Patterns of plant species richness in emergent and forestry wetlands of southeast Alaska /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/5518.

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Cai, Lei, and 蔡磊. "Fungal diversity from freshwater & riparian habitats and phylogeneticsof the Sordariales." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2006. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B36773827.

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Naude, Minette. "Fynbos riparian biogeochemistry and invasive Australian acacias." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/20325.

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Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Riparian ecotones, transitional areas between upland terrestrial communities and aquatic ecosystems, are very dynamic and complex ecosystems with intrinsic ecological properties differing in spatial structure, function and temporal dynamics. Riparian habitats along rivers of the Mediterranean south-western Cape are sensitive to environmental change and particularly vulnerable to invasion by invasive alien plants (IAPs), especially nitrogen-fixing Acacia spp., and yet relatively little work has focused on how riparian ecosystems in this region respond to such stressors. The important roles that intact riparian vegetation play in maintaining ecosystem integrity and services have been increasingly highlighted as we acknowledge the degradation of these habitats. While the Working for Water (WfW) programme has been shown to be very successful in eradicating IAPs in riparian zones in the short-term, the extent to which riparian ecosystems recover following alien clearing activities remains poorly understood. The results presented in this study addressed several different aspects of riparian structure and function and acts as a steppingstone for guiding future research and management in riparian zones by adding to the evaluation of the success of clearing initiatives and restoration thereof. The aim of this study was to assess plant functional type (PFT) cover, soil physical and chemical properties, and selected biogeochemical processes in natural, Acacia- invaded and cleared riparian ecotones and associated non-riparian upland fynbos. Fieldwork was performed in mountain and foothill sections of six perennial river systems within the south-western Cape. Eleven sites of three categories were chosen: four natural sites (uninvaded); four moderate to highly invaded sites (predominantly A. mearnsii); and three cleared sites (a formerly invaded site that had been cleared more than 7 years prior to the study). Within each site, four to five replicate plots were established along each of three geomorphological zones (wet bank, dry bank, and upland fynbos). Seasonal soil samples were collected for a period of one year. Results from this study showed that PFT cover and composition, soil physical and chemical properties and rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) mineralization differed amongst invasion status, between geomorphological zones and across seasons. Regarding most soil physical and chemical properties and indices N and P cycling, river floodplains (dry banks) were very similar to terrestrial uplands. Acacia spp. changes soil properties and affects plant functional attributes by i) enriching the system with N; ii) enhancing litter inputs; iii) altering soil physical properties; iv) changing the composition and reducing the cover of PFT; and v) enhancing P mineralization rates. Although measured soil physical and chemical properties and N and P mineralization rates were reduced to levels that were similar to or resembled the situation at natural areas, available inorganic N remained two times higher after more than seven years of clearance. Furthermore, cleared areas were characterized by sparse woody cover and a high cover of alien grasses. Correlations between soil silt and clay content and several soil properties measured in this and other studies indicates important linkages between soil texture and resource availability. Clearing Acacia spp. may initiate restoration of invaded riparian ecosystems, but changes in ecosystem function (e.g. elevated soil N availability) as a result of invasion may necessitate active restoration following the removal of the alien species. Active restoration under such conditions would be required to facilitate the restoration of cleared riparian communities. However, we still lack the mechanistic understanding around fynbos riparian recovery after clearing, as the success of restoration may depend on complex interaction and feedback cycles between plants and their physical environment. A greater comprehensive understanding of fynbos riparian ecological processes will not only improve the effectiveness of restoration initiatives by integrating science and management, but also advance the field of riparian ecology.