Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Using continuous surface water level and temperature data to characterize hydrological connectivity in riparian wetlands

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Methods to characterize hydrological connectivity at riparian wetlands are necessary for ecosystem management given its importance over ecosystem structure and functioning. In this paper, we aimed to describe hydrological connectivity at one Ebro River reach (NE Spain) and test a method to perform such characterization. Continuous surface water level and temperature data were recorded at five riparian wetlands during the period October 2006–June 2007. Combining water level and temperature, we classified the examined wetlands in three groups, which mainly differed in the dominant water source during different flood stages. Firstly, a comparison of water level fluctuations in riparian wetlands with those in the river channel during events with different characteristics was used to describe hydrological connectivity. Such comparison was also used to extract quantitative hydrological connectivity descriptors as the wetland response initiation time. Secondly, water temperature series were divided in phases with different average, range and daily oscillation, and these parameters were interpreted for each phase to identify dominant flowpaths. By doing so, a more complete description of hydrological connectivity was achieved. Our method provided useful insights to describe hydrological connectivity using a qualitative approach that can be expanded if required to include quantitative parameters for studies of biotic assemblages or ecosystem processes.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acuna, V., & Tockner, K. (2009). Surface–subsurface water exchange rates along alluvial river reaches control the thermal patterns in an Alpine river network. Freshwater Biology, 54, 306–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amoros, C., & Bornette, G. (2002). Connectivity and biocomplexity in waterbodies of riverine floodplains. Freshwater Biology, 47, 761–776.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arrigoni, A. S., Poole, G. C., Mertes, L. A. K., O’Daniel, S. J., & Woessner, W. W. (2008). Buffered, lagged, or cooled? Disentangling hyporheic influences on temperature cycles in stream channels. Water Resources and Research, 44, 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arscott, D. B., Tockner, K., & Ward, J. V. (2000). Aquatic habitat diversity along the corridor of an Alpine floodplain river (Fiume Tagliamento, Italy). Archive für Hydrobioligie, 149, 679–704.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arscott, D. B., Tockner, K., & Ward, J. V. (2001). Thermal heterogeneity along a braided floodplain river (Tagliamento River, northeastern Italy). Canadian Journal Fisheries Aquatic Sciences, 58, 2359–2373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boven, L., Stoks, R., Forro, L., & Brendonck, L. (2008). Seasonal dynamics in water quality and vegetation cover in temporary pools with variable hydroperiods in Kiskunsag (Hungary). Wetlands, 28, 401–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunke, M., Hoehn, E., Gonser, T. (2003). Patchiness of river–groundwater interactions within two floodplain landscapes and diversity of aquatic invertebrate communities. Ecosystems, 6, 707–722.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, M. K., King, S. L., Gartner, D., & Eisenbies, M. H. (2003). Vegetation, soil, and flooding relationships in a blackwater floodplain forest. Wetlands, 23, 988–1002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabezas, A., Gonzalez, E., Gallardo, B., Garcia, M., Gonzalez, M., & Comin, F. A. (2008). Effects of hydrological connectivity on the substrate and understory structure of riparian wetlands in the Middle Ebro River (NE Spain): Implications for restoration and management. Aquatic Sciences, 70, 361–376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabezas, A., Comin, F. A., Begueria, S., & Trabucchi, M. (2009a). Hydrologic and landscape changes in the Middle Ebro River (NE Spain): Implications for restoration and management. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 13, 273–284.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cabezas, A., Garcia, M., Gallardo, B., Gonzalez, E., Gonzalez-Sanchis, M., & Comin, F. A. (2009b). The effect of anthropogenic disturbance on the hydrochemical characteristics of riparian wetlands at the Middle Ebro River (NE Spain). Hydrobiologia, 617, 101–116.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, C. A., & Brooks, R. P. (2000). Patterns of wetland hydrology in the Ridge and Valley province, Pennsylvania, USA. Wetlands, 20, 438–447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, H. H., & Rorabaugh, M. I. (1963). Ground-water and bank storage due to flood stages in surface streams (pp. 343–366). U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Papers, 1536-J.

  • Davie, T. (2002). Fundamentals of hydrology. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo, B., Garcia, M., Cabezas, A., Gonzalez, E., Gonzalez, M., Ciancarelli, et al. (2008). Macroinvertebrate patterns along environmental gradients and hydrological connectivity within a regulated river-floodplain. Aquatic Sciences, 70, 248–258.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo, B., Gascon, S., Gonzalez-Sanchis, M., Cabezas, A., & Comin, F. A. (2009). Modelling the response of floodplain aquatic assemblages across the lateral hydrological connectivity gradient. Marine and Freshwater Research, 60, 924–935.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez, E., Muller, E., Gallardo, B., Comin, F. A., & Gonzalez-Sanchis, M. (2010). Factors controlling litter production in a large Mediterranean river floodplain forest. Canadian Journal of Forest Research-Revue Canadienne De Recherche Forestiere, 40, 1698–1709.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heiler, G., Hein, T., Schiemer, F., & Bornette, G. (1995). Hydrological connectivity and flood pulses as the central aspects for the integrity of a river–floodplain system. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management, 11, 351–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hein, T., Baranyi, C., Heiler, G., Holarek, C., Riedler, P., et al. (1999). Hydrology as a major factor determining plankton development in two floodplain segments and the River Danube, Austria. Archiv fuÉr Hydrobiologie, 115(Suppl. 1), 439–452.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewlett, J. D., & Hibbert, A. R. (1963). Moisture and energy conditions within a sloping mass during drainage. Journal of Geophysical Research, 68, 1081–1094.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Junk, W. J., Bayley, B., & Sparks, R. E. (1989). The flood pulse concept in river–floodplain systems. In D. P. Dodge (Ed.), Proceeding internernational large river symposium. Special issue of Journal Canadadian Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (Vol. 106, pp. 11–27).

