Research - Riparian and Aquatic Vegetation
Three groups of factors influence the form and dynamics of a naturally-functioning river: flows of water, transported sediments and vegetation. Their relative importance varies with the biogeographical setting, valley gradient, and degree of confinement of the river corridor.
Our research in this area dates back to the 1990s and provides the necessary context in which to recognise the degree of degradation of a river’s physical condition, the causes of that degradation and appropriate measures to uplift a river’s physical condition.
Sponsors and Collaborators #
In alphabetical order:
Natural Environment Research Council, Kings College London, Leverhulme Trust, Queen Mary University of London, University of Birmingham, University of Trento
Selected Publications #
Research Reviews #
(Please get in touch if you are interested in any Research Project publications.)
Gurnell, A.M., Petts, G.P., Hannah, D.M., B.P.G. Smith, Edwards, P.J., Kollmann, J., Ward, J.V., Tockner, K., 2001. Riparian vegetation and island formation along the gravel-bed Fiume Tagliamento, Italy. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 26, 31-62. https://doi.org/10.1002/1096-9837(200101)26:1%3C31::AID-ESP155%3E3.0.CO;2-Y
Gurnell, A.M. and Petts, G.P., 2002. Island-dominated landscapes of large floodplain rivers, a European perspective. Freshwater Biology, 47, 581-600. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2427.2002.00923.x
Corenblit, D., Tabacchi, E., Steiger, J., Gurnell, A. 2007. Reciprocal interactions and adjustments between fluvial landforms and vegetation dynamics: a review of complementary approaches. Earth Science Reviews, 84, 56–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2007.05.004
Corenbilt, D., Baas, A., Bornette, G., Darrozes, J., Delmotte, S., Francis, R.A., Gurnell, A.M., Julien, F., Naiman, R.J., Steiger, J. 2011. Feedbacks between geomorpholohgy and biota controlling Earth surface processes and landforms: A review of foundation concepts and current understandings. Earth Science Reviews, 106, 307-331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2011.03.002
Gurnell, A.M., Bertoldi, W., Corenblit, D. 2012. Changing river channels: the roles of hydrological processes, plants and pioneer fluvial landforms. Earth Science Reviews, 111 1-2) 129-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2011.11.005
Camporeale, C., Perucca, E., Ridolfi, L., Gurnell, A.M. 2013. Modeling the interactions between river morphodynamics and riparian vegetation. Reviews of Geophysics, 51, 379-414, paper 2012RG000407. https://doi.org/10.1002/rog.20014
Gurnell, A.M. 2014. Plants as river system engineers. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 39, 4-25. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3397
Gurnell, A.M., Corenblit, D., García de Jalón, D., González del Tánago, M., Grabowski, R.C., O’Hare, M.T. and Szewczyk, M., 2016. A conceptual model of vegetation-hydrogeomorphology interactions within river corridors. River Research and Applications, 39, 142-163. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.2928
Gurnell, A.M., Bertoldi, W. 2022. The impact of plants on fine sediment storage within the active channels of gravel-bed rivers: a preliminary assessment. Hydrological Processes, 22, e14637. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14637
O'Briain, R., Corenblit, D., Gurnell, A., 2023. Interacting effects of climate change and invasions by alien plant species on the morphodynamics of temperate rivers. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews-Water: 10(5), e1649. https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1649
Gurnell, A.M., Bertoldi, W. 2024. Plants and River Morphodynamics: the emergence of Fluvial Biogeomorphology. River Research and Applications, 40, 887–942. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.4271
Corenblit, D., Piégay, H., Arrignon, F., González-Sargas, E., Bonis, A., Davies, N., Ebengo, D.M., Garófano-Gómez, V., Gurnell, A.M., Henry, A.L., Hortobágyi, B., Martínez-Capel, F., Steiger, J., Tabacchi, E., Tooth, S., Vautier, F., Walcker, R. 2024. Interactions between vegetation and river morphodynamics. Part I: Research clarifications and challenges. Earth Science Reviews, 253, 104769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104769
Corenblit, D., Piégay, H., Arrignon, F., González-Sargas, E., Bonis, A., Ebengo, D.M., Garófano-Gómez, V., Gurnell, A.M., Henry, A.L., Hortobágyi, B., Martínez-Capel, F., Mazal, L., Steiger, J., Tabacchi, E., Tooth, S., Vautier, F., Walcker, R. 2024. Interactions between vegetation and river morphodynamics. Part II: why is a functional trait framework important? Earth Science Reviews, 253, 104709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104709