DYNAMIC STREAMS RESEARCH GROUP

Research to inform effective management of temporary streams as dynamic aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems

Our research focuses on the communities in river and stream ecosystems, in particular temporary streams: dynamic ecosystems that shift between wet and dry states. We collect new data and use existing extensive data sets to explore long-term patterns across spatial scales. We foster partnerships with industry scientists to ensure our advances are used to inform practical management of dynamic streams. We collaborate with ecologists, hydrologists and other environmental scientists from Nottingham Trent University, the UK, and around the world, to ensure integrated progress towards our shared goals: to advance the science and management of dynamic stream ecosystems.

Our current projects are summarized below.

ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE TO GLOBAL CHANGE

We use long-term, large scale datasets to document how biological communities respond to increasing climatic extremity in a context of multiple pressures.

Team members: Ro, Rachel
Photo: River Manifold, Staffs, UK. Copyright Tory Milner

WINTERBOURNE RESTORATION

We are evaluating the effectiveness of specific restoration actions taken to enhance the ecological quality of winterbourne chalk streams.

Team members: Rob, Rachel

Research: Project

AQUATIC–TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY
We study the aquatic–terrestrial biodiversity in temporary streams including chalk winterbournes—ecosystems which naturally shift between wet and dry phases.

Team members: Chloe, Kieran, Rob, Rachel

REFUGES: THE KEY TO UNLOCK RESILIENCE IN DRYING RIVERS?

We are studying how refuge characteristics influence the recovery of aquatic communities after flow resumes in natural and modified temporary rivers.

Team members: Kieran, Rachel

BIOMONITORING THE HEALTH OF SMALL STREAMS

We are developing and testing methods to assess the ecological health of small streams, including temporary streams, using both aquatic and terrestrial communities.