River Landscape Research Articles

Phytocenological approach in biomonitoring of the state of aquatic ecosystems in Ukrainian Polesie

The results of a research into the scale and consequences of the degradation of aquatic ecosystems in Ukrainian Polesie have been detected in article, and the areas of increased anthropogenic pressure have been identified which greatly affect the condition and number of aquatic macrophytes. The biodiversity of sites with different anthropogenic load was evaluated using the biodiversity criteria. In the research, the structural and functional features of macrophytic species diversity within Teteriv River ecological corridor as a typical river landscape of Ukrainian Polesie were determined and described, the floristic composition was determined. Within the ecological zones, the number of species and their projective coverage in areas with different anthropogenic pressures within Teteriv River ecological corridor were determined. The basic criteria for the implementation of deferred biomonitoring based on the analysis of the dynamics of the spe-cies composition of the phytocoenoses of Teteriv River ecological corridor on the indicators of ecological stability and plasticity using the species-specific criteria, are: Margalef species richness index, Sørensen–Dice index, Shannon diversity index, Simpson’s index, and Pielou’s evenness index. Based on the results, correlation dependencies have been constructed, which will allow to obtain data on the stability of the development of aquatic ecosystems according to the data of species surveys. Interconnections between biodiversity indicators and indicators of surface water quality within the Ukrainian Polesie were found; they are the fundamental component of a long-term monitoring of the stability in the development of aquatic phytocenoses.

Evolution of landscapes influenced by watermills, based on examples from Northern Poland

The paper presents the role of watermills in the shaping and evolution of cultural landscape. The distribution of 1217 watermills along rivers in the lower Vistula catchment area since the 12th century has been reconstructed on the basis of cartographic materials and historical sources. Their number changed over time, with the progress of civilisation, as a result of wars, changes in land use, drainage, irrigation and climate change. The 800-year period of the functioning of watermills in Northern Poland has led to the generation of a special type of cultural landscape, termed ‘molinotope’. Out of the wide range of biotic and abiotic factors, the most significant role in the shaping of mill-based landscapes was played by artificial landforms and specific transformations of the hydrographic network. Taking into account the technological progress, size and nature of changes in the landscape due to the functioning of watermills, a conceptual model of development of mill-based cultural landscapes has been constructed. Results of this study indicate that the status of the mill-based landscape (in each of the 7 distinguished stages of development) corresponds to the types of river landscape, considered as a system of technology and landscape. The full cycle of development of mill-based landscapes concerns only some of the investigated locations and it is determined by the degree of development and use of the landscape since the construction of a watermill until the present day.

Preserving ones meaningful place or not? Understanding environmental stewardship behaviour in river landscapes

In times of climate change, globalization and urbanization, landscapes change rapidly. These new drivers, complexities and fast dynamics call for innovative governance approaches. Environmental stewardship could be one solution. As opposed to traditional hierarchical landscape management, it places people as main agents in the centre of action. This study employed a Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) method to gather data on citizens’ meaningful places and their corresponding willingness for local environmental stewardship. It aimed at exploring the relations between place relations and values, people characteristics and place characteristics. Place relations and values are understood as the meanings and values, emotional attachments and actualized experiences that connect people to places. People characteristics include socio-economic and psychological attributes and place characteristics are based on objective qualities of the place. Using descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation analysis and regression modelling, we found that (1) only place relations and values related positively to the occurrence of stewardship within the regression model, (2) psychological attributes, such as attitudes and capacity, only matter if respondents consistently care for all their meaningful places, (3) if respondents are only willing to commit to environmental stewardship at some of their meaningful places, this was only related to place values and relations.

Assessing and quantifying offered cultural ecosystem services of German river landscapes

River landscapes offer diverse cultural ecosystem services. Providing more information on the quantity that river landscapes provide in terms of offered cultural ecosystem services could contribute to river landscape planning. Offered cultural ecosystem services are ecosystem contribution that may provide benefits to humans. The aim of this study is to apply an indicator framework for spatially assessing offered cultural ecosystem services in German river landscapes. Our indicator framework ‘CulturAl Ecosystem Services of River landscapes’ (CAESaR) quantifies offered cultural ecosystem services at national and local scale, with adapted sets of sub-indicators with regard to the required level of detail and available spatial data. The indicator framework considers opportunities for water-related and non water-related activities, landscape aesthetic quality, and heritage. Our results show that the highly rated river landscape areas have an above-average proportion of river courses and active floodplains. Historical floodplains provide lower offered cultural ecosystem services scores overall. The land cover classes pasture, broad-leaved forest and water courses receive high offered cultural ecosystem services scores, whereas non-irrigated arable land characterizes river landscapes with low indicator scores. We conclude that the proposed indicator framework proved applicable at various scales and can be transferred to cases with a similar context.

