Large River-floodplain Ecosystems Research Articles

Anthropogenic impacts on multiple facets of macroinvertebrate α and β diversity in a large river-floodplain ecosystem

Anthropogenic disturbances have become one of the primary causes of biodiversity decline in freshwater ecosystems. Beyond the well-documented loss of taxon richness in increasingly impacted ecosystems, our knowledge on how different facets of α and β diversity respond to human disturbances is still limited. Here, we examined the responses of taxonomic (TD), functional (FD) and phylogenetic (PD) α and β diversity of macroinvertebrate communities to human impact across 33 floodplain lakes surrounding the Yangtze River. We found that most pairwise correlations between TD and FD/PD were low and non-significant, whereas FD and PD metrics were instead positively and significantly correlated. All facets of α diversity decreased from weakly to strongly impacted lakes owing to the removal of sensitive species harboring unique evolutionary legacies and phenotypes. By contrast, the three facets of β diversity responded inconsistently to anthropogenic disturbance: while FDβ and PDβ showed significant impairment in moderately and strongly impacted lakes as a result of spatial homogenization, TDβ was lowest in weakly impacted lakes. The multiple facets of diversity also responded differently to the underlying environmental gradients, re-emphasizing that taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversities provide complementary information on community dynamics. However, the explanatory power of our machine learning and constrained ordination models was relatively low and suggests that unmeasured environmental features and stochastic processes may strongly contribute to macroinvertebrate communities in floodplain lakes suffering from variable levels of anthropogenic degradation. We finally suggested guidelines for effective conservation and restoration targets aimed at achieving healthier aquatic biotas in a context of increasing human impact across the ‘lakescape’ surrounding the Yangtze River, the most important being the control of nutrient inputs and increased spatial spillover effects to promote natural metasystem dynamics.

Nitrate Pollution and Expansion of Free-Floating Plants in 3 Lower Wisconsin River Oxbow Lakes

Marshall DW, Wade K, Unmuth JL. 2023. Nitrate pollution and expansion of free-floating plants in 3 Lower Wisconsin River oxbow lakes. Lake Reserv Manage. XX:XX–XX. The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway (LWSR) in southwest Wisconsin is one of the highest quality large river floodplain ecosystems in the Midwest and is designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. Oxbow lakes are important features of this floodplain ecosystem but many had become highly eutrophic by about 2011. Free-floating plants (FFP), comprised of duckweeds and filamentous algae, expanded in many groundwater-fed oxbow lakes along the LWSR. Beginning in 2013, we investigated possible causes of eutrophication. Our water pollution investigation indicated the primary oxbow water source is groundwater that flows beneath the cropland intensive Pleistocene sand terrace. The sand terrace aquifer delivers large amounts of NO3-N with concentrations that exceeded the federal and state Drinking Water Enforcement Standard (10 mg/L). Aquifer total phosphorus concentrations were orders of magnitude lower. NO3-N:total phosphorus (TP) ratios in terrace groundwater often exceeded 500:1. Estimated NO3-N loading rates were variable and ranged from 2989 kg/yr discharged to a 5.5 ha oxbow lake up to 33,091 kg/yr discharged to a 35 ha floodplain flowage. The results suggest coordinated groundwater and surface water quality protections are needed, and potentially Clean Water Act enforcement. Strategies designed to protect domestic water supplies beneath the sand terrace can reduce NO3-N pollution in the oxbow lakes. Addressing this issue could begin with adopting recommended surface water nitrogen criteria and developing FFP impairment criteria for LWSR oxbow lakes.

