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Variation in the Flora and Fauna of Tidal Freshwater Forest Ecosystems Along the Columbia River Estuary Gradient: Controlling Factors in the Context of River Flow Regulation

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Abstract

Tidal freshwater forested wetlands are dynamic, complex ecosystems that typically occur in large, floodplain river estuaries throughout the world. The estuarine portion of the Columbia River, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, is exceptionally large and extends from the Pacific Ocean to the head of tide at Bonneville Dam, located at river kilometer (RKm) 233. Our study focused on the freshwater portion of the estuarine gradient (RKm 40 to RKm 233) of the Columbia River estuary and the corresponding continuum of hydrologic regimes and biotic communities. Several diverse forested wetland community types occurred along this freshwater estuarine gradient with major shifts in community composition corresponding to the transition from predominantly tidal to predominantly fluvial hydrologic regimes. We quantitatively characterized the floristic structure, species composition, and species richness of these tidal wetlands. Additionally, we documented variation in the avifaunal and insect assemblages associated with the floral structure. We found that freshwater tidal forested wetlands in the lower reaches of the estuary were characterized by high vegetation species richness and complex forest and scrub-shrub ecosystems, while tidal wetlands in the upper reaches of the estuary displayed a greater diversity of wetland ecosystems (forested, scrub-shrub, emergent, and aquatic bed) but comparatively lower species richness. A transitional area in the mid-estuary contained forested wetlands that exhibited some similarities to estuarine forested wetlands in both the upper and lower reaches. Likewise, avifauna and insect assemblage composition transitioned along the tidal freshwater estuarine gradient. Differences in geomorphological and hydrological regimes along the estuarine gradient appear to be the factors controlling the variation in tidal freshwater forested wetland characteristics and species composition. A thorough understanding of this complex and understudied system is necessary for predicting the potential impacts of hydrologic regime alterations and climate change and for guiding ongoing restoration efforts in the region.

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Notes

  1. Simenstad et al. (2011) distinguish between tidal surge plain and tidal floodplain, but from here forward, we refer to both as tidal floodplain for simplicity. It is possible that any of our study sites contained both tidal surge plain and tidal floodplain forests.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Bonneville Power Administration for funding this research and the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership for their support throughout this project. Laura Brophy, John Christy, Chris Swarth, and Dr. Aat Barendregt all provided thoughtful reviews of this manuscript. Jennifer Burke’s assistance with the study and familiarity with the Columbia River estuary was invaluable throughout the duration of the project. Dr. Julian Olden and Dr. Kern Ewing, both of the University of Washington, provided expert advice and opinions over the course of our research. Mary Ramirez and Jason Toft of the University of Washington’s Wetland Ecosystem Team were particularly helpful with providing maps for this manuscript and assistance with statistical analyses, respectively. We also wish to thank Nancy Johnson, who spent countless hours assisting with field data collection. Finally, all of the members of the Wetland Ecosystem Team contributed ideas, encouragement, and field assistance.

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  1. Pacific Groundwater Group (Formerly School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington), Seattle, WA, 98102, USA

    Laura Kathleen Johnson

  2. School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA

    Charles A. Simenstad

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Johnson, L.K., Simenstad, C.A. Variation in the Flora and Fauna of Tidal Freshwater Forest Ecosystems Along the Columbia River Estuary Gradient: Controlling Factors in the Context of River Flow Regulation. Estuaries and Coasts 38, 679–698 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-014-9839-9

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