Reciprocal interactions and adjustments between fluvial landforms and vegetation dynamics in river corridors: A review of complementary approaches

Abstract

Until recently, one-way relationships between flow dynamics, geomorphology and plant ecology were considered dominantly when studying the functioning of river systems, whereby fluvial landforms and hydrogeomorphic processes drive the evolution of riparian plant communities. However, biological communities may significantly control geomorphic processes and have strong impacts on landform dynamics. In order to fully identify the processes linked to river dynamics (changes in time and space of fluvial landforms and associated plant communities), conceptual multidisciplinary progress is clearly needed. To understand the mutual interactions and feedbacks between fluvial landforms and vegetation community dynamics, this paper presents a detailed literature review of fluvial geomorphology, riparian plant ecology and hydraulic engineering knowledge. The historical and recent development of ecological plant succession theory toward the integration of hydrogeomorphic disturbances is discussed as well as the integration of vegetation within geomorphology as a significant landform control factor, incorporating both hydrogeomorphic controls on riparian vegetation dynamics and mechanical impacts of vegetation structures on flow properties and sediment dynamics. Recent progress in ecology, hydraulic engineering and fluvial geomorphology emphasises interdependence between biological and physical forms and processes. Based on this literature review, a ‘fluvial biogeomorphic succession’ concept is proposed to link fluvial landform and riparian vegetation community evolution within a bi-directional model. The succession of fluvial landforms and associated vegetation communities is composed of four main critical phases that represent a shift in the relative dominance of hydrogeomorphic and ecological processes as a response to biostabilisation and passive bioconstruction processes. The positive feedbacks associated with this shift lead to the development of characteristic biogeomorphic structures such as vegetated banks, islands or floodplains, which are moderated by the biogeomorphic functional roles of ‘ecosystem engineers’ that induce or reinforce the positive feedbacks. This fluvial biogeomorphic succession concept relates the natural Darwinian selection and ecological succession theories to fluvial geomorphology.