Longitudinal drifting pattern of larval assemblages in the lower reach of the Yangtze River: Impact of the floodplain lakes and conservation implementation

AbstractFloodplain lakes are significant lateral habitats that play an important role in structuring larval fish assemblages in large river–floodplain ecosystems. The abundance of floodplain lakes, including both naturally connected and main stem‐isolated lakes, declines in a downstream direction in the lower reach of the Yangtze River, forming a longitudinal reduction gradient. We investigated whether this longitudinal reduction gradient of floodplain lakes is an essential driver of the larval fish assemblage patterns in the river. Drifting larval fish were investigated weekly during the prevailing spawning season both in 2014 and 2015 among three locations at Wangjiang (WJ), Zhenjiang (ZJ) and Nantong (NT). Thirty‐four species belonging to 28 genera and eight families were identified. The number and abundances of collected species, the reproduction duration for dominant species and the niche breadth of dominant species all exhibit a longitudinal decrease (WJ > ZJ > NT) in the downstream direction. Additionally, the bloom of larval fish tended to occur earlier at WJ than at ZJ and NT. We suggest that these results reflect the crucial effect of floodplain lake distribution in shaping the longitudinal distribution pattern of larval assemblages. Both natural connected lakes and isolated lakes (with irregular connectivity patterns) play a crucial role in recruitment success of freshwater fish in the system. Hence, conservation and management approaches for fish resources should be concentrated on restoring and maintaining river–lake connectivity in the upstream sections of the lower reach of the Yangtze River.

Ecological response to hydrological variability and catchment development: Insights from a shallow oxbow lake in Lower Mississippi Valley, Arkansas

The ecological response of shallow oxbow lakes to variability in hydrology and catchment development in large river floodplain ecosystems (RFE) in Arkansas remains largely unknown. Investigating these responses will advance our understanding of ecological evolution of oxbow lakes in response to the major environmental drivers, which will establish baseline conditions required to develop effective management practices for RFE.In this pilot study, we examined the potential of using a dated surface sediment core from Adams Bayou, a floodplain lake located within the Cache-Lower White River Ramsar site in SE Arkansas. Stratigraphic records of diatoms and sediment geochemistry were used to ascertain variation in Adams Bayou's ecological condition. During 1968–2008, in response to hydrological and anthropogenic changes, Adams Bayou's diatom assemblages progressed from predominantly benthic (Gomphonema parvulum and Meridion circulare) to primarily planktonic assemblage (Aulacoseira granulata and Cyclotella meneghiniana), along with a decrease in magnetic susceptibility (k) and % silt. Statistical analyses reveled that during 1968–2000, higher hydrological connectivity and catchment alterations drove Adams Bayou's ecosystem. After 2000, lower hydrological connectivity and increase in cultivation were the major drivers. The potential impact of increasing air temperature was also noted.The shift in Adams Bayou from a connected, clear, mesotrophic state to a relatively isolated, turbid and nutrient enriched state is consistent with regime shift models and highlights its sensitivity to a combination of environmental stresses prevalent in the catchment. Although fluvial systems pose challenges in establishing clear chronologies, oxbow lake sediments can be a effective paleoecological archives. Our work provides clear evidence for the change in the ecological character of this wetland of international significance and flags the need for a wider assessment of water bodies across this site under obligations to the Ramsar Convention.

Fatty acid profiles are biomarkers of fish habitat use in a river-floodplain ecosystem

Fatty acid (FA) analyses of fish tissues offer the potential to gain new knowledge of habitat- or forage-specific energy inputs to fishes in river-floodplain ecosystems, although limited information exists regarding among-habitat differences in FA biomarkers. The goal of this study was to determine if differences in fish FA profiles among main channel and connected and disconnected floodplain lakes exist in large river-floodplain systems. Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus FA profiles were generated to assess differences among two reaches of the Illinois River, USA, and its connected and disconnected floodplain lakes and determine whether FA signatures could be used to reclassify fish to their source habitat. Bluegill FA profiles differed among habitats and river reaches, including differences in levels of individual FAs (e.g., 18:2n−6, an indicator of allochthonous inputs, was higher among main channel fish) and FA groupings (e.g., n−3:n−6 FA ratio, an indicator of aquatic primary productivity, was higher among floodplain lake fish), which enabled >87.5% reclassification accuracy of fish to their source environment. We demonstrated that bluegill FA profiles differed among reaches and laterally among river channel and floodplain habitats, suggesting that FA profiles can be used to infer recent habitat use and habitat-specific foraging of fishes in large river-floodplain ecosystems.