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Rivier oewerwal-areas, oorgang gebiede tussen aangrensende terrestriële gemeenskappe en akwatiese ekosisteme, is baie dinamiese en komplekse ekosisteme met intrinsieke ekologiese eienskappe wat verskil in struktuur, funksie (bv. biogeochemie siklusse) en temporale dinamika. Oewerhabitatte langs riviere van die Mediterreense suid-wes Kaap is sensitief vir omgewingsveranderinge en kwesbaar vir indringing deur uitheemse plante (bekend as “invasive alien plants” (IAPs)), veral stikstof-fiksering Acacia spp., en relatief min werk het nog gefokus op hoe ekosisteme in die streek reageer op sulke veranderinge in die omgewing. Die belangrike rol wat gesonde oewerwal plantegroei speel in die handhawing van ekosisteemdienste- en integriteit, is al hoe meer uitgelig soos ons die agteruitgang van hierdie habitat in ag neem. Terwyl die Werk vir Water (WvW)-program al dat baie suksesvol was in die uitwissing van IAPs in oewersones in die kort termyn, is die mate waarin oewer-ekostelsels herstel na skoonmaakaksies swak verstaan. Fynbos oewerwal-areas is grootliks ingeneem deur houtagtige IAPs, veral stikstof fiksering Acacia spp. (soos Acacia mearnsii). Die resultate wat in hierdie studie aangebied is, het verskillende aspekte van oewer- struktuur en funksie aangespreek en dien as middel vir toekomstige navorsing en bestuur van oewerwal ekosisteme deur by te dra tot die evaluering van die sukses van skoonmaak inisiatiewe en die herstelproses daarvan. Die doel van hierdie projek was om die moontlikhede vir herstel van fynbos owerwal-ekostelsels te evalueer deur middel van verskeie grond- fisiese en chemiese eienskappe; plant funksionele groep dekking (genoem ‘plant functional types’ (PFT)); en geselekteerde grond biogeochemie prosesse in natuurlike, Acacia- aangetaste, en skoongemaakte rivierstelsels en nabygeleë terrestriese areas te vergelyk. Veldwerk is gedoen in bergstroom en voetheuwel rivierseksies van ses standhoudende rivierstelsels in Suid-wes Kaap, Suid Afrika. Van uit hierdie geselekteerde rivierstelsels is elf studie areas van drie kategorieë (of indringing status) gekies: vier natuurlike areas (nie aangetas); vier gematig- tot hoogs aangetaste areas (hoofsaaklik A. meanrsii); en drie skoongemaakte areas (rivieroewers wat meer as sewe jaar van te vore skoongemaak is). Binne elke studie area was vier tot vyf soortgelyke persele gevestig by elke van drie breë geomorfologiese sones: naamlik nat-, droë en hoogliggende terrestriese fynbos. Seisoenale grondmonsters vir 'n tydperk van een jaar is geneem. Resultate van hierdie studie het getoon dat PFT dekking en samestelling, grond fisiese- en chemiese eienskappe en N-mineralisasie en suur fosfatase aktiwiteit verskil tussen indringing status, geomorfologiese sones en oor seisoene. Ten opsigte van meeste grond fisiese en chemiese eienskappe en indekse van stikstof (N) en fosfor (P) siklusse kom die rivier vogregimes (droë oewersones) baie ooreen met die terrestriële gebiede. Aan die anderkant is die natbanksones gekenmerk deur grondeienskappe wat baie verskil van die ander twee geomorfologiese gebiede. Die gegewens ondersteun die hipotese dat indringing deur Acacia spp. verskeie grondeienskappe verander en plante se funksionele kenmerke beïnvloed deur i) die sisteem met voedingstowwe te verryk (veral N); ii) verhoog die toevoeging van plantmateriaal; iii) verander grond fisiese eienskappe; iv) verander die samestelling en verminder die dekking van PFT; v) en verhoog P biogeochemie. Hoewel grond fisiese -en chemiese eienskappe, en indekse van N en P mineralisasie verminder is tot vlakke wat soortgelyk aan natuurlike areas, het beskikbare anorganiese N twee keer hoër gebly by skoongemaakte gebiede. Nietemin, voorheen skoongemaakte gebiede is weer-binnegeval deur eksotiese grasse en die regenerasie of hertelling van inheemse fynbos gemeenskappe is taamlik beperk, veral houtagtige oewer struike en bome. Korrelasies tussen grond slik-en klei-inhoud en verskeie grondeienskappe gemeet in hierdie en ander studies dui op belangrike skakeling tussen die grondtekstuur en voedingstof beskikbaarheid. Die opruiming van Acacia spp. mag as aansporing dien vir die herstellingsproses van rivieroewerstelsels, maar veranderinge in die funksie van ekosisteme (bv. verhoogte grond N beskikbaarheid), as gevolg van indringing, mag aktiewe herstel noodsaak nadat die indringer spesies verwyder is. Aktiewe herstel onder sulke omstandighede sal verwag word om die herstel van skoongemaak oewer gemeenskappe te fasiliteer. Ons het wel egter nog 'n gebrek aan die meganistiese begrip in verband met die herstel van fynbos oewerwal areas na opruimings-inisiatiewe, sedert die sukses van herstel kan afhang van komplekse interaksie en terugvoer siklusse tussen die plante en hul fisiese omgewing. ŉ Meer omvattende begrip van fynbos rivieroewer ekologiese prosesse sal nie net die doeltreffendheid van opruimings-inisiatiewe deur die integrasie van wetenskaplike navorsing en bestuur verbeter nie, maar ook vooraf die gebied van rivieroewer-ekologie.

