River Floodplain Connectivity and Lateral Fish Passage: A Literature Review
نویسندگان
چکیده
Floodplains play a key role in the ecology of the Upper Mississippi River; however, humans have significantly affected the ecological function of floodplains by isolating them from the main stem of the river with levees. Impoundment and channel training within the main stem also influence floodplain function by altering the flow of water through the system. Because of the key role hydrology plays in floodplain ecosystem function, such effects are frequently conceptualized as decreases in lateral connectivity, or the hydrologically mediated lateral exchange of energy, material, and organisms between fluvial and floodplain system components. Some management practices attempt to reestablish periods of lateral connectivity to mitigate functional losses associated with isolation and an altered hydrograph. This report presents a review of scientific literature and synthesis of lateral connectivity as a theoretical and an applied management topic using fish as a point of focus. On the basis of our review of the literature, we recommend a framework for adaptive management of lateral connectivity at several scales within the system and identify data sources that can be used to develop this framework. Specifically, we recommend the development of a time-sequenced geospatial inventory of Upper Mississippi River floodplains. Such an inventory is presently being developed by university researchers investigating changing flood risks in the Mississippi and Missouri River basins. In addition, we highlight the need for high-resolution floodplain elevation data and the development of a detailed life-history database for Upper Mississippi River fishes. Finally, we believe that adaptive management techniques will be critical for developing applied management alternatives for enhancing lateral connectivity and biotic responses in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.
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تاریخ انتشار 2005