Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Large Woody Debris Input and Its Influence on Channel Structure in Agricultural Lands of Southeast Brazil

  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Riparian forests are important for the structure and functioning of stream ecosystems, providing structural components such as large woody debris (LWD). Changes in these forests will cause modifications in the LWD input to streams, affecting their structure. In order to assess the influence of riparian forests changes in LWD supply, 15 catchments (third and fourth order) with riparian forests at different conservation levels were selected for sampling. In each catchment we quantified the abundance, volume and diameter of LWD in stream channels; the number, area and volume of pools formed by LWD and basal area and tree diameter of riparian forest. We found that riparian forests were at a secondary successional stage with predominantly young trees (diameter at breast height <10 cm) in all studied streams. Results showed that basal area and diameter of riparian forest differed between the stream groups (forested and non-forested), but tree density did not differ between groups. Differences were also observed in LWD abundance, volume, frequency of LWD pools with subunits and area and volume of LWD pools. LWD diameter, LWD that form pools diameter and frequency of LWD pools without subunits did not differ between stream groups. Regression analyses showed that LWD abundance and volume, and frequency of LWD pools (with and without subunits) were positively related with the proportion of riparian forest. LWD diameter was not correlated to riparian tree diameter. The frequency of LWD pools was correlated to the abundance and volume of LWD, but characteristics of these pools (area and volume) were not correlated to the diameter of LWD that formed the pools. These results show that alterations in riparian forest cause modifications in the LWD abundance and volume in the stream channel, affecting mainly the structural complexity of these ecosystems (reduction in the number and structural characteristics of LWD pools). Our results also demonstrate that riparian forest conservation actions must consider not only its extension, but also successional stage to guarantee the quantity and quality of LWD necessary to enable the structuring of stream channels.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allmendinger NE, Pizzuto JE, Potter NJ, Johnson TE, Hession WC (2005) The influence of riparian vegetation on stream width, eastern Pennsylvania, USA. GSA Bulletin 117:229–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrus CW, Long BA, Froehlich HA (1988) Woody debris and its contribution to pool formation in a coastal stream 50 years after logging. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 45:2080–2086

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angermeier PL, Karr JR (1984) Relationships between woody debris and fish habitat in a small warmwater stream. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 113:716–726

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beechie TJ, Sibley TH (1997) Relationships between channel characteristics, woody debris, and fish habitat in Northwestern Washington streams. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 126:217–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benda LE, Bigelow P, Worsley TM (2002) Recruitment of wood to streams in old-growth and second-growth redwood forests, northern California, USA. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 32:1460–1477

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bilby RE, Bisson PA (1998) Function and distribution of large woody debris. In: Naiman RJ, Bilby RE (eds) River ecology and management: lessons from the Pacific Coastal Ecoregion. Springer, New York, pp 324–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Bilby RE, Ward JW (1989) Changes in characteristics and function of woody debris with increasing size of streams in western Washington. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 118:368–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bilby RE, Ward JW (1991) Characteristics and function of large woody debris in streams draining old-growth, clear-cut, and second-growth forests in southwestern Washington. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 48:2499–2508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bisson PA, Montgomery DR (1996) Valley segments, stream reaches, and channel units. In: Hauer R, Lamberti GA (eds) Methods in stream ecology. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 23–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Bisson PA, Bilby RE, Bryant MD, Dolloff CA, Grette GB, House RA, Murphy ML, Koski KV, Sedell JR (1987) Large woody debris in forested streams in the Pacific Northwest: past, present, and future. In: Salo EO, Cundy TW (eds) Streamside management: forestry and fisheries interactions. Contribution no. 57. Institute of Forest Resources, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, pp 143–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Brasil (1965) Lei no. 4.771 de 15/09/1965. Código Florestal

  • Brower J, Zar J, Von Ende C (1990) Field and laboratory methods for general ecology. Wm. C. Brown Publishers, Dubuque

