Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaojun Liu, Yi Zhang, Zhanbin Li, Peng Li, Guoce Xu, Yuting Cheng, Tiegang Zhang
Summary: The study investigates the impact of land use on surface water quality, finding that nitrogen is the dominant nutrient and has significant correlations with other water quality parameters when influenced by grassland and farmland. Land use in buffers can directly and effectively affect water quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Neal D. Mundahl, Will L. Varela, Cole Weaver, Erik D. Mundahl, Jennifer L. Cochran-Biederman
Summary: Riparian buffers along streams can intercept eroding soils, contaminants, and nutrients, improving stream habitats and increasing the health of aquatic communities. A survey conducted in a Minnesota stream showed that the implementation of a state-mandated buffer law resulted in improved stream habitats and fish and benthic invertebrate communities. However, the improvement in biotic community metrics was not significant, indicating that more time may be needed for the biotic communities to adapt to the changed habitat conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Forestry
Stephanie K. Kampf, Kathleen A. Dwire, Mathew P. Fairchild, Jason Dunham, Craig D. Snyder, Kristin L. Jaeger, Charles H. Luce, John C. Hammond, Codie Wilson, Margaret A. Zimmer, Marielle Sidell
Summary: Forest management guidelines are designed to protect water quality from unintended effects of land use changes. Nonperennial streams draining forested areas play a crucial role in connecting forested lands and the aquatic system. Land uses that modify flow regimes in these streams can affect sediment and organic matter transport and distribution, stream temperature dynamics, and biogeochemical processing. Limited research has examined how forest land uses affect ecosystem services and biota in these streams, but recent advances in data collection and research provide opportunities to resolve uncertainties.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Brumberg Hilary, Beirne Chris, Broadbent Eben North, Almeyda Zambrano Angelica Maria, Almeyda Zambrano Sandra Lucia, Quispe Gil Carlos Alberto, Lopez Gutierrez Beatriz, Eplee Rachael, Whitworth Andrew
Summary: The study highlights the importance of riparian forest buffer length over width in conserving water quality in riparian zones. A lengthier buffer has a greater impact on water quality compared to wider buffers. It suggests that a 15-meter-wide riparian forest buffer supported by Costa Rican legislation can improve water quality if it is at least 500 meters long, providing a rapid and cost-effective management approach to balance agricultural production and water quality protection.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Maneesha T. Jayasuriya, Rene H. Germain, John C. Stella
Summary: This study compared different riparian buffer delineation methods used around headwater streams in 17 states across the US. The functional approach resulted in the highest percentages of watershed area being designated as riparian, while state guidelines allocated less forestland as riparian in many watersheds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yi-Kuang Wang, Lizhu Wang, Rey-Lin Kuo
Summary: This study investigated the responses of habitat and fish communities to extreme hydrological and habitat disturbance in typhoon-prone mountain streams. The findings suggest that such landscape-climate settings provide an opportunity for fish to evolve and have different assembly rules compared to temperate regions. The study found that habitat variables changed between seasons and fish communities were more strongly related to physical habitats. The results highlight the importance of fish conservation in typhoon-prone mountain streams.
Article
Entomology
Ruric O. Bowman, Robert F. Smith
Summary: Stream insects play a crucial role in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This study focused on the vertical migration of adult stream insects into riparian forest canopies. The findings suggest that adult stream insects utilize canopy habitats, highlighting the importance of riparian forest conservation for stream insect populations.
Article
Soil Science
Christoph Weihrauch, Collin Joel Weber
Summary: Deep phosphorus stocks are not primarily influenced by geogenic or pedological characteristics, but rather by secondary processes such as underground phosphorus translocation. The build-up of deep phosphorus stocks appears to be driven by downslope translocation of P in the interflow, as well as increased sorption of P in floodplain subsoils under low flow conditions. While Gleysol groundwater dynamics may not systematically drive the build-up of deep P stocks, intensive groundwater dynamics on certain sites could contribute to deep P enrichment.
Article
Ecology
Mitsuru Ohira, Yu'usuke Watanabe, Takashi Gomi, Masaru Sakai
Summary: The study highlights the long-term impacts of forest disturbances on adjacent streams, particularly on specific populations such as Scopura montana. Clearcut logging exposes the stream surface to sunlight, leading to increased water temperature; while landslides result in higher streambed roughness.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Blandina Genes Kakore, Md Mamun, Sang-Jae Lee, Kwang-Guk An
Summary: Land-use patterns and elevation largely regulate the water quality and ecological health of streams. Urban downstream areas have poorer water quality compared to forest streams.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Spencer Dakin Kuiper, Nicholas C. Coops, Piotr Tompalski, Scott G. Hinch, Alyssa Nonis, Joanne C. White, Jeffery Hamilton, Donald J. Davis
Summary: Understanding changes in salmonid populations and their habitat is crucial due to climate change and their importance as a keystone species. Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data can be used to assess the quality and quantity of salmonid habitat, as well as characterize detailed stream attributes. ALS data provides detailed Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and can be utilized for sustainable forest management decision making and advanced salmonid habitat modeling.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Magda Stella de Melo Martins, Carlos Alberto Valera, Marcelo Zanata, Regina Maria Bessa Santos, Vera Lucia Abdala, Fernando Antonio Leal Pacheco, Luis Filipe Sanches Fernandes, Teresa Cristina Tarle Pissarra
Summary: This study investigated the relationships between land use and future land change scenarios on water resources in an environmental protection area using the SWAT hydrological model. Results showed significant impacts of future changes on rainfall distribution and hydrological processes.
Article
Ecology
Jialing Qiao, Ziyu Yang, Ling Chu, Yunzhi Yan
Summary: Agricultural land use has a significant impact on fish assemblage diversity in headwater streams, emphasizing the importance of sustainable management and conservation for preserving endemic assemblages in these streams.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Robert M. Dunn, Jane M. B. Hawkins, Martin S. A. Blackwell, Yusheng Zhang, Adrian L. Collins
Summary: Buffer strips play an important role in the management of agricultural runoff and water pollution. The efficacy of different vegetation treatments in buffer strips is still debated. The study shows that willow buffer strips are most effective in controlling runoff and suspended sediment loss.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Santosh R. Ghimire, Joel Corona, Rajbir Parmar, Gouri Mahadwar, Raghavan Srinivasan, Katie Mendoza, John M. Johnston
Summary: A study conducted an extensive sensitivity analysis of different riparian buffer zones to climate change impacts on water quality, finding that urban RBZs significantly reduced pollutants and increased dissolved oxygen in current climate conditions and are projected to continue mitigating water quality changes under future climate scenarios.