Gravel-bed river floodplains are the ecological nexus of glaciated mountain landscapes
Date
2016
Authors
Hauer, F. Richard
Locke, Harvey
Dreitz, Victoria J.
Hebblewhite, Mark
Lowe, Winsor H.
Muhfield, Clint C.
Nelson, Cara R.
Proctor, Michael F.
Rood, Stewart B.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Abstract
Gravel-bed river floodplains in mountain landscapes disproportionately concentrate diverse habitats, nutrient
cycling, productivity of biota, and species interactions. Although stream ecologists know that river channel and
floodplain habitats used by aquatic organisms are maintained by hydrologic regimes that mobilize gravel-bed
sediments, terrestrial ecologists have largely been unaware of the importance of floodplain structures and processes
to the life requirements of a wide variety of species. We provide insight into gravel-bed rivers as the
ecological nexus of glaciated mountain landscapes. We show why gravel-bed river floodplains are the primary
arena where interactions take place among aquatic, avian, and terrestrial species from microbes to grizzly bears
and provide essential connectivity as corridors for movement for both aquatic and terrestrial species. Paradoxically,
gravel-bed river floodplains are also disproportionately unprotected where human developments are
concentrated. Structural modifications to floodplains such as roads, railways, and housing and hydrologicaltering
hydroelectric or water storage dams have severe impacts to floodplain habitat diversity and
productivity, restrict local and regional connectivity, and reduce the resilience of both aquatic and terrestrial
species, including adaptation to climate change. To be effective, conservation efforts in glaciated mountain
landscapes intended to benefit the widest variety of organisms need a paradigm shift that has gravel-bed rivers
and their floodplains as the central focus and that prioritizes the maintenance or restoration of the intact structure
and processes of these critically important systems throughout their length and breadth.
Description
Sherpa Romeo green journal: open access
Keywords
Gravel-bed rivers , Gravel-bed floodplains , Glaciated mountain landscapes , Floodplain habitat , Biodiversity , Ecosystem , Conservation
Citation
Hauer, F. R., Locke, H., Dreitz, V. J., Hebblewhite, M., Lowe, W. H., Muhfield, C. C. ... Rood, S. B. (2016). Gravel-bed river floodplains are the ecological nexus of glacited mountain landscapes. Science Advances, 2. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1600026