The importance of remnant vegetation coverage along riverbank in supporting urban river naturalization in Bogor City, Indonesia

Human disturbances in urban river landscape and its riverbank cannot be avoided. The construction of buildings and other infrastructure are among the human disturbances which cause a serious decline in urban riverbank quality so that influencing the stability of its landscape ecological cycle. Exploration of vegetated urban riverbank in Indonesia, especially in Bogor City is very important to save its existence in supporting the naturalization of the Ciliwung River. This study aims to estimate the remnant vegetated urban riverbank along the Ciliwung River and estimate the value of landscape/ecosystem services along the riverbank in the Bogor City. This research was carried out by taking four sample locations of the 250 meters and 15 meters wide at the right and the left of the riverbank using aerial photography and processed with ArcGIS software. Then, the land cover delineation and ecosystem services of the four sample locations are estimated by random point sampling method as many as 500 points for each sample location using i-Tree Assessment. The results of this study indicated that vegetation cover along the riverbank in Bogor City is 62% or 300,443 m2 ± 1733.96 m2. The advantages of landscape service for tree vegetation along the Ciliwung riverbank in Bogor City, converted into economic value, is equal to IDR 178,272,333. The landscape ecological function of riparian vegetation has a large role in absorbing pollutant gases in cities, storing carbon in biomass and dust absorption as much as converted into these economic values. Protection and conservation of the remnant vegetated urban riverbank needs to be conducted with various stakeholders so that the value of landscape services can be increased optimally in achieving success of river naturalization for sustainable urban water system in Bogor City.

Alteration in the potential of sediment phosphorus release along series of rubber dams in a typical urban landscape river

Rubber dams are widely used for landscaping in urban rivers and they retain large amounts of sediments. The sediments are rich in phosphorus (P) which can cause river eutrophication. Little is known about P release in rubber dams. We investigated the potential of sediment P release by isotherm experiment in an urban river with 30 rubber dams of northern China. We found that the potential of sediment P release (percentage saturation of zero equilibrium P concentration, EPCsat) was 76% at natural river part above dams, and then decreased to 67% at the 4th dam because of high deposition of fine sediments within the upper 4 dams. Between the 5th and the 30th dams, EPCsat increased to 90% because of the decrease of fine sediments and water soluble reactive P. EPCsat was also significantly higher (p < 0.05) in April and August than in November. The results suggest that the potential of sediment P release in this dammed river was mainly controlled by sediment grain size and biological effects. Therefore, management strategies for dammed rivers should focus on reducing P inputs and improving the hydraulic conditions.

A Goudstikker van Goyen in Gdańsk: A Case Study of Nazi-Looted Art in Poland

Abstract:This article traces the provenance and migration of a painting by Jan van Goyen (1595–1656),River Landscape with a Swineherd, from the Jacques Goudstikker Collection and now in Gdańsk Muzeum Narodowe. After the “red-flag sale” of the Goudstikker Collection in July 1940 to German banker Alois Miedl, and then to Hermann Göring, this painting—after its sale on Berlin’s Lange Auction in December 1940 to Hitler’s agent Almas-Dietrich—was returned to Miedl-Goudstikker in Amsterdam. Miedl then sold it (with two other Dutch paintings) to the Nazi Gauleiter of Danzig, Albert Forster, among many wartime Dutch acquisitions for the Municipal Museum (Stadtmuseum). Evacuated to Thuringia and captured by a Soviet trophy brigade, it thus avoided postwar Dutch claims. Returned to Poland from the Hermitage in 1956, it was exhibited in the Netherlands and the United States (despite its Goudstikker label). Tracing its wartime and postwar odyssey highlights the transparent provenance research needed for Nazi-era acquisitions, especially in former National Socialist (NS) Germanized museums in countries such as Poland, where viable claims procedures for Holocaust victims and heirs are still lacking. This example of many “missing” Dutch paintings sold to NS-era German museums in cities that became part of postwar Poland, raises several important issues deserving attention in provenance research for still-displaced Nazi-looted art.

