Restoring rivers in global biodiversityRestoring rivers in global biodiversityGUIDELINES FOR ORAL

PRESENTATIONS

g g yg g yhotspots undergoing climate hotspots undergoing climate change.change.

PRESENTATIONSProfessor Peter DaviesUniversity of Western Australia

Global Biodiversity Hotspots

Biodiversity inBiodiversity in southwesternsouthwestern AustraliaAustraliaBiodiversity in Biodiversity in southwesternsouthwestern AustraliaAustralia

G h fG h f 2424 l b l hl b l hGreater southwest one of Greater southwest one of 24 24 global hot spots global hot spots for biodiversity.for biodiversity.

44 000000 species of vascular plantsspecies of vascular plants44,,000000 species of vascular plants species of vascular plants ((6060%% endemic).endemic).

Over Over 560560 species of invertebrates identified species of invertebrates identified pp4545%% restricted to freshwater.restricted to freshwater.

Horwitz, P. , Bradshaw, D., Hopper, S., Davies, P., Froend, R. & Bradshaw, F. (2008). Hydrological change escalates risk ofecosystem stress in Australia’s threatened biodiversity hotspot. J.Roy.Soc. WA. 91: 1-11.

Climate change and temperature

Temperature: Environmental lapse ratesTemperature: Environmental lapse rates

Changes in species’ distribution (Northern Hemisphere):( p )

• Movement north (1°C = 145kms)• Higher altitudes = an average 6 49°C/1000 m• Higher altitudes = an average 6.49 C/1000 m

Species movement in the northern Hemisphere

Movement northwardsv w d

Movement upslopeMovement upslope

B ll h f h•Bellwether for other biodiversity hotspots?

•Transferable restoration techniques?

Climate change in southwest:g

0.8OC increase temperature (20C by 2050)

Fitzgerald River National Park

Davies, P.M. (2010). Climate Change Implications for River Restoration in Global Biodiversity Hotspots. Journal Restoration Ecology 18: 261-268.

River restoration for climate change:River restoration for climate change: building resilience through biophysical envelopes(due to geographic constraints)(due to geographic constraints)

Davies, P.M. (2010). Climate change implications for river restoration in global biodiversity hotspots. Journal of Restoration Ecology 18: 261-268.Davies, P.M., Cook, B., Rutherford, J.C., Walshe, T. (2004). Riparian Restoration reduces in-stream thermal stress. Rip Rap 26: 16-19. ISSN 1324-6941.

Riparian influences – Shade

Davies, P. M. & Bunn, S.E. Restoring fundamental ecological processes in small, forested uplands streams: The importance of riparian vegetation. In Eds Rutherfurd, Bartley R., In “Second Australian Stream ManagementConference, Vol. 1”. Adelaide, pp 193-198.

Temperature model: Temperature can be predicted to within ±1oC with estimates of depth, velocity, bed material, shade and meteorology.

30

26

28

ratu

re (º

C)

presentunshadedrestored

22

24

Wat

er te

mpe

restored

18

20

W

18

11-D

ec

12-D

ec

13-D

ec

14-D

ec

15-D

ec

16-D

ec

17-D

ec

18-D

ec

Rutherford, Marsh and Davies (2004). Effects of patchy shade on stream water temperature: how quickly do small streams heat and cool? Marine and Freshwater Research 55, 737-748

Tasmania Tasmania –– cool temperatecool temperate

Southeast Queensland Southeast Queensland -- subtropicssubtropics

KimberleyKimberley -- tropicstropicsKimberley Kimberley tropicstropics

Douglas, M.M., Bunn, S.E., Davies, P.M. (2005). River and wetland food webs in Australia’s wet-dry tropics: general principlesand implications for management. Marine Freshwater Research 56: 1-14.

Effect of latitude on riparian shading

N

0

1 )

Far North Qld South west WASouth-east Qld

3040506070

D (

mol

m-2

d-1

100 200 3001 100 200 30010

102030

100 200 3001

PP

F

Julian Day

Total PPFD above canopy

Total direct PPFD below canopy

Davies, Peter M., Bunn, Stuart, E and Hamilton, Stephen, K. (2008). Primary production in tropical streams and rivers. In (ed Dudgeon, D). Chapter 2 (pages 23-42)“Tropical Stream Ecology”. Elsevier Inc. ISBN 978-0-12-088449-0.