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23

Cahlander-Mooers, Alex. "Riparian Vegetation and Land Cover along the Great Plains' White River." Thesis, University of South Dakota, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10006278.

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Overall, the results of this study show that there are evident trends among the three ecoregions and delta of the White River. The forest stands of the Pine Ridge/Pierre Shale Ecoregion are the oldest along the river, as evidenced by aerial mapping going back into the 1930s and by the larger average trunk diameters of the trees. Historic aerial photographs for this ecoregion shows a relative static system from the 1930s-2010, with little destruction of existing or creation of new forests within the floodplain. Along with the older age of the forests, the stands in this ecoregion have the lowest floral diversity. The Pine Ridge/Pierre Shale forests are also unique along the river in that they are largely dominated by Acer negundo (box elder), a late-successional species that is largely absent from the forests of the other ecoregions. As the river continues downstream and enters the Badlands Ecoregion it gains size and volume, while its riparian forests decrease in patch size and tree density. Although the forests become smaller, the variety of communities and diversity of species increase. Unlike the Pine Ridge/Pierre Shale Ecoregion, the Badlands’ land cover was dynamic from the 1930s-2010, with increases in forest and declines in river channel area (-29%). Farther downstream and with a larger river channel, the River Breaks has even larger and more diverse riparian forests and the highest plant species richness and diversity among the ecoregions. The rate of land cover change was the greatest in the River Breaks, as the larger river has greater power for eroding existing communities and depositing sediment for recruitment. The area of riparian woody vegetation increased sharply from the 1930s-2010 (58%), while the area of channel declined (-20%). This ecoregion had the most perennial streamflow, with fewer zero flow days than in the upstream ecoregions. The Delta is unique as the only portion of the river where flows are affected by the Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River. The impact of the reservoir on the area is evident, as it has the largest proportional area of forest along the river, as well as having the flora with the highest wetland affinity.

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Evers, Stephanie. "The role of forest stream corridor characteristics in influencing stream and riparian ecology." Connect to e-thesis, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/184/.

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Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 2008.
Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 2008. Includes bibliographical references.

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Brantley, Evaden F. Lockaby Bruce Graeme. "Influence of Chinese privet (Ligustrum Sinense lour.) on riparian forests of the southern Piedmont net primary /." Auburn, Ala, 2008. http://repo.lib.auburn.edu/EtdRoot/2008/FALL/Forestry_and_Wildlife_Sciences/Dissertation/Brantley_Evaden_49.pdf.

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Whitman, Heather L. "Effects of Adjacent Land-use Practices and Environmental Factors on Riparian Vegetation and Water Quality in the Sugar Creek Watershed, Northeastern Ohio." The Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1250568833.

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27

Simcox, David Edward. "Public values in urban riparian land use." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184464.

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Riparian wetlands are among the most valuable landscapes in the arid southwest. Since they are sources for water and green vegetation, they are unique compared to surrounding desert landscapes. They also offer the potential for a wide range of commodity and non-commodity based land uses. In a rapidly urbanizing setting, commodity based uses such as housing, retail, and industrial development often come into conflict with non-commodity based uses such as recreation and wildlife, water and nature preservation. The purpose of this study was to deduce public value orientations toward the rapidly urbanizing riparian landscapes of Tucson, Arizona through an assessment of residents' attitudes and perceptions regarding those landscapes. Theoretical constructs addressing the relationship between attitudes and perceptions and varying conditions of residential setting, proximity, familiarity, and human influence in the landscape were also assessed. Data were collected by mail survey and by a photo-surrogate landscape assessment technique which provided data on scenic quality and the appropriateness of various land uses. Results indicate that the strongest differences across residential settings, proximity, familiarity, and human influence occur for perceptions of existing landscape conditions. Weaker differences occur for perceptions of change and opinions on planning, management, and growth. No differences were found on land use preferences. Although perceptions differ about what currently exists in the landscape, respondents are unified in their preferences for future land use. This suggests that landscape assessments based only on perceptions of existing conditions may not accurately reflect public values for future land uses. Public value orientations were found to be associated with: (1) careful planning to control growth; (2) conservation of water resources; (3) preservation and rehabilitation of natural vegetation, wildlife habitat, open space, and other non-commodity resources, and (4) development of compatible flood control structures. Results suggest that the changes occurring in the study area are incompatible with respondents' preferences for future land uses.

