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Article Reference Vegetation controls on channel network complexity in coastal wetlands
Channel networks are key to coastal wetland functioning and resilience under climate change. Vegetation affects sediment and hydrodynamics in many different ways, which calls for a coherent framework to explain how vegetation shapes channel network geometry and functioning. Here, we introduce an idealized model that shows how coastal wetland vegetation creates more complexly branching networks by increasing the ratio of channel incision versus topographic diffusion rates, thereby amplifying the channelization feedback that recursively incises finer-scale side-channels. This complexification trend qualitatively agrees with and provides an explanation for field data presented here as well as in earlier studies. Moreover, our model demonstrates that a stronger biogeomorphic feedback leads to higher and more densely vegetated marsh platforms and more extensive drainage networks. These findings may inspire future field research by raising the hypothesis that vegetation-induced self-organization enhances the storm surge buffering capacity of coastal wetlands and their resilience under sea-level rise.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference Mangrove ecosystem properties regulate high water levels in a river delta
Intertidal wetlands, such as mangroves in the tropics, are increasingly recognized for their role in nature-based mitigation of coastal flood risks. Yet it is still poorly understood how effective they are at attenuating the propagation of extreme sea levels through large (order of 100 km2) estuarine or deltaic systems, with complex geometry formed by networks of branching channels intertwined with mangrove and intertidal flat areas. Here, we present a delta-scale hydrodynamic modelling study, aiming to explicitly account for these complex landforms, for the case of the Guayas delta (Ecuador), the largest estuarine system on the Pacific coast of Latin America. Despite coping with data scarcity, our model accurately reproduces the observed propagation of high water levels during a spring tide. Further, based on a model sensitivity analysis, we show that high water levels are most sensitive to the mangrove platform elevation and degree of channelization but to a much lesser extent to vegetation-induced friction. Mangroves with a lower surface elevation, lower vegetation density, and higher degree of channelization all favour a more efficient flooding of the mangroves and therefore more effectively attenuate the high water levels in the deltaic channels. Our findings indicate that vast areas of channelized mangrove forests, rather than densely vegetated forests, are most effective for nature-based flood risk mitigation in a river delta.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference Redescription of three fossil baleen whale skulls from the Miocene of Portugal reveals new cetotheriid phylogenetic insights
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference Biofluorescence of the Mottled shovel-nosed frog, Hemisus marmoratus: first report for Hemisotidae.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference Pisachini planthoppers of Vietnam: new records of Pisacha and a new Goniopsarites species from Central Vietnam (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Nogodinidae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference Spinnen en loopkevers ingezameld tijdens een korte bodemvalbemonstering te Doeveren (Zedelgem‐Oostkamp)
Spiders and carabid beetles were collected with pitfall traps during a short sampling campaign in the spring of 2017 (from 24/05 to 11/07) in the nature reserve Doeveren at Zedelgem‐Oostkamp. 49 species of spiders and 34 species of carabid beetles were found. We here discuss some particular species of both arthropod groups that are mentioned as threatened on the Red list for Flanders. We comment the management and heathland restoration measures of the last years and its impact on both faunas
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference De spinnenfauna van enkele rode dopheidegebieden nabij Brugge: Deel 4, drie jaar bemonsteringen in het Natuurreservaat Zevenkerken in 2014-2015-2016
103 species of spiders were collected during 3 years continuous sampling with pitfall traps of 2 heathland patches in Nature Reserve Zevenkerken south-west of Bruges. Several rare and interesting species were discovered and discussed. Besides a large amount of species characteristic for forest and shrubs also an important part of the spider fauna in these heathlands consist of species characteristic for dry, oligotrophic grasslands. Also some species of heathland and dunes were found. 12 species are mentioned as threatened on the Red list of spiders of Flanders. Six species are catalogued as endangered, six as vulnerable. Restoration of heathland in Zevenkerken and Bruges in general in the context of spider and insect-friendly management are discussed.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference De spinnenfauna van enkele Rode dopheidegebieden nabij Brugge: Deel 2: Bemonsteringen in Provinciedomein Tillegembos in 2015-2016
105 species of spiders were collected during a year-round sampling with pitfall traps of 3 heathland patches in Provinciedomein Tillegembos south of Bruges. Several rare and interesting species were discovered and discussed. An important part of the spider fauna in these heathlands consists of species characteristic for dry, oligotrophic grasslands. Also some species of heathland and dunes were found. 13 species are mentioned as threatened on the Red list of spiders of Flanders. Five species are catalogued as endangered, Seven species as vulnerable and one species is catalogued as critically endangered on that list: Thyreosthenius biovatus. Restoration of heathlands near Bruges in the context of spider- and insect-friendly management are discussed.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference De spinnenfauna van enkele heidegebieden nabij Brugge. Deel 1: bemonsteringen 2014-2015
131 species of spiders were collected during a year-round sampling with pitfall traps of 8 heathland patches west of Bruges. One species, Ozyptila westringi, was recorded for the first time in Belgium, 20 species are mentioned as threatened on the Red list of spiders of Flanders and one species is catalogued as critically endangered on that list: Pirata uliginosus. An important part of the spider fauna in these heathlands consist of species characteristic for heathland, dunes and dry, oligotrophic grasslands. Notwithstanding these heathlands are embedded in a matrix of forest, we observed that the number of forest species was rather low. Management and restoration of heathlands near Bruges are discussed.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2018
Article Reference Eerste waarnemingen van de sneeuwvlo Boreus hyemalis (Linnaeus, 1767) voor West-Vlaanderen: een zeldzame soort of een soort die zelden wordt waargenomen? (Mecoptera: Boreidae)
During a pitfall sampling in the winter of 2014-2015 in some heathland relicts near Bruges, Boreus hyemalis (Linnaeus, 1767) was recorded at three sites. These are the first records of this species for the Province West Flanders. Formerly, this species was only known in Flanders from large and spacious heathlands and shifting sand dunes. As an adult, Boreus hyemalis is only active during the coldest period of the year, even when soils are covered with snow and ice. Probably this species is more common than so far assumed, but because during winter entomological surveys are very rare, this species has probably been overlooked at several places. We give an up-date of its current observed distribution in Belgium and we discuss the recent observations in the western part of Belgium.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications