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Because many pollutants adsorb onto the surfaces of fine sediment particles, sediment transport plays a central role in distributing contaminants throughout river systems. However, current models of sediment and pollutant transfer are complex and complicated by the fact that key processes such as adsorption, erosion and deposition aren’t easily observed. Belgian scientists have responded to […]
March 25, 2018
Comments Off on How sedimentation affects the food web
In rivers and streams, high predator densities are predicted to boost algal biomass by reducing the number of grazing animals. However, in disturbed systems the smothering of stream bed surfaces by sediment is expected to have an opposite, negative effect on algal biomass. Studies that investigate interactions between sedimentation (an abiotic stress factor) and predation […]
March 25, 2018
Comments Off on Serious streambank erosion in farming catchments
Streambank erosion is influenced by a number of factors, including water movement, freeze-thaw cycles, bank drying, vegetative cover, animal trampling and agricultural practices. Studies show that bank erosion can be responsible for a significant fraction of the sediment exported by streams and rivers. In western Europe, where many areas of grassland have been converted to […]
December 21, 2017
Comments Off on Simplifying urban stream assessment
Urban streams experience high levels of stormwater runoff and channel erosion, and represent a significant challenge for ecological restoration. Nevertheless, it’s generally agreed that urban stream restoration should aim to mimic the natural (pre-development) flow regime as closely as possible. It’s been proposed that ecologically important aspects of flow can be used as a basis […]
September 25, 2017
Comments Off on Ironing out harmful algal blooms
An understanding of how iron affects the supply of nutrients in aquatic systems may open the door to better success in managing harmful algal blooms. In highly productive lakes, the release of phosphorus stored in the bottom sediment can encourage bloom development, but nutrient release is retarded in the presence of iron, which precipitates phosphorus […]
September 25, 2017
Comments Off on Lateral thinking on riverbank erosion
Although bank erosion is often thought of as problem that has to be addressed through engineered stabilization, the lateral migration of meandering streams is a natural mechanism that redistributes channel sediment and maintains habitat diversity. New riparian zones are formed as sediment is deposited on the inside of bends and colonised by vegetation. Meandering creates […]
June 19, 2017
Comments Off on Coarse, shallow and wooden… but useful nonetheless
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. […]
October 8, 2018
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