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Edwards, Eric Alan. "Water, Energy and Carbon Dioxide Exchange of a Riparian Mesquite Woodland." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2002. http://etd.library.arizona.edu/etd/GetFileServlet?file=file:///data1/pdf/etd/azu_etd_hy0090_sip1_w.pdf&type=application/pdf.

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MacKay, Mark Andrew. "Development and evaluation of a technique for evaluating riparian vegetation change in the tallgrass prairie." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/4102.

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Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (June 30, 2006) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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Slater, Steven J. "Wyoming's riparian bird communities issues of scale and human-caused vegetation and landscape change /." Laramie, Wyo. : University of Wyoming, 2006. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1212779261&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=18949&RQT=309&VName=PQD.

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Hough-Snee, Nathaniel. "Relationships between Riparian Vegetation, Hydrology, Climate and Disturbance across the Western United States." Thesis, Utah State University, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10154374.

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Flow regime, the magnitude, duration and timing of streamflow, controls the development of floodplain landforms on which riparian vegetation communities assemble. Streamflow scours and deposits sediment, structures floodplain soil moisture dynamics, and transports propagules. Flow regime interacts with environmental gradients like climate, land-use, and biomass-removing disturbance to shape riparian plant distributions across landscapes. These gradients select for groups of riparian plant species with traits that allow them to establish, grow, and reproduce on floodplains – riparian vegetation guilds. Here I ask, what governs the distributions of groups of similar riparian plant species across landscapes? To answer this question, I identify relationships between riparian vegetation guilds and communities and environmental gradients across the American West. In Chapter One, I discuss guild-based classification in the context of community ecology and streams. In Chapter Two, I identified five woody riparian vegetation guilds across the interior Columbia and upper Missouri River Basins, USA, based on species’ traits and morphological attributes. I modeled guild occurrence across environmental gradients, including climate, disturbance, channel form attributes that reflect hydrology, and relationships between guilds. I found guilds’ distributions were related to hydrology, disturbance, and competitive or complementary interactions (niche partitioning) between co-occurring guilds. In Chapter Three, I examine floodplain riparian vegetation across the American West, identifying how hydrology, climate, and floodplain alteration shape riparian vegetation communities and their guilds. I identified eight distinct plant communities ranging from high elevation mixed conifer forests to gallery cottonwood forests to Tamarisk-dominated novel shrublands. I aggregated woody species into four guilds based on their traits and morphological attributes: an evergreen tree guild, a mesoriparian shrub guild, a mesoriparian tree guild, and a drought and hydrologic disturbance tolerant shrub guild. Communities and guilds’ distributions were governed by climate directly, and indirectly as mediated through streamflow. In Chapter Four, I discuss the utility of guild-based assessments of riparian vegetation, current limitations to these approaches, and potential future applications of the riparian vegetation guild concept to floodplain conservation and management. The classification of vegetation into functional trait-based guilds provides a flexible, framework from which to understand riparian biogeography, complementing other models frameworks for riparian vegetation.

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Darambazar, Enkhjargal. "Factors influencing diet composition of beef cattle grazing mixed conifer mountain riparian areas." Thesis, Connect to this title online, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/3137.

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Bateman, Nancy G., and University of Lethbridge Faculty of Arts and Science. "Evaluating the Alberta riparian habitat management program." Thesis, Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Arts and Science, 2001, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10133/128.

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This study illustrates a utilization-focused program evaluation approach newly applied to resource management. The Alberta Riparian Habitat Management (Cows and Fish) Program provides awareness programming to cattle producers to facilitate community-based action on riparian issues. The rationale is to develop producers' ecological literacy by increasing riparian knowledge and use of sustainable grazing management strategies by sharing appropriate ecological and management information. Attitude change is presumed to underlie the new behaviour(s). Programming contributed to ecological literacy when it was community-based, producer-positive and partnership-oriented, and when opportunities existed for personal interaction among peers. Effectiveness declined when resources were insufficient and when programming seemed unrelated to local landscape or operational features. The attitude-behaviour relationship was weakly associated with ecological literacy; its complexity and relevance to ecological behaviours merits further investigation. Program evaluation is of utility in resource management. Its potential will be fully realized by ensuring that research designs appropriately parallel programming rationale and evaluation requirements.
ix, 316 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

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Chan, Ka-wang Eric. "Riparian insects and predation by insectivores : energy transfers across tropical land-water ecotones /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2007. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/b40203918.