Fish assemblages in floodplain lakes in a Neotropical river during the wet season (Magdalena River, Colombia)

Abstract:A number of studies have pointed out that abiotic factors and recolonization dynamics appear to be more important than biotic interactions in structuring river–fish assemblages. In this paper, we studied the fish assemblages in 27 floodplain lakes, with perennial connection to the river, in the middle section of the Magdalena River (Colombia), to examine spatial pattern in freshwater fish diversity in relation to some environmental parameters. Our objective was to examine relationships between floodplain-lake fish communities and environmental variables associated with lake morphology, water chemistry and river–floodplain connectivity in a large river–floodplain ecosystem. During the study, a total of 18 237 fish were caught from 50 species (regional richness; 17 were migrants and 33 residents). In the present study, the most diverse order was Characiformes with 20 species, followed by Siluriformes, with 19 species. Characidae and Loricaridae were the richest families. The range of species richness (local richness) varied between five and 39 species. Similarity of local assemblages (using the presence–absence data) depends on the distance between lakes. A positive relationship was observed between the Ln of the total abundance of each species and the number of lakes where they were found. Out of all the environmental parameters taken in the lakes, only the size (Log Area) and relative perimeter length are significantly related to local assemblage species richness. It has not been possible to demonstrate that the connectivity (distance) from lakes to the main river can be considered a predictor of the local richness.

Otolith trace element and stable isotopic compositions differentiate fishes from the Middle Mississippi River, its tributaries, and floodplain lakes

Naturally occurring stable isotope and trace elemental markers in otoliths have emerged as powerful tools for determining natal origins and environmental history of fishes in a variety of marine and freshwater environments. However, few studies have examined the applicability of this technique in large river-floodplain ecosystems. This study evaluated otolith microchemistry and stable isotopic composition as tools for determining environmental history of fishes in the Middle Mississippi River, its tributaries, and floodplain lakes in Illinois and Missouri, USA. Fishes were collected from 14 sites and water samples obtained from 16 sites during summer and fall 2006 and spring 2007. Otolith and water samples were analyzed for stable oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O) and concentrations of a suite of trace elements; otoliths were also analyzed for carbon isotopic composition (δ13C). Tributaries, floodplain lakes, and the Mississippi and Lower Missouri Rivers possessed distinct isotopic and elemental signatures that were reflected in fish otoliths. Fish from tributaries on the Missouri and Illinois sides of the middle Mississippi River could also be distinguished from one another by their elemental and isotopic fingerprints. Linear discriminant function analysis of otolith chemical signatures indicated that fish could be classified back to their environment of capture (Mississippi River, floodplain lake, tributary on the Illinois or Missouri side of the Mississippi River, or lower Missouri River) with 71–100% accuracy. This study demonstrates the potential applicability of otolith microchemistry and stable isotope analyses to determine natal origins and describe environmental history of fishes in the Middle Mississippi River, its tributaries, and floodplain lakes. The ability to reconstruct environmental history of individual fish using naturally occurring isotopic markers in otoliths may also facilitate efforts to quantify nutrient and energy subsidies to the Mississippi River provided by fishes that emigrate from floodplain lakes or tributaries.

Relationships between Floodplain Lake Fish Communities and Environmental Variables in a Large River-Floodplain Ecosystem.

Floodplain lakes of large river systems contain fish habitats that are not found elsewhere within the river, and these lakes have a diversity of environmental conditions that vary in space and time. Our objective was to examine relationships between floodplain lake fish communities and environmental variables associated with lake morphology, water chemistry, and river‐floodplain connectivity in a large river‐floodplain ecosystem. Multivariate direct‐gradient analyses indicated that lake surface area, lake depth, water clarity, and (to a lesser extent) dissolved oxygen were the most important factors in the structuring of lake fish communities. Results further suggested that floodplain lakes could be placed into groups that contained distinctive fish communities. Fish community structure was not strongly related to river‐floodplain connectivity, though fish species richness in individual lakes was positively correlated with degree of flooding in those lakes. Fish species diversity in lakes was positively correlated with linear distance between lakes and the main river channel; lakes that were furthest from the main river channel had more diverse fish communities. The diversity of environmental conditions in floodplain lakes is essential for maintaining net ecosystem diversity in large river ecosystems.