Studies of the current state of anthropogenic transformation of the young river landscape of the Prut river (within Chernivtsi region)

Studies of the current state of anthropogenic transformation of the young river landscape of the Prut river (within Chernivtsi region)

Landscape Restoration Design of Guilin Lijiang River Basin Based on” City Betterment and Ecological Restoration”

As an important carrier of urban ecology, urban river channels have serious ecological problems that restrict the development of cities. Taking Lijiang River in Guilin as the research object, the field survey of the water system shape, water quality status, plant landscape and other aspects of the Lijiang River Basin was conducted to analyse its existing ecological problems. Based on the concept of “City Betterment and Ecological Restoration”, the Lijiang River Basin ecological restoration and landscape repair work will be carried out from four aspects: water quality management, construction of natural river shape, coastal vegetation landscape ecological restoration, and water system landscape optimization design, so as to achieve a virtuous cycle of water ecosystem and promote sustainable development of landscape in Lijiang River Basin.

Або Тбилели. Арабский парфюмер – протектор Тифлиса

The article provides a semiotic analysis of the modern Georgian Orthodox icon depicting the Georgian Saint, the patron Saint of the city of Abo Tbileli. A Georgian Saint of Arab origin is depicted standing on the Metekh bridge against the background of the city itself. Every detail in the icon has a symbolic meaning and is subject to semiotic analysis. This applies to the Georgian cross in the hands of St. great Martyr, the Golden halo above his head, his robe (turban, chiton and himatiy), the landscape (river, mountains and gardens) and the city itself and its buildings (churches, towers, bridge), the sky above his head. The features of the iconographic style are considered. The main source is the hagiographic work of the medieval Georgian author Ioane Sabanisdze “Martyrdom of Abo”.

Settlement, development, despoilment, and recovery of the Hudson River, New York

T he mid-nineteenth century Hudson River School of painting reflects artists' views of American paradise, a glorified Hudson River landscape where the disappearing wilderness, agriculture, and human settlements coexisted along the river in perfect harmony. The romantic, peaceful coexistence of nature and humans became an unsustainable illusion as the twentieth century 507 km (315 mi) Hudson River became a major transportation route to the northern and western interior of the United States (figure 1). Like many rivers throughout history, navigation of the Hudson River waters fostered tanneries, paper mills, factories, electrical plants, and other enterprises along its coastline (Rothstein 2019). Rivers, with their abundant water supply and capacity to transport raw materials and finished goods, fueled the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s, and the Hudson River was exemplary in its contributions. Settlements and industries along the Hudson River valley flourished, creating jobs, expanding communities, and bringing economic prosperity to the region and the nation. In its wake, followed an era of industrial pollution that left an ugly mark on the river celebrated for its beauty and pristine waters. In 1984, 321 km (200 mi) of the Hudson River was classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as the Hudson River PCBs Superfund site—one of the largest in the country. The development, degradation, and recovery of the Hudson River, its river banks, and the New York City (NYC) harbor is the story of a new country taming a wilderness, the growing pains and unintended consequences of uncontrolled economic entrepreneurship, and …

“A river runs through it”: Using small urban rivers as catalysts for revitalization in post-industrial New England cities

Although the revitalization of urban rivers in large cities in the Global North has received much scholarly attention, the role of streams in small cities (with populations less than 100,000 people) has been much less studied. This chapter uses two case studies to examine the potential of streams in small post-industrial cities to serve as catalysts for urban regeneration in the new services-based economy. Faced with an aging infrastructure, decades of disinvestment, competition for scarce financial resources for physical improvements, and often, expensive and time-consuming cleanups of industrial wastes, stakeholders in small cities face unique challenges in making the most of these assets. A study of the dynamics of urban redevelopment in Amesbury, MA (Powwow River) and Peabody, MA (North River), both of which had used their downtown rivers to serve industrial production in the 19th and early 20th centuries, illustrates the diverse opportunities and challenges endemic in re-imagining these rivers. Analysis of the two cases presented here suggests empirically that successful strategies for using small urban rivers as part of an urban revitalization strategy include at least three factors. First, a transformative new vision for river landscapes (often articulated by outsiders rather than endogenously) must be created. This vision may reference historical industrial contexts, but must also find ways to resonate with current inhabitants, who may not be aware of the community’s industrial history. Second, key actors must be committed to the strategies for the long term, and must promote the strategies to their professional networks across multiple scales of government and business. Last, synergistic, creative financial support from multiple scales of government is necessary to move urban revitalization forward.