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Chapman, Linnaea R. A. "The long-term availability of large woody debris in logged stream channels and second-growth riparian forests on the west coast of Vancouver Island." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/MQ39179.pdf.

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36

Hill, Shannon K. Vodopich Darrell S. "The influence of urbanization on the basking behavior of a Central Texas freshwater turtle community." Waco, Tex. : Baylor University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2104/5245.

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37

Polzin, Mary Louise, and University of Lethbridge Faculty of Arts and Science. "River and riparian dynamics and black cottonwoods in the Kootenay River Basin, British Columbia and Montana." Thesis, Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Arts and Science, 1998, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10133/88.

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The black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa, provides the foundtaion for the riparian woodlands throughout southern British Columbia (B.C.) and western Montana (MT). To study the interaction of riparian dynamics and cottonwood ecology, the present study investigated the influence of the extreme 1995 Elk River flood on the riparian zone and cottonwood ecology, and the effects of flood flow attenuation by the Libby Dam on riparian processess and cottonwoodland ecology of the Kootenai(y) River. Four river reaches were studied: the free-flowing Elk River near Fernie, B.C., the free-flowing Upper Kootenay River, B.C., upstream from the Koocanusa Reservoir, the free-flowing Fisher River, MT, near the Kootenai junction, and the flow-attenuated Lower Kootenai River near Libby, MT. Air photos from 1930, 1962, 1992 and/or 1994 revealed substantial channel change and the development of barren point bars that served as recruitment sites for willos and cottonwoods along the free-flowing reaches. Conversely, the Lower Kootenai had a relatively static channel after damming. In total, thirty-five transects were studied in 1996 and 1997 at 3 sites along each river reach to assess elevation profiles, substrate composition, scour and deposition, vegatation patterns, and aspects of cottonwood reproduction. Abundant cottonwood recruitment occurred in 1996 and even more so in 1997, producing mean densities of 153, 536, and 142 seedlings/m2 along the Elk, Upper Kootenay, and Fisher river transects, respectively. In marked contrast, no seedlings were successful along the Lower Kootenai River, downstream from the Libby Dam. The free-flowing river reaches experienced extensive sediment deposition in the riparian zone after the 1997 high water, whereas the Lower Kootenai experienced little change in stream bank configuration. The Elk River study revealed that the 1995 flood caused considerate geomorphic change and the resultant unconsolidated deposits were easily scoured and transported during the subsequent two years providing abundant sites for new cottonwoods. The Kootenay River study revealed limited meandering and deposition along the flow-attenuated Lower Kootenai River compared to the hydrologically, geomorphologically, and ecologically dynamic, free-flowing upstream reach. Along the Lower Kootenai River, there was a deficiency in black cottonwood population age structure due to limited recruitment. Flood-intolerant, upland plants have encroached to the river's edge, further eliminating cottonwood recruitment opportunities along the Lower Kootenai River. The vegetation encroachment, the static channel configuration, the minimal scour and sediment deposition and the lack of the essential stream stage pattern, combine to underlie the lack of seedling recruitment and the consequent deficiency in cottonwood population structure along the Lower Kootenai River. The studies demonstrate that black cottonwoods require a dynamic hydrologic and geomorphic system with periodic flood events for continued replenishment. The observed loss of cottonwood recruitment along the Lower Kootenai River is thus the consequence of the flood flow attenuation due to the operation of the Libby Dam. The restoration of the Lower Kootenai cottonwoods will probably rely on a partial recovery of more natural and more dynamic instream flow patterns that include occasional high flows in late spring followed by gradual stage recession. Such flows would exclude upland vegetation, recover more dynamic geomorphic processes and provide the stream stage patterns that are directly essential for cottonwood seedling recruitment.
1 v. (various pagings) : ill. (some col.), maps ; 28 cm.

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38

Brown, Bryan T. "Ecology of riparian breeding birds along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1987. http://ezproxy.library.arizona.edu/login?url=.

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Franz, Simone, and University of Lethbridge Faculty of Arts and Science. "The effect of cattle grazing in riparian areas on winter biodiversity and ecology." Thesis, Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Biological Sciences, c2009, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10133/2516.

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Livestock grazing in riparian habitats alters the vegetation structure, which has a detrimental effect on wildlife. This study examined the effect of cattle grazing in riparian habitats on winter bird biodiversity, small mammal biodiversity, and microclimate. Study sites were ungrazed, moderately grazed, and heavily grazed riparian habitats along the Oldman River, Alberta during winter 2005 and 2006. Bird species richness, individual abundance, and diversity indices were higher in ungrazed habitats than in grazed habitats. Deer mouse population sizes were not different except during spring 2006, when populations were larger in ungrazed sites. Microclimate data were collected in riparian sites and upland sites in winter 2006. Temperatures were higher and wind speeds were slower in riparian sites than in upland sites. Wind speeds were faster in heavily grazed riparian sites than in lightly grazed sites. Faster winds in heavily grazed sites may account for the decreased winter biodiversity in these habitats.
x, 118 leaves ; 29 cm

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40

Evers, Stephanie L. "The role of forest stream corridor characteristics in influencing stream and riparian ecology." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/184/.

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This PhD thesis seeks to consider conifer forestry stream corridor design in relation to both in-stream and riparian zone biodiversity and functioning. The contribution, availability and source of basal resources within varying corridor conditions are the focus of this project. This approach is combined with surveys of community diversity on a number of key trophic scales in order to determine how the corridor characteristics and their associated resource availability, affects community structure. The effects of varying design and management of the riparian buffer zones within afforested stream systems on in-stream and overall habitat diversity and functioning remains largely unknown. Although guidelines have been implemented for several years (Forest and Water Guidelines, Forestry Commission), recommendations, although based on sound assumptions, are subjective assessments and tend not based on scientific research or data. As such, the premise of this project is to consider a variety of corridor physical parameters adjacent to low-order streams within two afforested catchments in South-West Scotland, between 2003 and 2005, in order to contribute to the understanding of system functioning within the limitations of forestry land-use and management. A number of different approaches were employed in order to define the proportional contributions of allochthonous and autochthonous material within the benthos of the stream systems. This was done in order to define resource availability, biofilm characteristics, stream functioning and the role of corridor design in influencing resource availability. Yet, despite significant autochthonous productivity, allochthonous organic matter was the primary resource utilised by many taxa. However, conversely, light regime was found to be fundamental in shaping production and community structure within these ecosystems. Consequently, here I explore a number of different trophic scale responses to riparian conditions in order to define the biotic responses to variation of resource availability, with the aim of contributing information which may aid in design and management of afforested riparian zones.

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Truscott, A. M. "Distribution, ecology and the ecosystem impacts of the riparian invasive plant Mimulus guttatus." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.590977.

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Mimulus occurrence was high in the study catchment in NE Scotland but varied between tributaries. Abiotic factors, such as sediment availability and presence of boulders, appeared to be the major determinants of occurrence and abundance, whereas biotic factors, such as interspecific competition and grazing, were more important ecological determinants underlying performance. The rate of spread of Mimulus into inundation communities is likely to increase with more frequent occurrence of high flow events under climate change. Mimulus was found to fragment readily under velocities typical of high flow conditions, and fragments had high survival, regeneration and colonisation capacity. In addition, high propagule pressure and rapid germination of seeds, indicates that Mimulus is highly adapted to dispersal by both seeds and vegetative means. Over three years the turnover of Mimulus patches was high and abundance and distribution of patches appeared to be controlled by a balance of local dynamics and catchment scale colonisation and extinction events. Mimulus was found to significantly alter the structure of riparian plant communities even at low cover levels, reducing native plant species richness and diversity in disturbed sediment communities. The impact of Mimulus appeared restricted to disturbed sediment communities, as addition experiments into herb-grass communities were relatively unsuccessful in establishing Mimulus as a result of competition from the resident vegetation community and mollusc herbivory. This thesis has improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying riparian plant invasions. It demonstrates the importance of considering different measures of invasion success and climate change scenarios when predicting distribution and drivers of invasive species spread, and has identified that Mimulus impacts native plant communities, causing degradation of riparian systems.

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Miller, Craig J. "Conservation ecology of riparian forest within the agricultural landscape: West Coast, New Zealand." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Forestry, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/4801.

