Colorado River Basin Riparian Ecology

Research Task: 8327CMZ.5.0
Task Manager: Douglas Andersen

Fully functional riverine ecosystems that traverse North American deserts provide a variety of ecosystem services. However, these landscapes have been altered significantly since the 1800s, and the processes responsible for their structure and function remain poorly understood. Information on community structure, nutrient dynamics, plant-animal interactions, floodplain soil processes, and linkages between riverine aquatic/riparian/upland ecosystems is needed before key research questions (e.g., “To what extent have ecosystem services in the Colorado River Basin been lost or degraded due to altered streamflows?”) can be answered. The overall objectives of this research are to describe the effects of streamflow regulation on key riparian species and processes, and to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for those effects. This work will provide species- and site-specific information of immediate benefit to water resource managers and managers of floodplain lands in the Colorado River Basin. The primary products will bear on specific management questions pertaining to streamflow alteration, vegetation-restoration issues, and grazing management.

 For more information contact Douglas Andersen