A Geomorphic and Ecological Analysis of Using Mosses for Controlling Stream Bank Erosion

利用苔藓控制河岸侵蚀的地貌与生态分析

• 批准号: 1461773
• 负责人: Ranbir Kang
• 金额: $ 31.25万
• 依托单位: Western Illinois University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-06-01 至 2020-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1461773&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Geomorphic; Ecological; Analysis; Using; Mosses

This research project will examine the degree to which mosses may serve as an alternative for stream bank stabilization in environments where there has been limited success by other riparian vegetation. Stream bank erosion often results in the loss of valuable land resources and a degradation of environmental quality because stream sediment and nutrient loads increase while water quality gets reduced. Stream bank erosion also affects infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and buildings, by impacting their very foundations. Riparian vegetation plays both hydrological and mechanical functions on stream banks by increasing the tensile strength of soils and intercepting surface runoff and precipitation to potentially reduce bank failure. Perennial herbs and woody plants, including shrubs, are the two major vegetation types that traditionally have been used to help control stream bank erosion, because their deep root systems promote bank stability and reduce the rates of bank erosion. This project will evaluate the ecological condition of mosses and their effects on soil characteristics and bank erosion in different experimental settings. Project findings will provide new perspectives regarding how the presence or absence of moss carpets affects soil pressure and consequently the rates of bank erosion. The project will contribute new understanding about integrated relationships among fluvial geomorphology, riparian vegetation, ecosystem restoration, and biogeomorphology. Project results will provide information and insights that will assist decision makers, governmental agencies, and resource managers in adopting effective and sustainable approaches to stream bank stabilization. They also will be useful to those engaged in restoration activities by providing perspectives about alternative approaches to stabilize stream banks.The investigators will focus on analysis of the effectiveness of mosses for stream bank stabilization through a comparative analysis for study areas in the Chesapeake Bay and Upper Mississippi River watersheds. They will analyze biogeomorphic relationships and feedbacks between mosses and stream banks through a series of in situ and laboratory experiments over a three-year time frame. The experiments will survey multiple sites using terrestrial LiDAR, traditional geomorphic methods, and bioecological techniques. Geospatial data for the study areas, including digital elevation models (DEMs), satellite imagery, stream network, and land cover, will be integrated with information from field surveys for a detailed biogeomorphic analysis. Project findings will provide new perspectives about stream bank stabilization projects and the understanding of relationships between riparian vegetation and fluvial geomorphology for similar environmental conditions.

该研究项目将研究在其他河岸植被成功率有限的环境中，苔藓可以作为流库稳定的替代程度。 流库侵蚀通常会导致损失有价值的土地资源和环境质量的退化，因为溪流沉积物和养分负荷增加，而水质降低。 溪流侵蚀还会影响基础设施，例如道路，桥梁和建筑物，通过影响其基础。 河岸植被通过增加土壤的拉伸强度并拦截表面径流和降水，从而潜在地减少堤岸的衰竭，从而在河岸上发挥水文和机械功能。 多年生草药和木本植物（包括灌木）是传统上用来帮助控制溪流侵蚀的两种主要植被类型，因为它们的深层根系促进了银行的稳定性并降低了银行侵蚀的速度。 该项目将评估苔藓的生态状况及其对不同实验环境中土壤特征和堤岸侵蚀的影响。 项目发现将提供有关苔藓地毯的存在或不存在如何影响土壤压力的新观点，从而如何影响银行侵蚀的速度。 该项目将对河流地貌，河岸植被，生态系统修复和生物地球形态学之间的综合关系有了新的了解。 项目结果将提供信息和见解，以帮助决策者，政府机构和资源经理采用有效且可持续的方法来稳定溪流。 通过提供有关稳定流库的替代方法的观点，他们还将对从事恢复活动的人们有用。 他们将在三年的时间范围内通过一系列现场和实验室实验分析苔藓和溪流银行之间的生物地球化学关系和反馈。 这些实验将使用陆地底龙，传统的地貌方法和生物生物学技术调查多个地点。 研究领域的地理空间数据，包括数字高程模型（DEMS），卫星图像，流网络和土地覆盖，将与现场调查的信息集成，以进行详细的生物地球形态分析。 项目发现将提供有关流银行稳定项目的新观点，以及对类似环境条件的河岸植被与河流地貌之间的关系的理解。