Restoration of Hydrochory Following Dam Removal on the Elwha River, Washington

Abstract

Hydrochory, seed dispersal by water, affects riparian vegetation by contributing to downstream community composition and diversity. However, dams can block hydrochory, reducing downstream species diversity and fragmenting riparian corridors. Dam removal is becoming more prevalent for economic and ecological reasons and is expected to restore hydrochory; however, this has never been documented in rivers. The largest dam removal project to date was the 2011 to 2014 removal of the Glines Canyon and Elwha dams on the Elwha River in Washington. Prior to dam removal, hydrochory was lower below Glines Canyon Dam compared with an upstream reach; our objective was to test the hypothesis that dam removal would restore downstream hydrochory to levels observed in the upstream reach. To test this, we collected seeds in nets above and below the dam during three sample periods (early July, late July and early August), growing out seeds in a greenhouse and comparing seed abundance and species richness above and below dams, before and after dam removal. We found that after dam removal, the average number of hydrochorous seeds and species increased below Glines Canyon Dam to levels similar to or higher than that of the upstream reach; hydrochory levels in the upstream reach did not change. This study is the first to document the restoration of hydrochory in rivers following removal of a large dam. Restoration of hydrochory may ultimately increase downstream vegetation diversity and play a role in the recolonization of reservoir sediments deposited in the riparian zone in the years following dam removal. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.