Stream orientationStream orientation

Booloumba CreekPeters Creek Bundaroo Creek

ol m

-2 d

-1)

405060

70

PPFD

(mo

0102030

Julian Day

Canopy cover: 74 %Canopy cover: 75 % Canopy cover: 73 %

100 200 3001 100 200 3001100 200 3001

py

Channel width: 13 m

py

Channel width: 13 m

py

Channel width: 11 m

Davies, Peter M., Bunn, Stuart, E and Hamilton, Stephen, K. (2008). Primary production in tropical streams and rivers. In (ed Dudgeon, D). Chapter 2 (pages 23-42) “Tropical Stream Ecology”. Elsevier Inc. ISBN 978-0-12-088449-0.

Lethal temperaturestemperatures

(LD50 testing)

Location In-stream temperature threshold (oC)

Darwin 29.0

Cairns 29.0

Broome 29.0

Townsville 28.4

Rockhampton 26.5

Alice Springs 26.3

Carnarvon 25.8

Forrest 23.0

Perth 22.5

Sydney 21.5

Adelaide 21.0

Albany 21.0

Melbourne 21.0

Hobart 21.0

Location In-stream temperature threshold (oC)

Shade target (%)

Darwin 29.0 45

Cairns 29.0 50

Broome 29.0 60

Townsville 28.4 50

Rockhampton 26.5 65

Alice Springs 26.3 30

Carnarvon 25.8 70

Forrest 23.0 50

Perth 22.5 70

Sydney 21.5 75

Adelaide 21.0 60

Albany 21.0 50

Melbourne 21.0 55

Hobart 21.0 15

TropicalTropical stream temperatures: stream temperatures: seasonal differences seasonal differences

(modeled 0% shade first order)(modeled 0% shade first order)(modeled, 0% shade, first order)(modeled, 0% shade, first order)

TemperateTemperate stream stream temperature: temperature: seasonal differences seasonal differences

((modeled 0% shade first order)modeled 0% shade first order)((modeled, 0% shade, first order)modeled, 0% shade, first order)

Temperature modelingp g

TROPICAL

KUNUNURRADARWIN

TEMPERATE

FORREST

ALBANY

Spatially optimizing riparianrestoration for temperature control

How much?Where in the catchment?

Stream temperature: guide to managers (topographic and vegetative shade)(topographic and vegetative shade)

Restoration at a catchment scale

Guide to

catchment scale

Guide to managers: the processp

Burns Creek catchmentcatchment

Step 1 – Obtain aerial photo to be used in vegetation mapping

Step 2 – Map riparian vegetation using ordinal classes

Step 3 – Obtain Digital Elevation Model for mapping solar radiation

Step 4 – Map solar radiation using index algorithm

Step 5 – Use a GIS to extract solar radiation for streams

Vegetation mapping + Radiation Mapping and modelling

= Priority map

CatchmentCatchment scale

priority map

Davies, P.M. and Walshe, T.V. (2006). River restoration: optimizing riparian re-vegetation at a catchment scale. Bulletin of the North American Benthological Society 23: 104.

Riparian influences – Shade

Davies, P. M. & Bunn, S.E. Restoring fundamental ecological processes in small, forested uplands streams: The importance of riparian vegetation. In Eds Rutherfurd, Bartley R., In “Second Australian Stream ManagementConference, Vol. 1”. Adelaide, pp 193-198.

34

Southwestern Australia

- 34

ALGAE- 32

ALGAEC

(‰)

- 30δ13C

Invertebrates

- 28RIPARIAN

- 26POOLS COBBLESGRAVEL

RUNSRUNSHABITAT

Shade and ecosystem processesprocesses

2000

GPP1500

m-2

d-1)

R24

P = R

forest canopy cover

1000

m (

mg

C m

forest R24

forest canopy cover

500

etab

olis

m

forest GPP0

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Me

Canopy cover (%)

Bunn, S.E., Davies, P.M. & Mosisch, T. (1999). Ecosystem measures of river health and their response to riparian and catchment degradation. Freshwater Biology. 41: 333-345.

Riparian vegetationp g

CO22

R l d li f bRegulator and supplier of carbon

River restoration for climate shift in global biodiversity hotspots

• Biodiversity hotspots typically geographically constrained • Building an in situ biophysical envelope (lessons from SW WA)• “Over” restoration (revised temperature targets: 10% shade per 0C) • Modelling limitations after 2050• Modelling limitations after 2050• Refugia (with longitudinal connectivity)• Catchment scale offsets between riparian restoration and e-flowsp•Environmental triage• Manage other environmental insults (”levers” maybe different)