Paris-on-Hudson

In 1969, a curious picture entered the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City, as part of a major bequest by American banker Robert Lehman (1891-1969). Identified as a Hudson River Scene, the painting, undated and unsigned, depicts an idyllic river landscape, surrounded by green hills, indeed reminiscent of the Hudson River School. Yet the attribution devised by the museum for might appear curious at first glance, as it does not rule out the possibility of a work produced by a little-known French painter named Victor de Grailly. Born in Paris in 1804, Grailly died in the same city in 1887. Mentioned in several museum collections, his pictures constitute a debatable body of work to this day. But if only a few biographical elements have been saved about the artist, the crunch of the debate lies elsewhere.

A comparison of four approaches to river landscape delineation: The case of small watercourses in the Czech Republic

Abstract River landscapes represent key areas of great importance to human society as they perform many functions and provide valuable services. Traditionally, these areas have been perceived as geomorphological phenomena characterised by specific soil conditions, hydrological regimes and unique habitats. Due to the availability of detailed data, it is possible to perform a spatial delineation of river landscapes by interpreting these data using several different approaches. The results of these different approaches can vary considerably, since it is particularly challenging to define the river landscape along small watercourses for which the availability of suitable data is limited. The main aim of this study is to analyse the various methodological approaches that may be used to define the river landscapes of small streams, and to evaluate the efficiency of those approaches that can be applied in nature and landscape conservation. Two medium-sized catchments in the Czech Republic were selected as the study areas in order to ensure different natural conditions and degrees of anthropogenic pressure. As a result, an approach based on combining soil characteristics and topographic information is considered the most appropriate solution to delineate the river ecosystem.

Assessing stakeholder perceptions of landscape and place in the context of a major river intervention: a call for their inclusion in adaptive management

AbstractAdaptive management strategies are required to manage multi-actor and multifunctional river landscapes. Such strategies need to be inclusive of perspectives of different stakeholders. We present a case study of a pilot engineering project in the Dutch river Waal, which drastically changed the appearance of the river landscape. We study perceptions of four stakeholder groups (residents, recreational anglers, recreational boaters and shipping professionals) regarding the impacts of this intervention on landscape values, including aesthetics, naturalness, biodiversity, flood safety and accessibility. Results show that stakeholders differ in which functions of the river landscape they find important and how they perceive the longitudinal dams to influence the landscape. They also differ in levels of place attachment and trust in the responsible authority. Shipping professionals stand out for their more negative evaluations of the dams compared to the other stakeholders, while especially residents demonstrate high levels of place identity and connection with nature. Residents also feel that the dams are improving flood risk safety in the area, and they positively evaluate knowledge and skills of Dutch water managers. These results provide water managers with much needed insights into landscape functions valued by different stakeholder groups and those perceived as most endangered by landscape interventions.

Hydrology at Aberdeen – thinking about water locally and globally

ABSTRACTAlthough geographical hydrology research at Aberdeen contributed significant insights into the connections between river channel processes and landscape evolution in the early twentieth century it was not until the 1980s that hydrology became a discernible research theme in the Department of Geography. Whilst the research initially focused on understanding the linkages between fluvial geomorphology, hydrology and in-stream hydraulics, since the mid-1990s a burgeoning research community has made significant contributions to advancing physical hydrology, understanding water quality issues and elucidating inter-connections between hydrology and both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. A particular research strength has been the use of isotopic tracers (especially high-resolution, field-based data) to advance hydrological models. Work at Aberdeen has also been internationally leading in terms of understanding the role of hydrology in shaping the life cycle of Scottish Atlantic salmon and other aquatic organisms. Ideas and research approaches developed at local Scottish field sites are being increasingly applied and adapted to advance hydrological understanding in geographical regions as diverse as the rain forests of Costa Rica, the karst of south west China, aquifers in east Africa, the Chilean high Andes, Arctic Canada, peatlands in western Siberia and forests in northern Germany.