  • Kalbus, E., Reinstorf, F., & Schirmer, M. (2006). Measuring methods for groundwater–surface water interactions: A review. Hydrology Earth System Sciences, 10, 873–887.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamontagne, S., Leaney, F. W., & Herczeg, A. L. (2005). Patterns in groundwater nitrogen concentration in the riparian zone of a large semi-arid river (River Murray, Australia). River Research and Applications, 1, 145–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewandowski, J., Lischeid, G., & Nutzmann, G. (2009). Drivers of water level fluctuations and hydrological exchange between groundwater and surface water at the lowland River Spree (Germany): Field study and statistical analyses. Hydrological Processes, 23, 2117–2128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macpherson, G. L., & Sophocleous, M. (2004). Fast ground-water mixing and basal recharge in an unconfined, alluvial aquifer, Konza LTER Site, Northeastern Kansas. Journal of Hydrology, 286, 271–299.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malard, F., Tockner, K., & Ward, J. V. (2000). Physico-chemical heterogeneity in a glacial riverscape. Landscape Ecology, 15, 679–695.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malard, F., Mangin, A., Uehlinger, U., & Ward, J. V. (2001). Thermal heterogeneity in the hyporheic zone of a glacial floodplain. Canadian Journal Fisheries Aquatic Sciences, 58, 1319–1335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medley, K. A., & Havel, J. E. (2007). Hydrology and local environmental factors influencing zooplankton communities in floodplain ponds. Wetlands, 27, 864–872.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitsch, W. J., & Gosselink, J. G. (1993). Wetlands. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nathan, R. J., & McMahon, T. A. (1990). Evaluation of automated techniques for base flow and reccesion analyses. Water Resources Research, 26, 1465–1172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poole, G. C., & Berman, C. H. (2001). An ecological perspective on in-stream temperature: Natural heat dynamics and mechanisms of human-caused thermal degradation. Environmental Management, 27, 787–802.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poole, G. C., O’Daniel, S. J., Jones, K. L., Woessner, W. W., & Bernhardt, E. S. (2008). Hydrologic spiralling: The role of multiple interactive flow paths in stream ecosystems. River Research and Applications, 24, 1018–1031.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pringle, C. M. (2001). Hydrologic connectivity and the management of biological reserves: A global perspective. Ecological Applications, 11, 981–998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reckendorfer, W., Baranyi, C., Funk, A., & Schiemer, F. (2006). Floodplain restoration by reinforcing hydrological connectivity: expected effects on aquatic mollusc communities. Journal of Applied Ecology, 43, 474–484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roozen, F., Peeters, E., Roijackers, R., Wyngaert, I. V. D., & Wolters, H. (2008). Fast response of lake plankton and nutrients to river inundations on floodplain lakes. River Research and Applications, 24, 388–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiemer, F., Hein, T., & Peduzzi, P. (2006). Hydrological control of system characteristics of floodplain lakes. Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology, 6, 7–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tockner, K., Pennetzdorfer, D., Reiner, N., Schiemer, F., & Ward, J. V. (1999a). Hydrological connectivity, and the exchange of organic matter and nutrients in a dynamic river–floodplain system (Danube, Austria). Freshwater Biology, 41, 521–535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tockner, K., Schiemer, F., Baumgartner, C., Kum, G., & Weigand, E. (1999b). The Danube restoration project: Species diversity patterns across connectivity gradients in the floodplain system. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management, 15, 245–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tockner, K., Malard, F., & Ward, J. V. (2000). An extension of the flood pulse concept. Hydrological Processes, 14, 2861–2883.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J. V., & Stanford, J. A. (1995). Ecological connectivity in alluvial river ecosystems and its disruption by flow regulation. Regulated Rivers-Research & Management, 11, 105–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J. V., Malard, F., Tockner, K., & Uehlinger, U. (1999). Influence of ground water on surface water conditions in a glacial flood plain of the Swiss Alps. Hydrological Processes, 13, 277–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J. V., Tockner, K., Arscott, D. B., & Claret, C. (2002). Riverine landscape diversity. Freshwater Biology, 47, 517–539.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weng, P., Sanchez-Perez, J. M., Sauvage, S., Vervier, P., & Giraud, F. (2003). Assessment of the quantitative and qualitative buffer function of an alluvial wetland: Hydrological modelling of a large floodplain (Garonne River, France). Hydrological Processes, 17, 2375–2392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Chemical Laboratory, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 301, 12587, Berlin, Germany

    Alvaro Cabezas

  2. Pyrenean Institute of Ecology—Spanish Research Council, IPE-CSIC, Avda. Montañana 1005, 50080, Zaragoza, Spain

    Maria Gonzalez-Sanchís, Belinda Gallardo & Francisco A. Comín

Authors
  1. Alvaro Cabezas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria Gonzalez-Sanchís
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Belinda Gallardo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Francisco A. Comín
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alvaro Cabezas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cabezas, A., Gonzalez-Sanchís, M., Gallardo, B. et al. Using continuous surface water level and temperature data to characterize hydrological connectivity in riparian wetlands. Environ Monit Assess 183, 485–500 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-1934-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-1934-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation