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Changes in organic-matter dynamics and physicochemistry, associated with riparian vegetation loss and river regulation in floodplain wetlands of the Murray River, Australia

Changes in organic-matter dynamics and physicochemistry, associated with riparian vegetation loss... Extensive clearing of floodplain forests potentially reduces organic matter available to floodplain wetlands. Furthermore, on rivers regulated to provide irrigation water in summer, floodplain wetlands that were previously inundated in spring, now flood in summer/autumn. In the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, this has changed the timing of organic matter entering the aquatic phase, since leaf fall peaks in summer. Field surveys and mesocosm experiments on floodplain wetlands on the River Murray revealed faster processing rates of leaves in summer/autumn than spring, and no difference between cleared and forested wetlands. Temperature and leaf carbon : nitrogen ratio could not explain these differences, and instead, changes to leaf chemistry associated with ‘terrestrial ageing’ between peak leaf fall in summer and inundation in spring is more likely. The results indicated that the reduction of input of organic matter through riparian tree clearing and changing the timing of inundation interact to alter organic-matter standing stocks and rates of decomposition in floodplain wetlands. Restoring both natural timing of high flows and riparian vegetation might be required for recovery of these wetlands. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Marine & Freshwater Research CSIRO Publishing

Changes in organic-matter dynamics and physicochemistry, associated with riparian vegetation loss and river regulation in floodplain wetlands of the Murray River, Australia

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Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Copyright
CSIRO
ISSN
1323-1650
eISSN
1323-1650
DOI
10.1071/MF09312
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Extensive clearing of floodplain forests potentially reduces organic matter available to floodplain wetlands. Furthermore, on rivers regulated to provide irrigation water in summer, floodplain wetlands that were previously inundated in spring, now flood in summer/autumn. In the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, this has changed the timing of organic matter entering the aquatic phase, since leaf fall peaks in summer. Field surveys and mesocosm experiments on floodplain wetlands on the River Murray revealed faster processing rates of leaves in summer/autumn than spring, and no difference between cleared and forested wetlands. Temperature and leaf carbon : nitrogen ratio could not explain these differences, and instead, changes to leaf chemistry associated with ‘terrestrial ageing’ between peak leaf fall in summer and inundation in spring is more likely. The results indicated that the reduction of input of organic matter through riparian tree clearing and changing the timing of inundation interact to alter organic-matter standing stocks and rates of decomposition in floodplain wetlands. Restoring both natural timing of high flows and riparian vegetation might be required for recovery of these wetlands.

Journal

Marine & Freshwater Research – CSIRO Publishing

Published: Oct 14, 2010

Keywords: decomposition, dissolved oxygen, Eucalyptus camaldulensis , mesocosm, restoration.

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