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Shih SS, Lee CY. Eco-friendly dredging methods of changing fluvial landforms for enhancing hydraulic habitat quality and river corridor continuum. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 936:173439. [PMID: 38795986 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Hydraulic habitat connectivity, including the longitudinal continuum respect and lateral flood pulse, is critical for fish survival and organism dispersal. Inappropriate and excessive dredging for prevent flooding may harm river ecosystems. The main objective of this study is to evaluate whether eco-friendly dredging presented by changing local river landforms incorporating the concept of nature-based solutions could grow fish habitat quality for improving river continuity and achieving flood control effects. By combining various mathematical models and empirical formulas and verifying them with the data obtained through field surveys, we explore the interconnections of hydrology, river morphology, and the habitat dynamics of four endemic fishes in an alluvial river. The relationship between habitat structure, flood risk, and river topography, flow discharge was presented as the reference for developing the proper river dredging approaches. The results reveal that the primary habitat defects were lack of high-quality habitat, unsatisfied habitat diversity, deficiency in refugia, and disconnectivity. Longitudinal disconnectivity was induced due to shallow water depth, while lateral disconnectivity is primarily caused by fast flow velocity, suggesting different and specific dredging methods were instructed. We recommend that the corresponding eco-friendly dredging schemes for longitudinal and lateral suitable habitat linkages increase fish habitat quality and river corridor continuity. The win-win strategy for enhancing the connection between suitable habitats sustains a more beneficial aquatic corridor and simultaneously achieves alluvial flood disaster risk reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang-Shu Shih
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; Hydrotech Research Institute, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
| | - Chen-Yu Lee
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
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Li B, Wan R, Yang G. Centennial dynamics of floodplain wetland in the largest freshwater lake in China: Implications on floodplain lake restoration. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 353:120192. [PMID: 38286070 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Long-term mapping of floodplain wetland dynamics is fundamental for wetland protection and restoration, but it is restricted to decadal scales using satellite observations owing to scarcity of spatial data over long-term scales. The present study concentrates on the centennial dynamics of floodplain wetland in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China. Historical topographic maps and Landsat imagery were combined to reconstruct the centennial floodplain wetland map series. A robust random forest algorithm for the land cover classification was used to investigate the conversion of the floodplain wetland to other land cover types and quantify the magnitude of the influence of hydrological disconnection over the past century. Results show that the Poyang Lake floodplain wetland experienced a net loss of 35.7 %, from 5024.3 km2 in the 1920s-1940s to 3232.1 km2 in the 2020s, with the floodplain wetland loss occurring mostly from the 1950s to the 1970s. In addition, agricultural encroachment was identified as the predominant driver of floodplain wetland loss, with a total area of 931.0 km2 of the floodplain wetland converted into cropland. Furthermore, approximately 600 km2 of sub-lakes (larger than 1 km2) became isolated from the floodplain and thus unaffected by seasonal flood pulses, which highlights the need to account for the impact of hydrological disconnection on floodplain wetland dynamics. This study indicated the combination of historical maps and satellite observations as an effective tool to track long-term wetland changes. The resultant dataset provides an extended baseline and could shed some light on floodplain wetland conservation and restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Li
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; College of Nanjing, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 211135, PR China; Poyang Lake Wetland Research Station, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PR China
| | - Rongrong Wan
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; College of Nanjing, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 211135, PR China; Poyang Lake Wetland Research Station, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PR China.
| | - Guishan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; College of Nanjing, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 211135, PR China.
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Flores-de-Santiago F, Rodríguez-Sobreyra R, Álvarez-Sánchez LF, Valderrama-Landeros L, Amezcua F, Flores-Verdugo F. Understanding the natural expansion of white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) in an ephemeral inlet based on geomorphological analysis and remote sensing data. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 338:117820. [PMID: 37003227 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The interactions between local tides and river discharges are crucial in the processes related to the recruitment of mangrove propagules in estuarine systems. This investigation aimed to determine the causes of the recent natural recruitment and expansion of Laguncularia racemosa in mudflats within an ephemeral inlet in Mexico. We conducted a fluvial and coastal geomorphology assessment with spaceborne and UAV-based images. We deployed and recorded continuous data loggers in the estuarine system to assess water level and salinity. Depending on the available data, we used a combination of cloud-computing Google Earth Engine, UAV-Digital Surface Models, LiDAR, Google Earth images, and biophysical variables to monitor mangrove forests from 2005 to 2022. When the inlet is open, the estuarine system presents a full tidal range (∼1-1.5 m) with a strong salinity gradient (0-35 mS/cm), in contrast to the strong freshwater influence and minimal water level variability (<10 cm) that prevails for three months when the inlet is closed. Once the mouth of the river closes, there is considerable sediment accumulation, creating mudflat areas adjacent to the mangrove forests where Laguncularia racemosa propagules begin to establish under minimal water level variability and oligohaline conditions. After 16 years, the new forest expanded by 12.3 ha, presenting a very high density (10000 stems/ha), a considerable basal area (54-63 m2/ha), and a maximum canopy height of 15.8 m, which largely surpasses that of other semiarid Laguncularia racemosa forests within permanent open-inlet systems or even in ephemeral inlets with different hydrological conditions. Our study will help to understand the causes of natural Laguncularia racemosa recruitment in extremely dynamic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Flores-de-Santiago
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Procesos Oceánicos y Costeros, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 70-305, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Cd. México, 04510, Mexico.
| | - Ranulfo Rodríguez-Sobreyra
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Procesos Oceánicos y Costeros, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 70-305, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Cd. México, 04510, Mexico
| | - León Felipe Álvarez-Sánchez
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad de Informática Marina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 70-305, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Cd. México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Luis Valderrama-Landeros
- Subcoordinación de Percepción Remota, Comisión Nacional Para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, 4903 Liga Periférico-Insurgentes Sur, Tlalpan, Cd. México, 14010, Mexico
| | - Felipe Amezcua
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Joel Montes Camarena s/n, Mazatlán, Sin, 82040, Mexico
| | - Francisco Flores-Verdugo
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Joel Montes Camarena s/n, Mazatlán, Sin, 82040, Mexico
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Shih SS, Hsu WC, Hsu YW. Waterline digital elevation model development to quantify inundation duration and coastal protection of tidal wetlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 874:162519. [PMID: 36870502 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Coastal tidal wetlands are sufficiently acknowledged for the supplied vital ecosystem functions, including flood protection and biological conservation. Measuring and estimating reliable topographic data is essential for quantifying mangrove habitat quality. This study proposes a novel methodology for quickly constructing a digital elevation model (DEM) with an instantaneous waterline combined with tidal level records. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) enabled on-site waterline interpretation analysis. The results show that image enhancement improves the accuracy of waterline recognition and object-based image analysis has the highest accuracy. The waterline DEM (WDEM) performs a more accurate elevation production than UAV DEM, indicating that its application to habitat evaluation and prediction could be more reliable. Hydrodynamic simulations incorporated with the mangrove habitat model were utilized to calculate inundation duration, flow resistance, and vegetation dissipation potential according to the verified WDEM. The larger the mangrove coverage ratio, the stronger the flow resistance, which means that the protective consequence of the mangrove on the natural embankment is evident. The WDEM and nature-based solutions presented facilitate an adequate understanding of coastal protection and promote the potential ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction of mangrove wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang-Shu Shih
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; Hydrotech Research Institute, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-Chuan Hsu
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Wen Hsu
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
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