1 Introduction to the Riverine Ecosystem Synthesis

Background and scope

Conceptual cohesiveness
Organization of this book
Basic concepts in the riverine ecosystem synthesis
Hydrogeomorphic patches and functional process zones
Ecological attributes of functional process zones
Hierarchical patch dynamics
Bicomplexity tenets

2 Historical and Recent Perspectives on Riverine Concepts

Introduction
Patterns along a longitudinal dimension in river networks
Longitudinally ordered zonation
The river as a continuum – a clinal perspective
Hydrogeomorphic patches vs a continuous riverine cline
Network theory and the structure of riverine ecosystems
The lateral dimension of rivers – the riverine landscape

Temporal dimension: normality or aberration?

Vertical dimension: the bulk of the iceberg!
Other important riverine concepts

3 Hierarchical Patch Dynamics in Riverine Landscapes

Hierarchical patch dynamics model – brief introduction
Hierarchy theory
Patch dynamics defined
Hierarchical patch dynamics in riverine research
Selective spatiotemporal scales
The nature of patches and their study in riverine landscapes
Element I: nested, discontinuous hierarchies of patch mosaics
Element II: ecosystem dynamics as a composite of intra- and interpatch dynamics
33 Element III: linked patterns and processes
Element IV: dominance of nonequilibrial and stochastic processes
 Element V: formation of a quasi-equilibrial, metastable state
Metapopulations
The RES as a research framework and field applications of hierarchical patch
dynamics

4 The Spatial Arrangement of River Systems: The

Emergence of Hydrogeomorphic Patches
Introduction
The spatial arrangement of riverine landscapes
River characterization 5
A characterization scheme for the RES
Application of the characterization framework
Example 1: rivers within the Murray–Darling Basin
Example 2: the rivers of the Kingdom of Lesotho
What scale to choose and its relevance to riverine landscapes
Summary 67

5 Defining the Hydrogeomorphic Character of a Riverine Ecosystem

Introduction
Background philosophies and approaches
Determining the character of river networks: top-down vs bottom-up approaches
Top-down approaches 73
Bottom-up approaches 80
Comparing top-down vs bottom-up approaches: an example 88
Some common functional process zones
A brief review of functional process zones
Confined valley functional process zones
Partially confined functional process zones
Unconfined functional process zones
Summary 101

6 Ecological Implications of the Riverine Ecosystem Synthesis:

Some Proposed Biocomplexity Tenets (Hypotheses)
Introduction Distribution of species
Model tenet 1: hydrogeomorphic patches
Model tenet 2: importance of functional process zone over clinal position
Model tenet 3: ecological nodes
Model tenet 4: hydrologic retention
Community regulation
Model tenet 5: hierarchical habitat template
Model tenet 6: deterministic vs stochastic factors
Model tenet 7: quasi-equilibrium
Model tenet 8: trophic complexity
Model tenet 9: succession
Ecosystem and riverine landscape processes

Model tenet 10: primary productivity within functional process zones

 Model tenet 11: riverscape food web pathways
Model tenet 12: floodscape food web pathways
Model tenet 13: nutrient spiraling
Model tenet 14: dynamic hydrology
Model tenet 15: flood-linked evolution
Model tenet 16: connectivity
Model tenet 17: landscape patterns of functional process zones

7 Ecogeomorphology of Altered Riverine Landscapes:

Implications for Biocomplexity Tenets
Introduction
Distribution of species
Model tenet 1: hydrogeomorphic patches
Model tenet 2: importance of functional process zone over clinal position
Model tenet 3: ecological nodes
Model tenet 4: hydrologic retention Community regulation
Model tenet 5: hierarchical habitat template
Model tenet 6: deterministic vs stochastic factors
Model tenet 7: quasi-equilibrium
Model tenet 8: trophic complexity
Model tenet 9: succession
Ecosystem and riverine landscape processes
Model tenet 10: primary productivity within functional process zones
Model tenet 11: riverscape food web pathways
Model tenet 12: floodscape food web pathways
Model tenet 13: nutrient spiraling
Model tenet 14: dynamic hydrology
Model tenet 15: flood-linked evolution
Model tenet 16: connectivity
Model tenet 17: landscape patterns of functional process zones

8 Practical Applications of the Riverine Ecosystem

Synthesis in Management and Conservation Settings
Introduction
Revisiting hierarchy and scales
The relevance of scale in river management
Focus on catchment-based approaches to management
Application of functional process zones
Prioritization for conservation purposes
River assessments and the importance of the functional process zone scale
Determining environmental water allocations
Summary