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Effects of stream restorations on riparian mesohabitats, vegetation and carabid beetles

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Abstract

We investigated the effects of hydromorphological restoration measures (mainly the removal of bank fixations) on riparian mesohabitats, vegetation and carabid beetles by comparing 24 restored to nearby non-restored floodplain sections in Germany. Mesohabitats were recorded along ten equally-spaced transects, plant communities and riparian plant and carabid beetle species along three transects per section. Based on 18 indices including habitat and species diversity, taxonomic diversity and functional indices we compared the frequency and magnitude of changes following restoration, both for the overall dataset and for each site individually. Riparian habitat diversity doubled in restored sections compared to non-restored sections. The numbers of vegetation units and plant and carabid beetle species richness also doubled in restored sections, whereas changes in Shannon diversity were most pronounced for mesohabitats and riparian plants. Taxonomic diversity of carabid beetles decreased in restored sections reflecting post restoration dominance of riparian Bembidion species. Stress-tolerant pioneers of plant and especially carabid species benefit strongly from the re-establishment of open sand and gravel bars, while hygrophilous species, which also include non-riparian species, did not respond to restoration. We conclude that restoring river hydromorphology has almost generally positive effects on riparian habitats and riparian biodiversity. Riparian biota are thus well-suited indicators for the effects of hydromorphological restoration.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Bundesamt für Naturschutz (FKZ 3507 85 050-K1) and Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (FK 25032-33/2). We thank researchers of the Department of Limnology and Conservation, Research Institute and Natural History Museum Senckenberg for the realization of field work on some streams in Hesse. We are grateful to Sonja Jähnig for providing data on three restoration measures at the Lahn and to Karsten Hannig for his support in carabid identification.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Zoology/Hydrobiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141, Essen, Germany

    Kathrin Januschke & Daniel Hering

  2. Department of Animal Ecology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany

    Stefan Brunzel

  3. Department of Limnology and Conservation, Research Institute and Natural History Museum Senckenberg, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany

    Peter Haase

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  1. Kathrin Januschke
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  2. Stefan Brunzel
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  4. Daniel Hering
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Correspondence to Kathrin Januschke.

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Januschke, K., Brunzel, S., Haase, P. et al. Effects of stream restorations on riparian mesohabitats, vegetation and carabid beetles. Biodivers Conserv 20, 3147–3164 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-011-0119-8

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