Stone Age fishing strategies in a dynamic river landscape: Evidence from Veksa 3, Northwest Russia

The role of fishing in Stone Age hunter-gatherer societies of the European forest zone has been gaining importance as a research question over the last years. In order to better understand temporal developments in the role of fishing, changing strategies and their connection to environmental conditions, the study of multi-period stratified site holds good potential for working out a sound empirical basis. Multidisciplinary investigations at the site of Veksa 3 in northwestern Russia have substantially increased our understanding on the development of subsistence strategies of Stone and Early Metal Age populations in this region and on the changing role fishing played in this. For the Early Neolithic period (ca. mid-6th to early 5th mill. cal BC) evidence was gained from seasonal settlement remains within floodplain sediments at the bank of the river Vologda. Fish remains within the settlement structures represent kitchen remains (burnt bones) and processing debris (fish scales) with the dominant species being pike and cyprinids. The only evidence for fishing techniques are bone fish hooks which typologically are linked to Late Mesolithic practices in Northwest Russia. Isotopic analyses of ceramic food crusts attest to an increasing importance of pottery vessels in fish processing from the Early to the Middle Neolithic. For the Late Neolithic and the Early Metal Age period, almost one thousand years of intense regular use of the shallow water area east of the modern Veksa mouth for fishing with stationary constructions is attested to by rich waterlogged in situ remains. The wooden constructions encompass thousands of archaeological timbers, many of them upstanding posts with pointed ends, and several lath screens representing fich fences and fish traps, six of which have been excavated. Radiocarbon datings place the constructions within a time frame between the second half of the 4th and the third quarter of the 3rd millennium cal BC. They are associated with the lacustrine, shallow water phase identified in the palaeoenvironmental studies before the regime at this place changed to a fluvial character.

The search for Cezannism in the prac-tice of Adalbert Erdeli of 1930–1940.

The search for Cezannism in the prac-tice of Adalbert Erdeli of 1930–1940.

River nutrient water and sediment measurements inform on nutrient retention, with implications for eutrophication

The consideration of nutrients in pollution dynamics is important for environmental management and conservation. Developing countries are yet to appreciate the aquatic ecosystem pollution impacts on their economies and as such, information on water pollution dynamics is limited. This study assessed the spatio-temporal dynamics of nutrient loading and retention in stream water and sediments in the Bloukrans River system, Eastern Cape province, South Africa over the course of the wet and dry season. Sediment and water samples were analysed for total phosphorus (TP) and nitrogen (TN) concentrations, and were used in combination with river flow discharge, to determine nutrient loads. The study results highlight that river discharge plays a significant role in temporal differences in sediment and water column nutrient concentrations. The mean sediment nutrient concentration was high for the dry season, with high values being observed for the urban river system. Nutrient loads were high above the sewage treatment works outflow (i.e. urban sites), as such, a decreasing trend was observed with increasing distance from the urban environment. Nutrient loads were generally high for the dry season in comparison to the wet season indicating organic matter retention (i.e. accumulation from burst sewage pipes) most likely due to low flows. While it was evident that the ageing wastewater infrastructure contributed to the observed state of the Bloukrans River, the high natural nutrient retention capacity seemed to mitigate eutrophication of downstream aquatic ecosystems. As such, the nutrient retention capacity and management of the system is central to the entire Bloukrans River catchment management practices. Therefore, the study contributes to our understanding of water and sediment nutrient pollution dynamics in an arid temperate river landscape where vast spatio-temporal differences in base flow characterise the riverscape.

Power and Changing Riverscapes: The Socioecological Fix and Newspaper Discourse Concerning the Rhône River (France) Since 1945

Riverscapes are constructs that mix natural components with political, socioeconomic, and technical strategies. This article shows how the riverscapes of the Rhône in France have changed under the influence of different power relations. We use newspapers to highlight the potential of news outlets as a data source with which to apply Foucault’s critical and genealogical methods and to develop a political ecology of socioecological fixes. Media coverage is proxied by a content analysis and textual data analysis of 1,079 articles published in Le Monde from 1945 to 2013. We study variations of newspaper discourse to create five chronological narratives: (1) the reconstruction of France and the creation of new landscapes, (2) the promotion of national development through navigation, (3) the quest for energy independence through dams and nuclear power plants, (4) the abandonment of major projects, and (5) the definition of pollution and flooding as national problems at the same time as the rediscovery of landscapes as local amenities. River landscapes are related to national political objectives, even though schemes for the Rhône seem to be ever less geared to national ambitions. In specific contexts, bottom-up advocacy coalitions occasionally prove powerful enough to influence socioecological trajectories: Their power seems to be on the rise as the national project wanes. They are often opposed to new socioecological fixes. Although political drivers are instrumental in shaping the Rhône, economic dynamics are crucial. Energy production seems to be a good indicator for monitoring socioecological fixes along major rivers because it involves fixed capital. Key Words: construction of riverscape, discourse, political ecology, socioecological fix, temporal patterns.