• Login
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    LARGE WOOD IN FLUVIAL SYSTEMS: QUANTITY, STRUCTURE AND LANDFORMS; SEDIMENT RETENTION; AND RIPARIAN SEED BANK DEVELOPMENT 
    •   QMRO Home
    • Queen Mary University of London Theses
    • Theses
    • LARGE WOOD IN FLUVIAL SYSTEMS: QUANTITY, STRUCTURE AND LANDFORMS; SEDIMENT RETENTION; AND RIPARIAN SEED BANK DEVELOPMENT
    •   QMRO Home
    • Queen Mary University of London Theses
    • Theses
    • LARGE WOOD IN FLUVIAL SYSTEMS: QUANTITY, STRUCTURE AND LANDFORMS; SEDIMENT RETENTION; AND RIPARIAN SEED BANK DEVELOPMENT
    ‌
    ‌

    Browse

    All of QMROCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects
    ‌
    ‌

    Administrators only

    Login
    ‌
    ‌

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    LARGE WOOD IN FLUVIAL SYSTEMS: QUANTITY, STRUCTURE AND LANDFORMS; SEDIMENT RETENTION; AND RIPARIAN SEED BANK DEVELOPMENT

    View/Open
    Osei, Nana Akwasi 240614.pdf (7.876Mb)
    Publisher
    Queen Mary University of London
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    This thesis investigates the characteristics and impacts of large wood accumulations within river reaches of different size and style. Four reaches were studied: (i) a wide, braided, headwater reach, characterised by dead wood (Tagliamento River, Italy); (ii) a lower gradient, wide, braided reach, characterised by resprouting wood (Tagliamento River, Italy); (iii) a low gradient, single thread reach with a natural supply of dead wood (Highland Water, UK), and (iv) a low gradient, single thread reach that has been restored by felling trees into the river (River Bure, UK). In each reach, quantities of wood, types of accumulation and their association with sediment retention, landform and propagule bank development were investigated, generating four main findings: 1. There were marked differences in the size and character of large wood accumulations among the four reaches. 2. Retention of fine sediment and organic matter by wood was observed on all four reaches, giving rise to notable spatial heterogeneity in surface sediments. 3. Sediment retention resulted in the development of different landforms among the four reaches. In the two multi-thread reaches, accretion of finer sediment around large wood led to island development. In the naturally-functioning single-thread reach, wood jams spanned the river channel, accumulating sediment and organic matter to produce unvegetated wood jams, and inducing other landforms, notably pools and bars. Such geomorphic heterogeneity was anticipated in the restored reach, but to date this has not significantly occurred. 4. Spatio-temporal variations were observed in propagule abundance and species richness within different wood-related mesohabitats. Higher abundance and species richness were associated with finer, more organic sediments retained within wood accumulations and related mesohabitats. In the restored reach such associations were not statistically significant, further indicating that responses to wood emplacement take longer than the 4 years since restoration. iv Overall, this research has strengthened the evidence concerning the differing nature of wood accumulations in rivers of different size and style, and it has demonstrated the importance of large wood for retaining organic matter and plant propagules, resources essential for riparian vegetation succession and for the success of river restoration efforts.
    Authors
    Osei, Nana Akwasi
    URI
    http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/8813
    Collections
    • Theses [3706]
    Copyright statements
    The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author
    Twitter iconFollow QMUL on Twitter
    Twitter iconFollow QM Research
    Online on twitter
    Facebook iconLike us on Facebook
    • Site Map
    • Privacy and cookies
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility
    • Contacts
    • Intranet
    • Current students

    Modern Slavery Statement

    Queen Mary University of London
    Mile End Road
    London E1 4NS
    Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 5555

    © Queen Mary University of London.