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown S, Lugo AE (1990) Tropical secondary forests. Journal of Tropical Ecology 6:1–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryant MD (1983) The role and management of woody debris in west coast Salmonid nursery streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 3:322–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Catharino ELM (1989) Estudos fisionômico-florísticos e fitossociológico em matas residuais secundárias do município de Piracicaba, SP. Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP. Tese (Mestrado)

  • Ceapla (2008) Atlas Ambiental da bacia do rio Corumbataí. http://ns.rc.unesp.br/igce/ceapla/atlas/

  • Cordova JM, Rosi-Marshall EJ, Yamamuro AM, Lamberti GA (2007) Quantity, controls and functions of large woody debris in Midwestern USA streams. River Research and Applications 23:21–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins KH (1962) An evaluation of some techniques for the collection and analysis of benthic samples with special emphasis on lotic waters. American Midland Naturalist 67:477–504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlström N, Nilsson C (2004) Influence of woody debris on channel structure in old growth and managed forest streams in Central Sweden. Environmental Management 33:376–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalgaard P (2002) Introductory statistics with R. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Diez JR, Elosegi A, Pozo J (2001) Woody debris in North Iberian streams: influence of geomorphology, vegetation, and management. Environmental Management 28:687–698

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Durigan G, Franco GADC, Saito M, Baitello JB (2000) Estrutura e diversidade do componente arbóreo da floresta na Estação Ecológica dos Caetetus, Gália, SP. Revista Brasileira de Botânica 23:371–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fausch KD, Northcote TG (1992) Large woody debris and salmonid habitat in a small coastal British Columbia stream. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 49:682–693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick FA, Waite IR, D’Arconte PJ, Meador MR, Maupin MA, Gurtz ME (1998) Revised methods for characterizing stream habitat in the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4052

  • Fonseca RCB, Rodrigues RR (2000) Análise estrutural e aspectos do mosaico sucessional de uma floresta semidecídua em Botucatu, SP. Scientia Forestalis 57:27–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Forman RTT (1995) Land mosaics: the ecology of landscapes and regions. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Griscom HP, Griscom BW, Ashton MS (2009) Forest regeneration from pasture in the dry tropics of Panama: effects of cattle, exotic grass, and forested riparia. Restoration Ecology 17:117–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guariguata MR, Ostertag R (2001) Neotropical secondary forest succession: changes in structural and functional characteristics. Forest Ecology and Management 148:185–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harmon ME, Franklin JF, Swanson FJ, Sollins P, Gregory SV, Lattin JD, Anderson NH, Cline SP, Aumen NG, Sedell JR, Lienkaemper GW, Cromack K Jr, Cummins KW (1986) Ecology of coarse woody debris in temperate ecosystems. Advances in Ecological Research 15:133–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassan MA, Hogan DL, Bird SA, May CL, Gomi T, Campbell D (2005) Spatial and temporal dynamics of wood in headwater streams or the Pacific Northwest. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 41:899–919

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins CP, Kershner JL, Bisson PA, Bryant MD, Decker LM, Gregory SV, Mccullough DA, Overton CK, Reeves GH, Steedman RJ, Young MK (1993) A hierarchical approach to classifying stream habitats features. Fisheries 18:3–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heartsill-Scalley T, Aide TM (2003) Riparian vegetation and stream condition in a tropical agriculture-secondary forest mosaic. Ecological Applications 13:225–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hering D, Kail J, Eckert S, Gerhard M, Meyer EI, Mutz M, Reich M, Weiss I (2000) Coarse woody debris quantity and distribution in central European streams. International Review of Hydrobiology 85:5–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IGC (1979) Instituto Geográfico e Cartográfico do Estado de São Paulo

  • Jensen JR (2000) Remote sensing of the environment: an earth resource perspective. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SL, Swanson FJ, Grant GE, Wondzell SM (2000) Riparian forest disturbances by a mountain flood—the influence of floated wood. Hydrological Processes 14:3031–3050

