Small streams and riparian zones in California's Sacramento Valley: Ecological function and management opportunities

3:20 - 4:20

Abstract

Intensive agriculture and, more recently, urbanization in California's Sacramento Valley have resulted in the loss of ~95% of its riparian habitat. In addition, small streams have been straightened, consolidated, and incised as a result of their use as drainage, irrigation, and stormwater conveyance infrastructure, and they now often transport water high in nitrate and other water quality concerns. Such networks of highly impacted small streams permeate the Sacramento Valley’s human-dominated landscapes, but their ecology is poorly understood. Our research broadly relates the characteristics of small streams and riparian zones in these semi-arid agricultural and urban landscapes to their influences on nitrogen fluxes, soil microbial function, plant water relations, and patterns of riparian vegetation composition and diversity. We examined interactions among riparian vegetation, channel geomorphology, flow variation, riparian soils, channel sediments, suspended sediments, and surface water nitrate, and also considered the particular anthropogenic drivers acting in agricultural versus urban systems. While we found evidence that some drivers operate distinctly in agricultural and urban landscapes, we also identified generalities and synergistic management opportunities across the two systems related to streamflow, canopy cover, channel incision, and bank slope.

Speaker

Joanna P. Solins

Alex J. Webster

Ballroom A

Small streams and riparian zones in California's Sacramento Valley: Ecological function and management opportunities

Topic