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This study seeks to determine the spatial extent and characteristics of riparian forest on the South Island's West Coast, and to examine the ecological status and condition of riparian forest patches within the West Coast's agricultural landscape. The majority of West Coast riparian forest occurs on south Westland floodplains. Further north these forests were found to comprise <20% of the vegetation cover in 16/27 of the region's Ecological Districts. Today >80 000 ha (53%) of the floodplains are in pasture, and <1% of the farmed areas are in indigenous forest. Remaining forests on the farmed floodplains are comprised of many small patches (mean size 3.7 ± 0.3 ha), with only 13 patches  9 ha.

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Holcomb, Sheralyn S. "An examination of the riparian bottomland forest in north central Texas through ecology, history, field study, and computer simulation." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2001. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2892/.

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This paper explores the characterization of a riparian bottomland forest in north central Texas in two ways: field study, and computer simulation with the model ZELIG. First, context is provided in Chapter One with a brief description of a southern bottomland forest, the ecological services it provides, and a history of bottomland forests in Texas from the nineteenth century to the present. A report on a characterization study of the Lake Ray Roberts Greenbelt forest comprises Chapter Two. The final chapter reviews a phytosocial study of a remnant bottomland forest within the Greenbelt. Details of the ZELIG calibration process follow, with a discussion of ways to improve ZELIG's simulation of bottomland forests.

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44

Snyder, Keirith A. 1967. "Patterns of plant species diversity and composition in a semi-arid riparian ecosystem." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/278513.

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Understanding plant community structure is fundamental to successful restoration and conservation of riparian ecosystems. High plant species diversity is often cited as an important characteristic of riparian areas. Graphical summaries, principal components analysis, and analysis of variance were used on species composition and abundance data to determine community patterns in riparian areas and surrounding uplands. Woody plant composition varied with relative elevation above the primary channel, but herbaceous composition appeared unaffected by proximity to the riparian area. Alpha diversity indices, richness, Shannon's H', and Simpson's D, were not always higher within the riparian area. Alpha diversity of woody plants demonstrated no consistent pattern, however vertical structural diversity was highest near the stream. Herbaceous plants showed increased diversity in floodplain sites and decreased diversity in hillslopes sites, suggesting that topographical profile influenced diversity. Herbaceous richness was better predicted from overstory characteristics than herbaceous biomass and environmental variables.

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Steward, Alisha Louise. "When the River Runs Dry: The Ecology of Dry River Beds." Thesis, Griffith University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366740.

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Temporary rivers and streams that naturally cease to flow can be found on every continent. Many others that were once perennial now also have temporary flow regimes due to the effects of water extraction or changes in land-use and climate, while others that used to run dry no longer do so due to water releases and waste water discharges. The dry beds of temporary rivers are an integral part of river landscapes and have: a role as seed and egg banks for aquatic biota; a unique diversity of aquatic, amphibious and terrestrial biota; a role as dispersal corridors; as temporal ecotones linking wet and dry phases; and as sites for the storage and processing of organic matter and nutrients. They also have a societal values, such as significance in human language and culture; agricultural uses; sources of sand and gravel for building purposes; and as places for recreation. ‘Traditional’ conceptual models of riverine ecosystem structure and function do not consider the dry phase. As a consequence, these models are incomplete and are thus not fully applicable to many parts of the world where temporary rivers are common and the dry phase is significant.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Griffith School of Environment
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
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46

McCaffery, Magnus. "The influence of an ecosystem engineer on nutrient subsidies and fish invasions in Southwestern Montana." Diss., [Missoula, Mont.] : University of Montana, 2009. http://etd.lib.umt.edu/theses/available/etd-03102010-102211.

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47

Wilkinson, Robert N. "A Habitat Evaluation and Management Plan for a Riparian Ecosystem." Thesis, North Texas State University, 1988. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc501112/.

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Ecological research involving habitat studies was conducted on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River in Denton County, Texas, from spring 1985 to spring 1986. Habitat Evaluation Procedures and Habitat Suitability Index Models developed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service were applied to a 1419 hectares study area to determine the quality of habitat for four species: beaver, Castor canadensis, wood duck, Aix sponsa, pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus, and white crappie, Poxomis annularis. Population estimates were generated. A wildlife management plan was developed for the study area. Habitat Suitability Index Models were found to be overly conservative, underestimating the quality of habitat in areas of ecological transition.

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Toner, Maureen M. "Decision rules for riparian vegetation: Predicting the distribution of plant functional groups from trait-environment relationships." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/10200.

