Vegetation dynamics in floodplains

Hugo Coops RIZA

Gradients in riverine wetlands

Zonation along riverine gradients: inundation conditions (elevation) flow (scouring, oxygen, resuspension) sedimentation (sed. type, burial, nutrients) biotic interactions (grazing, trampling, competition) Dynamic environment

Riparian zonation

Vegetation zonation of the Lower Rhine

Levees Sandy soil No/short-duration inundation Regular/rather short inundation Frequent/rather long inundation Long inundation, dry only in summer Permanent inundation Querco-Ulmetum Populus nigra Salix spp. <-----------> Sandy-silty soil Querco-Ulmetum Backswamp Clayey soil Querco-Ulmetum

Salix spp.

Salix spp.

Salix alba

Phragmites australis

Phragmites australis

Ephemeral vegetation (Potamogeton)

Rorippa amphibium Limosella aquatica (Potamogeton)

Typha angustifolia

Nuphar lutea

Floodplain forest

Pioneer vegetation

River macrophytes

Floodplain lakes

Vegetation zonation of the Lower Rhine (2)

Levees Sandy soil No/short-duration inundation Dune-grassland: Medicago sativa, Sedum spp. < -----------> Sandy-silty soil Arrhenatherum (species-rich) Cynosuretum Alopecurus pratensis, Elymus repens Phalaris arundinacea, Alopecurus geniculatus Backswamp Clayey soil Arrhenatherum (species-poor) Cynosuretum Alopecurus pratensis, Elymus repens Phalaris arundinacea, Alopecurus geniculatus, Carex disticha

Regular/rather short inundation Frequent/rather long inundation Long inundation, dry only in summer Permanent inundation

Elymus repens

Phalaris arundinacea, Alopecurus geniculatus

Vegetation zonation of the Lower Rhine (3)

Levees Sandy soil No/short-duration inundation (above mean HW) Around mean HW Dry, nitrophilous ruderal vegetation < -----------> Sandy-silty soil Dry, nitrophilous ruderal vegetation Backswamp Clayey soil Nitrophilous ruderal vegetation

Phalaris arundinacea Bolboschoenus mar. Lythrum salicaria Bolboschoenus mar., Schoenoplectus triqueter

Reed, Caltha palustris araneosa Bolboschoenus mar., Schoenoplectus spp.

Reed, Caltha palustris araneosa Dense Schoenoplectus spp.

mid-intertidal

Long inundation, around mean LW Permanent inundation (below mean LW) Aquatic plants Aquatic plants

Sparse Schoenoplectus spp. Aquatic plants

Tidal wetland succession

Tidal reduction

Vegetation processes in riverine wetlands

Riparian vegetation dynamics Flood pulse and flow pulse Floodplain lake hydro-ecology Plant traits: seed dispersal, germination, mechanical resistance, competitive interactions, preemption/succession

Aquatic phase
Decomposition of terrestrial matter

Non -nundated vegetation

Migration of terrestrial consumers

Terrestrial phase
Production of terrestrial vegetation

Inflowing water
Predom. anorganic matter

Phytoplankton Periphyton Aquatic consumers Bacteria Fungi Inundated vegetation

Terrestrial consumers

Outflowing water
Predom. organic matter (phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrophytes, detritus ) Bacteria Fungi

Fish migration Sediment Production of macrophytes

Bottom

Migration of terrestrial consumers

Fish migration Anorganic sediment (during low flows)

Decomposition of macrophytes

Increasing Stijgende Water level waterstand

Inundated vegetation

Decreasing Dalende Water level waterstand

Seed dispersal

Bank morphodynamics

Vegetation in floodplain lakes

Floodplain lake gradient (Danube Delta, Romania)

Floodplain lake gradient (Danube Delta, Romania)

Floodplain lake gradient (Danube Delta, Romania)

Type 2

Type 1

Type 3

14000 12000 10000 8000

discharge (m3.s-1)
1991 1994 1996 1997

Danub e

1995

6000 4000 2000 0

1990 1993 1992

20-mei

16-nov

28-aug

Flood pulse
2 20 50 150

date

12000 11000 10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

discharge (m3.s-1)
199 5 199 199 199 7 199

Rhine
199 3

199 2

199 0

199 6

199 1

1-1 21- 10- 1-3 21- 10- 30- 20- 9-6 29- 19- 8-8 28- 17- 7- 27- 16- 6- 261 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 12 date

