Drift and retention of pelagic spawning minnow eggs in a regulated river

Long‐distance drift of eggs and larvae has been identified as a possible cause of downstream displacement and poor recruitment of the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus; silvery minnow). Seven experiments were conducted using artificial eggs to estimate silvery minnow egg drift and retention in the Albuquerque and Isleta reaches of the regulated Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, USA over a range of flows during expected spawning times. Bead retention varied by reach, discharge, and shape of the hydrograph. Highest retention (6.9 and 9.7% per km in the Albuquerque and Isleta reaches, respectively) occurred on the ascending limb of a high flow in areas where there was substantial floodplain inundation. Retention was maximized at different flows in each reach (97 and 140 m³/s, respectively), possibly associated with reach‐specific floodplain inundation thresholds. Lowest retention in each reach (2.1 and 1.7%, respectively) occurred on the descending limb of low and high flows, respectively. Of the silvery minnow eggs produced in the combined Albuquerque and Isleta reaches in 2005, 8–14% are predicted to have been retained in the Albuquerque Reach (67 km) and 49–83% in the Isleta Reach (86 km) based on the distribution of adult fish and measured bead retention rates. Although silvery minnow propagules are capable of drifting long distances, our study suggests that considerable retention occurs in the Middle Rio Grande. Habitat restoration to increase channel habitat complexity, and flow management to promote floodplain inundation should help to retain a greater proportion of propagules in upstream reaches. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ecological strategies successfully predict the effects of river floodplain rehabilitation on breeding birds

To improve the ecological functioning of riverine ecosystems, large‐scale floodplain rehabilitation has been carried out in the Rhine–Meuse Delta since the 1990s. This paper evaluates changes in abundance of 93 breeding bird species over a period of 10 years in response to rehabilitation, by comparing population changes in 75 rehabilitated sites with 124 non‐rehabilitated reference sites. Such quantitative, multi‐species, large‐scale and long‐term evaluations of floodplain rehabilitation on biodiversity are still scarce, particularly studies that focus on the terrestrial component. We try to understand the effects by relating population trends to ecological and life‐history traits and strategies of breeding birds. More specifically, we try to answer the question whether rehabilitation of vegetation succession or hydro‐geomorphological river processes is the key driver behind recent population changes in rehabilitated sites. Populations of 35 species have significantly performed better in rehabilitated sites compared to non‐rehabilitated floodplains, whereas only 8 have responded negatively to rehabilitation. Differences in effects between species are best explained by the trait selection of nest location. Reproductive investment and migratory behaviour were less strong predictors. Based on these three traits we defined eight life‐history strategies that successfully captured a substantial amount of variation in rehabilitation effects. We conclude that spontaneous vegetation succession and initial excavations are currently more important drivers of population changes than rehabilitation of hydrodynamics. The latter are strongly constrained by river regulation. If rehabilitation of hydro‐geomorphological processes remains incomplete in future, artificial cyclic floodplain rejuvenation will be necessary for sustainable conservation of characteristic river birds. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

GRADIENTS IN THE BIOPHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF URBAN RIVERS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH RIVER CHANNEL ENGINEERING

Urban rivers are often engineered to increase flood conveyance and stabilize channel size and position. This paper analyses habitat surveys of 180 urban river stretches of differing engineering type from four river basins (river Tame, West Midlands, UK; tributaries of the lower river Thames, UK; river Botic, Prague, Czech Republic; river Emscher, North‐Rhine Westphalia, Germany). Kruskal–Wallis tests identify significant differences in extent and/or frequency of flow types, bank and bed physical habitats, and vegetation characteristics associated with different styles of engineering. Principal Components Analysis identifies four key environmental gradients in the data set: sediment supply and retention; extent and diversity of in‐channel vegetation and riparian trees; bed and bank sediment calibre; flow type energy and complexity. These gradients discriminate stretches of differing planform, cross section and reinforcement and are significantly correlated with indices of degree and type of bank and bed reinforcement, pollution and presence of alien nuisance plant species. The analytical results illustrate statistically significant associations between different styles and levels of engineering intervention and the number and nature of physical habitats present in urban rivers. The results provide a basis for filtering sites for potential remedial measures prior to site‐specific surveys and modelling, for comparing sites and for tracking trajectories of change at sites that are subject to changes in channel engineering. They provide evidence that river condition and degree of engineering are not inversely related in a simple linear way, and that engineering of urban river channels, in the form of mixed, patchy reinforcement can contribute a great deal to habitat diversity where other controls on flow heterogeneity are more difficult to manipulate. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

FISH HABITAT OPTIMIZATION TO PRIORITIZE RIVER RESTORATION DECISIONS

This paper examines and ranks restoration alternatives for improving fish habitat by evaluating tradeoffs between fish production and restoration costs. Optimization modelling is used to maximize out‐migrating coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) from a natal stream and is applied as a case study in California's Shasta River. Restoration activities that alter flow and water temperature conditions are the decision variables in the model and include relocating a major diversion, increasing riparian shading, increasing instream flow, restoring a cool‐water spring and removing a dam. A budget constraint limits total restoration expenditures. This approach combines simple fish population modelling with flow and water quality modelling to explore management strategies and aid decision making. Previous fish habitat optimization research typically uses single restoration strategies, usually by altering reservoir releases or modifying outlet structures. Our method enlarges the solution space to more accurately represent extensive and integrated solutions to fish habitat problems. Results indicate that restoration alternatives can be prioritized by fish habitat improvement and restoration cost. For the Shasta River case study, considerable habitat restoration investments were required before fish productivity increased substantially. This exercise illustrates the potential of ecological optimization for highlighting promising restoration approaches and dismissing poor alternatives. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

BENCHMARKING RIVER HABITAT IMPROVEMENT

River ecosystems have witnessed a long history of human pressure, particularly the disruption of freshwater fish populations. The awareness of this situation has led to many habitat improvement projects, with a variable degree of success. In natural situations, fish populations co‐inhabit throughout the hydrological cycle with different degrees of adequacy, and the sequence of favourable and unfavourable conditions dictates abiotic constraints and biotic interactions that shape the final biological assemblages. We postulate that a part of unsuccessful restoration results is related to insufficient closeness to the natural habitat conditions of the river type that is to be restored, including the naturally adverse periods. We used the river2d model to predict habitat availability as weighted usable area (WUA) at a degraded site that is to be restored, for two native Mediterranean species and their life stages—the Southwestern nase Iberochondrostoma almacai and the Arade chub Squalius aradensis. We then analysed the yearly evolution of the natural WUA at a nearby reference site. Overall, the reference site exhibited the longest periods during which the WUA was continuously lower than the chosen WUA thresholds for each of the four bioperiods. Considerable divergences from natural habitat availability values can be seen for the spawning, rearing and growth bioperiods. Restoration outcomes can result in appreciable deviations—favourable or unfavourable to fish populations—from the WUA occurring under natural conditions over the course of the year. Restoration should therefore take account of local hydraulic and habitat patterns that govern population dynamics and result in the final fish assemblage. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

遗传算法与投影寻踪模型在湿地水质综合评价中的应用

参考地表水环境质量标准和湖库营养状态评价标准,采用基于遗传算法的投影寻踪模型,计算反映湿地水体质量状况和湿地营养状态的一维投影值,直观地反映湿地水环境质量。将此方法在河北衡水湖湿地进行了实例应用,结果表明,衡水湖湿地2010年水质属于Ⅱ类,处于中度富营养状态。     

卵砾石生态河床对河流水质净化和生态修复的效果

为研究卵砾石生态河床在河流原位水质净化和生态修复中的效果,选择位于宜兴市大浦镇的林庄港作为试验河道进行原位观测,对比分析了卵砾石生态河床河段和自然河床河段中的生源要素变化规律和水生生物生长状况。试验结果表明:卵砾石生态河床河段对污染物质的截留效果明显好于自然河床河段,对氨氮和总磷的截留率可分别达到37%和25%,卵砾石生态河床的构建可显著提高河道的自净能力;卵砾石生态河床河段水生植被的生长密度和覆盖率均达到良好的水平,大型底栖无脊椎动物在敏感物种数、分类单元数和生物数量密度等方面均优于自然河段的;卵砾石生态河床为水生植物、底栖动物和附着生物等水生生物提供了适宜的栖息环境,对河流生态系统的健康起到了较好的改善作用。     

基于AHP的丹江流域生态修复模式模糊综合评价

丹江流域过去几十年里采用了生态、工程、生态与工程相结合、生态移民4种模式对流域生态进行了修复。为了进一步完善丹江流域生态修复模式,建立了生态修复评价指标体系,采用层次分析法和模糊综合评判法对丹江流域生态修复的综合效果进行了评价。丹江流域生态修复评价结果为良好。经分析发现,丹江流域生态修复中植物措施的主导地位没有得到充分体现,而工程措施比较多,今后,应以自然修复模式为主,人为工程修复模式为辅。     

TRANSPORT OF BICOMPONENT CONTAMINANT IN FREE-SURFACE WETLAND FLOW

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of a pulsed bicomponent contaminant emission into a free-surface wetland flow.The basic equations are for the bicomponent contaminant transport in the wetland flow under the combined action of advection,mass dispersion,and ecological reaction at the phase averaged scale.The effect of the ecological reaction is separated from the hydro-dynamic effect via a set of widely used transforms.The analytical solution for the evolution of the depth-averaged concentration is rigorously derived,with a limiting case covering the known solution for the single component contaminant transport.It is found that the depth-averaged species concentration of the bicomponent contaminant can approach an equilibrium state determined by the distri-bution coefficient.     

Extended activated sludge model no. 1 (ASM1) for simulating biodegradation process using bacterial technology

Phosphorus is one of the most important nutrients required to support various kinds of biodegradation processes. As this particular nutrient is not included in the activated sludge model no. 1 (ASM1), this study extended this model in order to determine the fate of phosphorus during the biodegradation processes. When some of the kinetics parameters are modified using observed data from the restoration project of the Xuxi River in Wuxi City, China, from August 25 to 31 in 2009, the extended model shows excellent results. In order to obtain optimum values of coefficients of nitrogen and phosphorus, the mass fraction method was used to ensure that the final results were reasonable and practically relevant. The temporal distribution of the data calculated with the extended ASM1 approximates that of the observed data.