Article
Engineering, Civil
Nan Wang, Qin Chen, Kelin Hu, Kehui Xu, Samuel J. Bentley, Jiaze Wang
Summary: This study used a Delft3D model to explore the hydrodynamics and sediment transport in Fourleague Bay, Louisiana. The findings show that by aligning river water pulses with atmospheric conditions, the growth of surrounding wetlands can be promoted and the distance over which they benefit from sediment diversions can be extended. Multiple sediment transport processes were observed under different weather conditions.
COASTAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Valentina Bau', Alistair G. L. Borthwick, Paolo Perona
Summary: This study examines the irreversibility of river floodplains to recover their status, which may be explained by the dynamics of riparian water-tolerant plant roots. The developed model provides a quantitative tool for predicting the impact of changing flow regimes on long-term river floodplain dynamics.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Andrya L. Whitten, Brandon S. Harris, Jason A. DeBoer, Nerissa N. McClelland, James T. Lamer
Summary: Spotted Bass have expanded their range through intentional introductions and migration across the United States. New records of Spotted Bass in their non-native range in the Illinois Waterway and Upper Mississippi River, as well as their native range in the Ohio and Wabash rivers in Illinois, were reported to better understand their distribution. Continuous efforts to track non-native fish distribution are important for fisheries management and education.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Eric M. Lund, Deanne C. Drake
Summary: The study examined the relationship between wet and dry mass for thirteen common submersed freshwater macrophytes during the peak growing season, finding a predictable linear relationship for all species. The species-specific dry:wet mass ratios provided supplemental data for some species and introduced novel information for others.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Beltran-Burgos, C. R. Esposito, H. M. Nepf, M. M. Baustian, D. R. Di Leonardo
Summary: Deltaic wetlands are crucial for coastal areas and millions of people depend on them. Managing and preserving these wetlands in the face of sea level rise requires land managers to devise strategies that prioritize the delivery and storage of sediment resources. A field study conducted in 2019 shows that wetland deposition is highly influenced by vegetation conditions, and vegetation alone can significantly impact sediment delivery and retention.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Deanne C. Drake, Eric M. Lund, Rebecca M. Kreiling
Summary: This study summarizes the system-scale restoration efforts within the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. By developing predictive models and estimating biomass, the researchers were able to analyze the composition and changes of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) in different river reaches, and discovered previously unnoticed changes.
JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ahmed K. Gad, Kerrin Toner, Mark C. Benfield, Stephen R. Midway
Summary: Microplastics are widely present in Earth's ecosystems, and efforts have been made to understand their distribution. The study on the Mississippi River reveals the presence of microplastics in all sampled fish species and sites, with increased occurrence in the Lower Mississippi River. Fragmented microplastics made of polypropylene were the most common form detected. The hypothesis that microplastic loads increase downstream was only supported for Largemouth Bass, while other fish species showed similar microplastic loads along the mainstem Mississippi River. This study highlights the heterogeneous distribution of microplastics and the need for further research on their distribution patterns and impacts on different species.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
R. Eugene Turner
Summary: This study reconstructed the annual averages of various elements and alkalinity in the lower Mississippi River using water quality data collected from 1901 to 2019. The results showed that nitrate concentrations doubled mainly due to fertilizer applications and tiling, while silicate concentrations decreased by half as a result of diatom sedimentation from dam construction. Alkalinity increased by 16%. Before 1980, the variations in silicate concentrations were proportional to river discharge, but stabilized afterwards. The study also found positive relationships between variations in alkalinity and variations in nitrate, phosphate, and silicate concentrations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christine L. Dolph, Se Jong Cho, Jacques C. Finlay, Amy T. Hansen, Brent Dalzell
Summary: The spatial distribution of soil phosphorus is crucial for both biogeochemical processes and agricultural landscape management. By applying a random forest machine learning model to soil phosphorus datasets and geospatial attributes in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, we were able to predict total soil phosphorus at a fine scale. The accuracy of our model was relatively high and can be used to improve water quality and conservation planning in the region.
Article
Forestry
Yixuan Zhang, Tingning Zhao, Changqing Shi, Qiang Ma
Summary: It is essential to consider the state of vegetation in climate-soil-vegetation systems during ecological restoration. The ecohydrological optimality theory suggests that the equilibrium state between water supply and demand in the system is driven by productivity maximization. This study aimed to understand factors affecting vegetation distribution and simulate ideal vegetation coverage under equilibrium state. Weather factors were found to be the most sensitive in the model, and the steppe's M-0 was most sensitive to certain variables. Studying vegetation carrying capacity contributes to insights on vegetation restoration and water resource conservation.
Article
Ecology
Alicia M. Carhart, John E. Kalas, James T. Rogala, Jason J. Rohweder, Deanne C. Drake, Jeffrey N. Houser
Summary: The study found that there was a significant increase in suitable area for aquatic vegetation downstream from a large natural riverine lake in the Upper Mississippi River System, while there was a decrease in suitable area downstream from river km 895 due to factors such as decreased clarity from tributary input. Even with a hypothetical 75% reduction in total suspended solids, there was only minimal increase in suitable area in the southern portion of the UMRS, indicating limitations by water level fluctuation and/or bathymetry.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Kelin Wang, Jing Zhou, Mou Leong Tan, Pingda Lu, Zenghui Xue, Mengyun Liu, Xiaoping Wang
Summary: Soil erosion is a serious environmental problem that leads to soil degradation and reduces land productivity. Vegetation restoration plays a crucial role in mitigating soil erosion. In the Yellow River Basin, vegetation coverage has been increasing, and soil erosion has improved since the implementation of the Grain for Green Project. Fractional vegetation cover (FVC) is a significant factor in explaining soil erosion, and its combination with land use and slope contributes to a better understanding of soil erosion dynamics.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Charlotte Wiman, Brynnydd Hamilton, Sylvia G. Dee, Samuel E. Munoz
Summary: Research indicates that discharge decreased in the lower Mississippi River during the Medieval era, and there is consistency between reconstructed and simulated discharge over the last millennium, supporting projections of decreased discharge in the 21st century under moderate greenhouse forcing scenarios.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alicia M. M. Carhart, Jason J. J. Rohweder, Danelle M. M. Larson
Summary: We examined patterns of species composition and macrophyte abundance in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) and found that water velocity, depth, wind fetch, and water clarity influenced macrophyte abundance and diversity. Three ecologically important macrophyte genera occupied different ecological niches, and there were significant increases in the abundance of V. americana and the cover of Z. aquatica in some reaches of the UMR from 1998-2019.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Qianfeng Wang, Junyu Qi, Han Qiu, Jia Li, Jefferson Cole, Stephanie Waldhoff, Xuesong Zhang
Summary: The study projected future soil erosion and sediment deposition in the Upper Mississippi River Basin under different climate scenarios, showing that climate change may intensify soil erosion and increase sediment deposition. Results also demonstrated the importance of considering freeze-thaw cycles in modeling future soil erosion and sediment deposition.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