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keeton WS, Kraft CE, Warren DR (2007) Mature and old-growth riparian forests: structure, dynamics, and effects on Adirondack stream habitats. Ecological Applications 17:852–868

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koffler NF (1993) Uso das terras da bacia do Rio Corumbataí em 1990. Geografia 18:135–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreutzweiser DP, Good KP, Sutton TM (2005) Large woody debris characteristics and contributions to pool formation in forest streams of the Boreal Shield. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 35:1213–1223

    Google Scholar 

  • Lima RAF, Zanforlin M, Gandolfi S, Rodrigues RR (2008) Repeated disturbances and canopy disturbance regime in a tropical semi-deciduous forest. Journal of Tropical Ecology 24:85–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorenzi H (2008) Árvores brasileiras: manual de identificação e cultivo de plantas arbóreas nativas do Brasil. Instituto Plantarum de Estudos da Flora, Nova Odessa

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowe-McConnell RH (1964) The fishes of the Rupununi savanna district of Britsh Guiana, Pt 1. Grouping of fish species and effects of the seasonal cycles on the fish. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 45:103–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maser C, Sedell JR (1994) From the forest to the sea, the ecology of wood in streams, rivers, estuaries, and oceans. St Lucie Press, Florida

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthews WJ (1998) Patterns in freshwater fish ecology. Chapman & Hall, Norwell

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mcdade MH, Swanson FJ, McKee WA, Franklin JF, Van Sickle J (1990) Source distances for coarse woody debris entering small streams in western Oregon and Washington. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 20:326–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHenry ML, Shott E, Conrad RH, Grette GB (1998) Changes in the quantity and characteristics of large woody debris in streams of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, U.S.A. (1982–1993). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 55:1395–1407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McIlroy SK, Montagne C, Jones CA, McGlynn BL (2008) Identifying linkages between land use, geomorphology, and aquatic habitat in a mixed-use watershed. Environmental Management 42:867–876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meleason MA, Davies-Colley R, Wright-Stow A, Horrox J, Costley K (2005) Characteristics and geomorphic effect of wood in New Zealand’s native forest streams. International Review of Hydrobiology 90:466–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery DR, Collins BD, Buffington JM, Abbe TB (2003) Geomorphic effects of wood in rivers. In: Gregory SV, Boyer KL, Gurnell AM (eds) The ecology and management of wood in world rivers. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 37, Bethesda, MD, pp 21–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Mossop B, Bradford MJ (2004) Importance of large woody debris for juvenile Chinook salmon habitat in small boreal forest streams in the upper Yukon River basin. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 34:1955–1966

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy ML, Koski KV (1989) Input and depletion of woody debris in Alaska streams and implications for streamside management. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 9:427–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagasaka A, Nakamura F (1999) The influences of land use changes on hydrology and riparian environment in a northern Japanese landscape. Landscape Ecology 14:543–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nowakowski AL, Wohl E (2008) Influences on wood load in mountain streams of the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming, USA. Environmental Management 42:557–571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paula FR (2010) Diversidade das comunidades de peixes de riachos em função da estrutura da paisagem em microbacias da bacia do rio Corumbataí, SP. Universidade Estadual Paulista “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Rio Claro, SP. Tese (Mestrado)

  • Power ME (2003) Life cycles, limiting factors, and behavioral ecology of four Loricariid catfishes in a Panamanian stream. In: Arratia G, Kapoor BG, Chardon M, Diogo R (eds) Catfishes. Science Publishers, Enfield, NH, pp 581–600

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn GP, Keough MJ (2002) Experimental design and data analysis for biologists. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2008) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. ISBN 3-900051-07-0, http://www.R-project.org

  • Ralph SG, Poole GC, Conquest LL, Naiman RJ (1994) Stream channel morphology and woody debris in logged and unlogged basins of western Washington. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 51:37–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richmond AD, Fausch KD (1995) Characteristics and function of large woody debris in subalpine Rocky Mountain streams in northern Colorado. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 52:1789–1802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robison EG, Beschta RL (1990) Identifying trees in riparian areas that can provide coarse woody debris to streams. Forest Science 36:790–801

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues RR (1999) A vegetação de Piracicaba e municípios de entorno. Circular Técnica do IPEF 189:1–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenfeld JS, Huato L (2003) Relationship between large woody debris characteristics and pool formation in small coastal British Columbia streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 23:928–938

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saunders DA, Hobbs RJ, Margules CR (1991) Biological consequences of ecosystem fragmentation: a review. Conservation Biology 5:18–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schreuder HT, Gregoire TG, Wood GB (1993) Sampling methods for multiresource forest inventory. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Sedell JR, Reeves GH, Hauer FR, Stanford JA, Hawkins CP (1990) Role of refugia in recovery from disturbances: modern fragmented and disconnected river systems. Environmental Management 14:711–724

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seo J, Nakamura F (2009) Scale-dependent controls upon the fluvial export of large wood from river catchments. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 34:786–800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland AB, Meyer JL, Gardner EP (2002) Effects of land cover on sediment regime and fish assemblage structure in four southern Appalachian streams. Freshwater Biology 47:1791–1805

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson FJ, Lienkaemper GW, Sedell JR (1976) History, physical effects and management implications of large organic debris in western Oregon streams. General technical report PNW-GTR-056. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Portland, OR

  • Thornton KW, Holbrook SP, Stolte KL, Landy RB (2000) Effects of forest management practices on mid-Atlantic streams. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 63:31–41

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turner MG, Gardner RH, O’neill RV (2001) Landscape ecology in theory and practice: pattern and process. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Valente ROA, Vettorazzi CA (2003) Mapeamento de uso e cobertura do solo da Bacia do Rio Corumbataí, SP. Circular Técnica do IPEF 186:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Sickle J, Gregory SV (1990) Modeling inputs of large woody debris to streams from falling trees. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 20:1593–1601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Victor MAM (1975) A devastação florestal. Sociedade Brasileira de Silvicultura, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace JB, Benke AC (1984) Quantification of woody habitat in subtropical coastal plain streams. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 41:1643–1652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wing MG, Skaugset A (2002) Relationships of channel characteristics, land ownership, and land use patterns to large woody debris in western Oregon streams. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 59:796–807

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wipfli MS, Richardson JS, Naiman RJ (2007) Ecological linkages between headwaters and downstream ecosystems: transport of organic matter, invertebrates, and wood down headwater channels. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 43:72–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright JP, Flecker AS (2004) Deforesting the riverscape: the effects of wood on fish diversity in a Venezuelan piedmont stream. Biological Conservation 120:439–447

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zar JH (1996) Biostatistical analysis. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was supported by FAPESP (Proc. 06/00797-2; 06/04723-3 and 03/10505-0). We would like to thank all colleagues for help during field work and all landowners who gave us permission to work on their properties. Also, we are thankful to anonymous reviewers that have contributed to paper improvement.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biosystems, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

    Felipe Rossetti de Paula & Carlos Alberto Vettorazzi

  2. Department of Forest Sciences, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Av. Pádua Dias, 11 Depto Ciências Florestais, ESALQ, Piracicaba, SP, 13418900, Brazil

    Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz

  3. Natural Resources Management Thematic Group, Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Belém, PA, Brazil

    Pedro Gerhard

  4. Isotopic Ecology Laboratory, Nuclear Energy Center for Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

    Anderson Ferreira

Authors
  1. Felipe Rossetti de Paula
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pedro Gerhard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Carlos Alberto Vettorazzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Anderson Ferreira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Paula, F.R., Ferraz, S.F.B., Gerhard, P. et al. Large Woody Debris Input and Its Influence on Channel Structure in Agricultural Lands of Southeast Brazil. Environmental Management 48, 750–763 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-011-9730-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-011-9730-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation