Sediments and stream ecosystems Steve Ormerod ?
Aug 12, 2015
Ecological effects of excess sediments
Problems arise from:
i) Additional (anthropogenic) sediment delivery
ii) Transport in suspension
iii) Transport by saltation
iv) Settlement into interstices
v) Occlusion of surfaces
All can affect organisms directly, or by altering flow,
oxygen availability or other processes
Effects of sediment accumulation on two sets of salmon redds via interstitial flow
Greig et al. 2005,
Sediments
accumulate
Intra-gravel flow
declines
Recent Welsh studies on sediments and their effects:
S. Larsen, I. P. Vaughan and S J Ormerod (2009) Scale-dependent effects of
fine sediments on temperate headwater invertebrates. Freshwater Biology, 54,
203-219
S. Larsen & S. J. Ormerod (2010) Low-level effects of inert sediments on
temperate stream invertebrates. Freshwater Biology, 55, 476-486
S. Larsen & S J Ormerod (2010) Combined effects of habitat modification on trait
composition and species nestedness in river invertebrates. Biological
Conservation, 143, 2638-2646
S. Larsen, G. Pace & S. J. Ormerod (2011) Experimental effects of sediment
deposition on the structure and function of macroinvertebrate assemblages in
temperate streams. River Research and Applications. 27, 257-267
S. Larsen and S. J. Ormerod (2014) Anthropogenic modification disrupts species
co-occurrence patterns in stream invertebrates. Global Change Biology, 20, 51-
60
Combined observations and
experiments to assess effects
of deposited sediments
Examined consequences for trait
diversity and composition
Considered emergent effects
for conservation and function
Effects on invertebrate drift of sediment added experimentally at 4-5 kg per m2
Larsen & Ormerod 2010
Trait consequences:
• Effects of sedimentation detectable only after accounting
for larger-scale land-use change
• Land use-change accompanied by losses of larger, long
lived organisms
• Sedimentation increased detritivores, herbivores, deposit
feeders and burrowers but reduced filterers, predators and
attached taxa declined.
• Trait diversity reduced by both sediments and land-use
change
Important ramifications for conservation and function?
Larsen et al.
Key ES flows
The Duress Ecosystems Services project:
Energy pathways
Ecosystem
service
Biodiversity
(Gene to foodweb)
Biodiversity stocks
Extensive large-scale data and nested design
Fully multi-scale approach: Experimental channels > catchments > region Days > decades
summer
winter
More novel tools: Stable Isotopes for food web analysis
Basal
resources
Primary
consumers
Top
predators
Collection and preparation
of ~1500 samples for
analysis.
Genes, populations, species, ecosystem functions… Microbes, invertebrates, fish, birds.
Land use, climate…
+
What are the important future drivers and how
will these affect stocks and flows?
Future changes:
downscaling the
Duress scenarios
2020
Markets influence high
Government influence high
Market or governance failure
2010
Free Market
Extensification
Transition
2050
Agri-environment
Production focussed
Collapse
Intensification
Prosser et al. unpubl
Scenarios to the 2050’s for upland Wales
Likely drivers of change for upland Wales
Reviewed previous scenarios
and literature – publication in
review
Identified drivers of change
through Expert Stakeholder
Workshop
Already investigated 4
scenarios to the 2050’s for
upland Wales that apply to the
3 activity zones of the uplands.
high lands
ffrydd
valley lands
Ffridd Zone: Intensification Scenario
Land type: Ffridd
Agricultural LC= Other
Ownership = NRW and Common
Land
Designation = None
Land type: Ffridd
Agricultural LC= 5
Ownership = NA
Designation = None
Land type: Ffridd
Agricultural LC = 4
Ownership = NA
Designation: None
Land Type: Ffridd
Agricultural LC=4
Designation: Ancient woodland
N
Scenarios translated spatially across Welsh catchments
33
Example Scenarios - Agricultural intensification
Global food security forces policy to focus on production: Hill farming is now expected to be an important contributor to the national livestock industry by providing breeding and finishing stock to lowland farming systems and fatstock for the market. Environmental protection activity is limited to protected areas or areas with high tourism value.
Increased stock densities and grazing pressure
Conversion of temporary grassland into permanent grassland or fodder crops
Productivity increase through drainage or exploitation of new varieties of grasses and fodder crops
Improvement of animal breeds to maximise food production and carcass specifications to meet market needs
Common land maintained for agricultural production
Greater inputs of fertiliser, chemicals and pesticides to boost productivity in Valley bottoms and Ffridd
Reduction in features such as hedges, woodland strips, lone trees, shrubs or river margins to maximise available land for production
34
Example scenarios - Business as Usual
The farming management paradigm is initially dominant but policy aims to balance the aims of agricultural productivity and environmental protection. Upland farming does not address UK food security specifically, but is managed for supplying export markets - current production far outweighs local consumption . Environmental protection is limited to small areas of land such as protected areas, areas with high tourism value, or areas requiring specific protection to meet regulations.
Overgrazing continues
Proportion of farmers within agri-environment schemes increases but effectiveness limited by difficulties in managing landscape level schemes
Resources required to support upland farming are sourced from other parts of UK or from outside UK (feed, bedding)
Gradual reduction in sediment, nutrient and pesticide inputs to upland rivers as agri-environment schemes are implemented
Upland areas remain largely static with low tree cover but natural regeneration occurs in less productive parts of farms in the ffridd and lowland areas
Common land maintained for grazing
Conclusions
Clear evidence that deposited sediments affect benthic river organisms: abundance, composition, sensitive groups, trait composition and diversity
Potential interactions among stressors – notably climate change
Potential for effects on ecosystem functions, services and resilience – but understanding is rudimentary
Important to understand, predict and manage future change