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The conservation of biological diversity requires simple, predicative models that yield quantitative guidelines for management. This is illustrated by contemporary problems in managing wetlands. Riparian wetlands, in particular, are under heavy pressure from the hydrological changes produced by dam construction and water diversion projects. There has been ample documentation of the significance of substrate and hydrologic variables on the composition of shoreline plant communities, yet we have few models that yield quantitative predictions for conservation management. My goal has been to provide quantitative decision rules that predict the composition of wetland plant communities. A principal obstacle to generating predictions for wetland vegetation is the large species pool. One solution is the assignment of species to functional groups that are recognizable by a few, simple traits. The distribution of these functional groups could then be described by trait-environment relationships. I have investigated the relationship between the distribution of functional groups and a set of hydrological and substrate variables, using the wetlands of the Ottawa River as my study system. I first identified two fundamental functional groups of wetland species, woody and herbaceous. The model with the highest accuracy was composed to two hydrologic variables, the last day of the first flood and the time of the second flood. The combination of these two variables correctly identified which group was the cover type for over 80% of the original data points. I then investigated the relationships between functional groups defined by the presence or absence of floating leaves and/or flexuous stems and the environmental variables. The duration of flooding best described the distribution of this group, again with an accuracy of over 80%, using the original data points. Finally I compared the merits of five classifications of emergent species in identifying functional groups that can be predicted from hydrological and substrate variables. The traits used in these classifications included leaf shape, area or arrangement; stem characteristics; ramet biomass; ramet height; and the number and length of rhizomes. The most accurate models (based on the original data) related the distribution of the functional groups that were defined by leaf shape, leaf area and stem diameter to hydrology and the sand fraction in the soil. I generated and tested quantitative predictions from the 11 models with the highest accuracy (using the original data) from the above work. Four models performed well when tested with data from other regions or from Ottawa River sites not previously included in the analysis. The corresponding functional groups were woody plants, floating leaved/flexuous stemmed plants, plants with leaf area equal to zero and plants with lanceolate, elliptical or compound emergent leaves. Using the model parameters I formulated inclusion and exclusion rules to predict the presence or absence of these functional groups at various ranges of the significant environmental variables. These decision rules provide valuable tools for the conservation management of the vegetation of riverine wetlands.

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Baird, Kathryn J., Nish Robert Mac, and D. Philip Guertin. "An evaluation of hydrologic and riparian resources in Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona." Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/615752.

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Cooperation Agreement No. CA 8000 -2 -9001 Work Order No. 8039 -2 -9001
Within Saguaro National Park only Rincon Mountain District contains significant riparian areas. The geologic framework of the Tanque Verde Ridge and Rincon Valley exerts strong control on the hydrology of these riparian systems. Pantano fault constitutes a line of hydrogeologic separation between the occurrence and utilization of groundwater in the Rincon Valley and the main Tucson basin. No known, comparable fault isolates the upper Tanque Verde Creek alluvium from downstream pumping effects. However, east of the confluence with Agua Caliente Wash, the highly permeable alluvial materials are much thinner, and serve to dampen such downstream effects. Therefore, the ground water reservoirs supporting the riparian areas within Rincon Mountain District are not directly connected to the Tucson basin aquifer. In what is described herein as upper basin areas, high gradient tributary streams to Tanque Verde Creek and Rincon Creek have discontinuous bodies of shallow alluvium interspersed with bedrock channel. Alluvium has accumulated behind small faults or resistant bedrock ledges and contains shallow ground water basins that support small pockets of riparian or xeroriparian vegetation. The ground water in these small basins is sustained by seeps or springs, and by runoff from precipitation and is not likely to be connected to a regional ground water system. In what we have characterized as middle basin areas, the stream gradients are less than 25m/km. In these low gradient reaches, the alluvial floodplain sediments are continuous, though not thick, as ledges of more resistant bedrock formations appear in the stream channel. These low gradient reaches contain larger volumes of ground water than the high gradient basins and support more robust riparian vegetation. The ground water in the low gradient reaches is believed to be connected to the regional ground water system. Such a low gradient reach exists in a tributary to Tanque Verde Creek about 1.4 km east of Wentworth Road and extends about 1.6 km into the Park. A similar low gradient reach occurs along Rincon Creek in the Expansion Area, and at the mouths of Chiminea and Madrona Creeks.

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Murray, Norman L. "Habitat use by nongame birds in central Appalachian riparian forests." Thesis, This resource online, 1992. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-02162010-020633/.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Riparian ecology'

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