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Fluvially-deposited large wood and riparian plant diversity

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Abstract

Out-of-channel wood jams centred by fluvially-deposited large wood represent an important habitat for riparian plant species along large rivers dominated by exposed riverine sediments. Such wood jams often display distinct physical features associated with the jams, such as areas of scour immediately upstream, plumes of fine sediment downstream and abundant organic material deposited throughout the jam. This paper examines the relationship between physical characteristics of young wood jams (1–3 years since deposition) and riparian plant diversity along the braided River Tagliamento in Northeast Italy. Species richness of riparian plants was significantly positively correlated to the depth of scour features and amount of fine sediment around the wood jams, which facilitate improved access to the water table and increase available water in the sediments, respectively. Species diversity was significantly positively correlated to scour pool depth only. Scour depth was in turn influenced by wood jam size, indicating that larger jams may indirectly increase riparian plant diversity. Management and restoration of riparian zones containing exposed riverine sediments should allow for the formation of wood jams and their associated features where possible, in order to potentially increase localised biodiversity.

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Acknowledgements

This work was part-funded by a British Ecological Society Small Ecological Project Grant (BES SEPG 752/874). We gratefully acknowledge the help of Dr. Mark Spencer from the Natural History Museum, London, who assisted with the taxonomic identification. King’s College London is also thanked for providing seed money for the project. Two anonymous reviewers are gratefully acknowledged for their constructive comments.

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  1. Department of Geography, King’s College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

    Robert A. Francis, Paolo Tibaldeschi & Luke McDougall

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  1. Robert A. Francis
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  2. Paolo Tibaldeschi
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  3. Luke McDougall
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Correspondence to Robert A. Francis.

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Francis, R.A., Tibaldeschi, P. & McDougall, L. Fluvially-deposited large wood and riparian plant diversity. Wetlands Ecol Manage 16, 371–382 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-007-9074-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-007-9074-2

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