Umeå University's logo

umu.sePublications
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • apa-6th-edition.csl
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Hydropeaking affects germination and establishment of riverbank vegetation
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Department of Natural Systems and Resources, Technical University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences. (Arcum)
Show others and affiliations
2020 (English)In: Ecological Applications, ISSN 1051-0761, E-ISSN 1939-5582, Vol. 30, no 4, article id e02076Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Hydropeaking, defined as frequent and rapid variation in flow in regulated rivers with hydropower plants over a short period of time, usually sub-daily to weekly, alters hydraulic parameters such as water levels or flow velocity and exerts strong impacts on fluvial ecosystems. We evaluated the effects of hydropeaking on riverbank vegetation, specifically assessing the germination and establishment of seedlings and cuttings of plant species representing a variation in traits. We used seeds and seedlings and cuttings varying in size as phytometers, and transplanted them to riverbanks both above and below dams used for hydropower production in northern Sweden, selected to represent a gradient in hydropeaking intensity, and along a free-flowing reach. We also analyzed sub-daily water-level variables modified by hydropeaking to identify variables key in explaining the observed vegetation patterns. We found that plant responses to hydropeaking varied with species, with flood-intolerant species being the most strongly affected, as early as the germination stage. In contrast, seeds of flood-tolerant species managed to germinate and survive the early establishment phase, although strong erosive processes triggered by hydropeaking eventually caused most of them to fail. The fate of flood-intolerant species identifies germination as the most critical life-history stage. The depth and frequency of the inundation were the leading variables explaining plant responses, while the duration of shallow inundation explained little of the variation. The rise and fall rates of water levels were key in explaining variation in germination success. Based on the results, we propose restoration measures to enhance establishment of riparian plant communities while minimizing the impact on hydropower electricity production. Given the strong decrease in the germination of species intolerant to prolonged flooding with hydropeaking, planting of seedlings, preferably of large sizes, together with restrictions in the operation of the power plant during the establishment phase to enhance survival would be the best restoration option. Given the high probability of plant uprooting with hydropeaking, bank protection measures have the potential to increase riparian plant survival of all species, including flooding-tolerant species.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
John Wiley & Sons, 2020. Vol. 30, no 4, article id e02076
Keywords [en]
drag, hydropower plant, inundation, phytometer, riverine vegetation, sub-daily water-level variables, survival
National Category
Ecology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-169077DOI: 10.1002/eap.2076ISI: 000517314900001PubMedID: 31971649Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85079867280OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-169077DiVA, id: diva2:1416305
Available from: 2020-03-23 Created: 2020-03-23 Last updated: 2023-03-24Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full textPubMedScopus

Authority records

Bejarano, Maria D.Jansson, RolandNilsson, Christer

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Bejarano, Maria D.Jansson, RolandNilsson, Christer
By organisation
Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences
In the same journal
Ecological Applications
Ecology

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
pubmed
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
pubmed
urn-nbn
Total: 366 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • apa-6th-edition.csl
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf