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Coarse woody debris (CWD) derived from shoreline trees provides an important, spatially complex habitat and a food source for lake-dwelling organisms. Here are some interesting facts about lake CWD, taken from a recent review paper: In the absence of the physical action of flowing water, CWD breaks down more slowly in lakes than in streams. […]
June 19, 2017
Comments Off on Planting vegetation to stop stream bank erosion: where’s the evidence?
Increased rates of stream bank erosion and sediment movement in disturbed catchments have been attributed to changes in catchment hydrology caused by land clearing, channel modification, the trampling activities of livestock and the removal of riparian vegetation. Given that these effects are human-induced, it’s commonly assumed that they can also be reversed by human intervention, […]
June 1, 2016
Comments Off on Restoration ecology: are we forgetting top-down control?
Authors of a recent review article argue that restoration ecologists rely heavily on the assumption that natural communities are controlled by bottom-up processes (i.e., the upward transfer of nutrients and energy from plants to animals), but tend to ignore the complementary effects of top-down control by animals on nutrient cycling and the abundance and diversity […]
June 1, 2016
Comments Off on Advantages of rough wetland designs
In natural wetlands, the unevenness of the ground creates variation in environmental factors such as soil moisture and temperature, and this variability is a positive influence on the range of plant species that are able to colonise the area. As they become established, plants such as sedges and rushes slowly create tussocks, which further increase […]
June 1, 2016
Comments Off on The dynamics of habitat choice: alien predators stifle amphibian breeding
The way that animals select habitats reflects their need to balance the costs and benefits associated with factors such as food availability and predation risk. Therefore, habitat choices should vary in response to changes in these key factors. As an example, amphibians are expected to continually adjust the relative amounts of time that they spend […]
June 1, 2016
Comments Off on Green covers improve drainage channels
In urban environments, the ubiquity of impervious surfaces increases rainfall runoff and the risk of flash flooding. These problems can be addressed by widening and deepening drainage canals, but usually at the risk of further habitat degradation. As a result, there ‘s increasing interest in low-impact environmentally-sensitive designs that simultaneously improve flood control and ecosystem […]
June 1, 2016
Comments Off on How environmentally-damaging are run-of-river hydropower systems?
Hydropower generation typically involves the creation of large dams for the storage and release of water, which can have serious adverse effects on riverine environments. However, growing pressures on governments to meet renewable energy targets have stimulated interest in small-scale hydropower systems, especially run-of-river schemes, which use the flow within a river channel and operate […]
June 19, 2017
Comments Off on Coarse, shallow and wooden… but useful nonetheless