Plant Traits Relevant To Fluvial Geomorphology and Hydrological Interactions

• Published in: River research and applications Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 179 - 189
• Main Authors: O'Hare, M. T., Mountford, J. O., Maroto, J., Gunn, I. D. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: ecosystem engineering; fluvial geomorphology; hydrology; plant functional traits; riverine vegetation
• ISSN: 1535-1459; 1535-1467
• DOI: 10.1002/rra.2940

Plants can slow water and trap sediment with their canopies and stabilise sediment with their roots. These influences are mediated by the characteristics or traits of the vegetation. Here, we review and investigate the flexibility, size, root form, clonal growth, perennation and Ellenberg F values of 459 European riverine species, considering their role in physical and ecological processes. We make use of existing plant trait datasets to create two typologies: one that identifies the role vegetation has in channel blockage (conveyance) and sediment accrual and a second typology, that indicates vegetation's ability to stabilize sediment. The two typologies are tools for interpreting botanical survey data collected using standard techniques across large numbers of sites as part of the European Union Water Framework Directive monitoring programmes. As such, they are designed to be used to indicate broad‐scale patterns across sites rather than detailed insights into site‐specific processes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.