Structural characteristics of pools in headstream areas

Abstract

Pools play an important role among stream bed morphologies in mountain streams. They provide habitat and contribute to energy dissipation. However, they have received only marginal attention compared with step structures, and their forms and driving factors, such as stream-channel characteristics and structural characteristics of upstream morphologies, remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the structural characteristics of pools, including morphology, size, and deposit conditions, and the factors controlling them. Based on the results of a field survey for a channel length of 9524 m, with 428 reaches and 1302 pools, the correlations between the pool spacing, morphology, size, and deposit conditions of the pool, and controlling factors were investigated for three rock types (granite, rhyolite, and sandstone). The average pool spacing calculated by dividing the interval length of the pool by the channel width was 8.80, 12.87, 4.56, and 16.14 for fall-pool, cascade, step-pool and pool-riffle respectively. This is due to the fact that the target streams are first-order streams with small widths as well as their regional characteristics, that is, few log jams and forced pools. In addition, the depositional depth of the pools varies depending on the geology. The maximum percentage of sediment deposition in the pool was 78%, 33%, and 34% for granite, rhyolite, and sandstone, respectively. Thus, the sedimentation in granite is significantly greater than in the rhyolite and sandstone headstream areas. This is probably due to the discontinuous weathering of granite during which it is broken down into large-sized core stones and fine grains. The difference in the depositional environment of the pools depending on the geology indicates that the biota that use those pools as a habitat may also differ. However, research on the microhabitats of pools is lacked, and research regarding the future perspectives of ecosystems is required.