The effects of river flow augmentation on the channel form, vegetation, and riparian birds of the Little Bow River, Alberta

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dc.contributor.authorHillman, Evan J.
dc.contributor.supervisorRood, Stewart B.
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-29T22:57:01Z
dc.date.available2015-01-29T22:57:01Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.degree.levelMastersen_US
dc.degree.levelMasters
dc.description.abstractGlobally, river systems have been regulated, reducing flows through diversions of water for societal use. In rarer scenarios, augmentation of flows may be undertaken, generally to convey water for irrigation agriculture. The Little Bow River, a small, historically intermittent river in southern Alberta, experienced a tripling of flows in 2004. Channel restructuring, vegetation transitions favouring riparian specialist species, and increasing avian community biodiversity were anticipated. Analysis of aerial photographs from 1967 to 2010 indicated restructuring of river channels as widths increased between 2000 and 2010, and vegetation showed signs of transitioning with declines in graminoid communities. Avian community surveys indicated an increase in species richness, comparable species evenness and Shannon Wiener Index, and recovering yellow-headed blackbird populations in response to changing habitat structure. Land-use management, limited augmentation, and a short timespan delayed anticipated responses along this system, requiring continued monitoring in the future.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/3633
dc.language.isoen_CAen_US
dc.proquest.subject0329en_US
dc.proquest.subject0768en_US
dc.proquest.subject0368en_US
dc.proquestyesYesen_US
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Biological Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Scienceen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)en_US
dc.subjectavian communitiesen_US
dc.subjectchannel formen_US
dc.subjectriparian areasen_US
dc.subjectstream flow regulationen_US
dc.subjectyellow-headed blackbirdsen_US
dc.titleThe effects of river flow augmentation on the channel form, vegetation, and riparian birds of the Little Bow River, Albertaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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