26-dec

17-sep

30-apr

10-apr

21-mrt

27-okt

10-feb

29-jun

21-jan

19-jul

8-aug

6-dec

1-mrt

7-okt

9-jun

1-jan

Aquatic-Terrestrial Transition Zone

100% Ondergelopen areaal van de actieve vloedvlakte (%)
Bovenrijn en Waal

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 0

Pannerdens kanaal, Neder Rijn en Lek IJssel

Aquatisch Terrestrische Overgangszone

hoofdgeul en permanente uiterwaardplassen

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Voorkomen van aquatische componenten (dagen per jaar)

Flood pulse & Flow pulse

250

Chloride (mg.l-1)

200

main channel permanently connected lake frequently connected lake rarely connected floodplain lake

150

100

50

0 jan-98 jul-98 feb-99 sep-97 mei-99 aug-99 nov-98 dec-99 mrt-00 apr-98 jun-00

Floodplain lake survey

C er at op hy ll u m

% 100

25

50

75

de m er su m

C ha ra Nu ph a rl ut ea ph ae a sp ec .

N ym N ym

Macrophyte species abundance

1999 1989

al ph ba oi de Po s ta pe m lta og ta et Po on ta lu m ce og ns et R an on un na cu ta lu ns s ci rc in at El us Po od ta ea m og nu et tta on llii pe ct St in ra at tio us te s al oi de s

1978-81

1955-56

species richness

Results from 100-lake survey Lower Rhine branches (1999)

Some studies show correlation between inundation and submerged plants, others dont, due to: Biased datasets? Hydrological impact on event scale? Lake ageing

12.00 10.00 8.00 6.00 4.00 2.00 .00 0-2 2-20 20-50 50-150 >150 inundation duration (days/yr)

12.00 10.00 species richness 8.00 6.00 4.00 2.00 .00 <3 3-10 11-30 lake age (years) 31-100 >100

Impact of inundation events

% of floodplain lakes dominated by submerged vegetation after inundation
100 75

50

25

0 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 >30

% of floodplain lake dominated by nymphaeid vegetation after inundation

100

75

50

25

0 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 >30

Species responses to inundation events

% 60.00

Characeae*

60.00 %

Nymphoides p.

% 60.00

Nuphar lutea

% 60.00

Potamogeton lucens

40.00

40.00

40.00

40.00

20.00

20.00

20.00

20.00

X
0.00 < 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 > 30
0.00 < 1 1-2 3-10

X
0.00 11-30 > 30 < 1 1-2 3-10

X
0.00 11-30 > 30 < 1 1-2 3-10

X
11-30 > 30

ye ars s ince inundation

ye ars s ince inundation

years s ince inundation

years s ince inundation

Intensity of inundation event

50 45 40
% macrophyte-rich lakes

% macrophyte-rich lakes < 1 year after inundation of varying minimum duration

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 0 >1 >10 >20 >30 >60

inundation duration (days )

Drought and lakebottom exposure

% floodplain lake dominated by submerged vegetation after drawdown
100 75 50

25

0 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 >30

% floodplain lake dominated by nymphaeid vegetation after drawdown

100

75

50

25

0 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 >30

Species responses to drawdown events

% 60.00

Characeae*

% 60.00

Nymphoides p.

% 60.00

Nuphar lutea

% 60.00

Potamogeton lucens

40.00

40.00

40.00

40.00

20.00

20.00

20.00

20.00

0.00 < 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 > 30

0.00 < 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 > 30

0.00 < 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 > 30

0.00 < 1 1-2 3-10 11-30 > 30

ye ars s ince draw dow n

ye ars s ince draw dow n

ye ars s ince draw dow n

ye ars s ince draw dow n

Transient state

Drawdown

Inundation

Vegetation assessment of rivers

Reference conditions Anthropogenic modifications Pressures and impacts Management and restoration Assessment based on macrophytes

Riverine floodplains: natural reference conditions

Riverine floodplains: heavily modified state

Morphological changes

Hydrochemical changes

Hydrological changes

Restoration perspectives?