Significance of instream autotrophs in trophic dynamics of the Upper Mississippi River

Trophic dynamics of large river-floodplain ecosystems are still not well understood despite development of several conceptual models over the last 25 years. To help resolve questions about the relative contribution of algal and detrital organic matter to food webs in the Upper Mississippi River, we (1) separated living and detrital components of ultrafine and fine transported organic matter (UTOM and FTOM, respectively) by colloidal silica centrifugation; (2) identified stable isotope signatures (delta(13)C and delta(15)N) for these two portions of transported organic matter and other potential organic matter sources; and (3) employed a multiple source, dual-isotope mixing model to determine the relative contribution of major energy sources to primary consumers and the potential contribution of basal sources to the biomass of secondary consumers. The delta(13)C and delta(15)N of living and detrital fractions of UTOM and FTOM were distinct, indicating clear differences in isotopic composition of the algal and detrital fractions of transported organic matter. Living and detrital transported organic matter also differed from other potential organic matter sources by either delta(13)C or delta(15)N. A six-source mixing model using both delta(13)C and delta(15)N indicated that algal transported organic matter was the major resource assimilated by primary consumers. The contribution of detrital transported organic matter was small in most cases, but there were a small number of taxa for which it could potentially contribute to more than half the assimilated diet. Colloidal dissolved organic matter, which includes heterotrophic bacteria, accounted for only a small fraction of the organic matter assimilated by most primary consumers, indicating that coupling between microbial processes and metazoan production is minimal. Terrestrial C(3) litter from the floodplain forest floor and aquatic macrophytes were also relatively unimportant to the assimilated diet of primary consumers. Application of the mixing model to compare basal source isotopic ratios to secondary consumers revealed that most organic matter moving from primary to secondary consumers originated from algal TOM. Our findings indicate that autochthonous organic matter is the major energy source supporting metazoan production in the main channel of this large river, at least during the summer. This study joins a number of other investigations performed globally that indicate organic matter originating from instream production of sestonic and benthic microalgae is a major driver in the trophic dynamics of large river ecosystems.

MODELING THE EFFECTS OF LAND USE AND CLIMATE CHANGE ON RIVERINE SMALLMOUTH BASS

Anthropogenic changes in temperature and stream flow, associated with watershed land use and climate change, are critical influences on the distribution and abundance of riverine fishes. To project the effects of changing land use and climate, we modeled a smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) population in a midwestern USA, large river–floodplain ecosystem under historical (1915–1925), present (1977–1990), and future (2060, influenced by climate change) temperature and flow regimes. The age-structured model included parameters for temperature and river discharge during critical seasonal periods, fish population dynamics, and fishing harvest. Model relationships were developed from empirical field data collected over a 13-yr period. Sensitivity analyses indicated that discharge during the spawning/rearing period had a greater effect on adult density and fishing yield than did spawning/rearing temperature or winter discharge. Simulations for 100 years projected a 139% greater mean fish density under a historical flow regime (64.9 fish/ha) than that estimated for the present (27.1 fish/ha) with a sustainable fishing harvest under both flow regimes. Simulations under future climate-change-induced temperature and flow regimes with present land use projected a 69% decrease in mean fish density (8.5 fish/ha) from present and an unstable population that went extinct during 56% of the simulations. However, when simulated under a future climate-altered temperature and flow regime with historical land use, the population increased by 66% (45.0 fish/ha) from present and sustained a harvest. Our findings suggest that land-use changes may be a greater detriment to riverine fishes than projected climate change and that the combined effects of both factors may lead to local species extinction. However, the negative effects of increased temperature and precipitation associated with future global warming could be mitigated by river channel, floodplain, and watershed restoration.

Notes: Largemouth Bass Size Distributions under Varying Annual Hydrological Regimes in the Illinois River

Little is known about the population dynamics of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in temperate large river–floodplain ecosystems. However, the hydrological regimes in these systems are often similar to those of large reservoirs where fluctuating water levels during spawning have been shown to affect largemouth bass population dynamics. Most backwater lakes of the Illinois River have soft, silty substrates. These substrates are not conducive to nest building, so spawning centrarchids may use annual spring floods to access inundated terrestrial vegetation and previously dry, compacted substrates on the floodplain. We used electrofishing catch data from La Grange Reach of the Illinois River (1990–1995) to assess how spring and early-summer river levels influence the cohort strength of largemouth bass. Strong cohorts were produced during years with high spring floods (1990, 1993, and 1995) when largemouth bass could access the floodplain for spawning and nursery habitat. In both 1990 and 1993, fish had access to the floodplain for extended periods during spring and summer, which resulted in exceptionally strong cohorts. These cohorts probably benefitted from abundant forage and cover on the floodplain, which bolstered survival rates. Weak cohorts were produced in 1992 and 1994 when river levels were low and fluctuating during spawning and in 1991 when river levels declined dramatically during spawning. Length distributions of other centrarchids mirrored those of largemouth bass, indicating that river levels probably affected other nest-building species in La Grange Reach.

Winter Habitats Used by Largemouth Bass in the Illinois River, a Large River-Floodplain Ecosystem

During the winter of 1993–1994, we characterized habitats used by 17 radio-tagged largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in La Grange Reach of the Illinois River, a large river–floodplain ecosystem that has been significantly altered from its natural state. Radio-tagged largemouth bass wintered in backwaters, off-channel coves, ditches, and marinas from November through February. Electrofishing mean catch rates were higher in the study areas during winter than in other seasons, indicating fish were more concentrated in these areas during winter. Five of nine study areas received thermal inputs from springs or power plants, but water temperatures in all nine areas were warmer than the main channel during winter. Current velocities averaged 2 cm/s in the study areas and 19 cm/s in the main channel. We did not document movement of radio-tagged fish into the main channel during winter. River levels played a major role in determining the suitability of wintering habitats. When river levels declined, temperatures increased and dissolved oxygen levels decreased in smaller areas with thermal inputs. Thousands of fish, including juvenile and adult largemouth bass, suffered winterkill near one study area when they became trapped in a backwater after river levels declined. As sedimentation continues to fill in backwaters, river levels become ever more critical for maintaining adequate depths and stable water quality for wintering fish. Perhaps the best strategy for providing adequate wintering habitat for Illinois River fish would be a combination of habitat rehabilitation and the maintenance of stable winter river levels by using navigation dams.

Need for Ecosystem Management of Large Rivers and Their Floodplains

Most of the 79 large river floodplain ecosystems in the world have been altered by human activities and the rest are likely to be altered soon. Ecosystem management works to guide rather than thwart, natural processes. This article describes briefly the history of floodplain and flood plain management and then focuses on the importance of large river-floodplain ecosystems and some of the consequences of altering the natural river processes, functions, and connectivity. The species-focused management system typically employed by natural resource agencies is contrasted to the ecosystem approach to river-flood plain management. Ecological management is defined as working with the natural driving forces and variability of the ecosystems with the goal of maintaining or recovering biological integrity. Flood-pulses are also a focus because they drive the system and the great floods on several continents in the last years. 88 refs., 10 figs.

Understanding Large River: Floodplain Ecosystems

have modified large river-floodplain ecosystems to the extent that it is difficult to recognize major variables that once regulated the systems and to account for the surviving biota. The natural functions of these systems have practically disappeared, principally because modifications have tended to prevent regular flooding. Studying these and other ecosystems that now have welldefined land/water boundaries has not only produced two classes of ecologists, terrestrial and aquatic, but in aquatic ecology has also given rise to limnologists and stream ecologists whose theories usually presume relatively static water levels (Junk et al. 1989). Forbes (1895) in the United States and Antipa (1911, 1928) in Europe recognized some of the ecological attributes and value of river-flood-