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Coupling Biological and Physical Processes: The Ecological Significance of River Channel Hydraulics and Fluvial Dynamics

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Rivers – Physical, Fluvial and Environmental Processes

Part of the book series: GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences ((GEPS))

Abstract

This chapter focuses on how flow and associated geomorphic processes influence river and stream invertebrates. It stresses the importance of flows and fluvial dynamics across a range of scales, discussing how they influence individual organisms, populations and whole communities. It considers not just benthic larvae, but how flow and sedimentological conditions influence other life stages. Consideration is also given to how organisms influence habitat—so called ‘habitat engineering’. The chapter argues that a detailed understanding of species’ ecologies is needed if we are to understand precisely why they are affected by flow conditions and to allow us to manage rivers sustainably.

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Acknowledgments

I am indebted to the many collaborators I have been fortunate enough to work with. I would particularly like to thank Ramon Batalla, Cristina Buendia, Iain Malcolm and Damia Vericat.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northern Rivers Institute, School of Geosciences, The University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UF, UK

    Chris Gibbins

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  1. Chris Gibbins
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Correspondence to Chris Gibbins .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Insitute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

    Paweł Rowiński

  2. Department of Hydraulic Engineering and Geotechnics, Agricultural University of Cracow, Krakow, Poland

    Artur Radecki-Pawlik

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Gibbins, C. (2015). Coupling Biological and Physical Processes: The Ecological Significance of River Channel Hydraulics and Fluvial Dynamics. In: Rowiński, P., Radecki-Pawlik, A. (eds) Rivers – Physical, Fluvial and Environmental Processes. GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17719-9_19

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