Linking fish assemblages and spatiotemporal thermal heterogeneity in a river-floodplain landscape using high-resolution airborne thermal infrared remote sensing and in-situ measurements
Highlights
► We apply TIR together with in-situ temperature loggers at the floodplain scale. ► We relate thermal patterns to fish assemblage structure. ► TIR imagery reveals shifting thermal habitat mosaics congruent to fish distribution. ► TIR imagery provides accurate details of ecologically relevant temperature gradients. ► TIR imagery captures the detrimental thermal effect of artificial impoundments.
Introduction
High-resolution satellite and airborne remote sensing are rapidly evolving tools for accurately quantifying the structure and dynamics of complex river landscapes, a prerequisite for improving our understanding of ecosystem processes and biodiversity at various scales (Goetz et al., 2008, Johnson and Host, 2010, Marcus and Fonstad, 2008, Mertes, 2002; and references therein). Remote sensing sensors include (i) multispectral imagers (e.g., CASI, GeoEye, Ikonos, QuickBird) for quantifying suspended sediment concentrations, chlorophyll, turbidity, and water depth; (ii) laser scanners (e.g., LIDAR) for the generation of digital topographic maps and for water surface classification and delineation; and (iii) thermal infrared cameras (e.g., FLIR) for measuring surface temperatures.
River floodplains are heterogeneous landscapes composed of a shifting mosaic of interconnected aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The composition, configuration and degree of hydrological connectivity of these habitats determine biodiversity and ecosystem processes (Tockner and Stanford, 2002, Ward, 1998). Moreover, they determine fish assemblage diversity (Schomaker and Wolter, 2011, Van den Brink et al., 1996, Welcomme, 1979), fish reproduction and juvenile recruitment (Bischoff, 2002, Bischoff and Wolter, 2001, Grift et al., 2003), as well as fish production (Welcomme, 1979).
Temperature is a master variable that influences physical, chemical, biological, and ecological processes in aquatic ecosystems (Caissie, 2006, Magnuson et al., 1979, Webb, 1996; and references therein), triggers the dispersal of ectothermic organisms such as fish (Buisson et al., 2008, Tiffan et al., 2009), and determines the behavior and survival of fish (Buisson et al., 2008, McCullough et al., 2009, Pörtner and Farrell, 2008). In complex river floodplain mosaics temperature is inherently highly variable in space and time (Caissie, 2006, Tonolla et al., 2010), and, therefore, difficult to quantify using conventional in-situ methods.
Thermal infrared (TIR) imagery has been successfully used to determine the spatial heterogeneity of stream and river temperatures (Cristea and Burges, 2009, Faux et al., 2001, Torgersen et al., 2001), to identify areas of groundwater-surface water interactions (Deitchman and Loheide, 2009, Loheide and Gorelick, 2006), to determine thermal mixing dynamics and velocity fields (Andrews et al., 2011, Cardenas et al., 2011), to calibrate and validate stream temperature models (Cristea and Burges, 2009, Loheide and Gorelick, 2006), and to monitor the success of restoration projects (Loheide and Gorelick, 2006, Shuman and Ambrose, 2003). Moreover, TIR imagery has been employed to identify warm and cold-water refuges that are critical for the survival of many biota, including fish (Madej et al., 2006, Torgersen et al., 1999, Torgersen et al., 2006), as well as for linking thermal with microbial distribution patterns (Dunckel et al., 2009). However, up to now, most studies have used TIR imagery at the micro- and meso-habitat level, or for mapping the temperature along river corridors. So far, we are only aware of two studies that have used TIR imagery to quantify thermal heterogeneity at the landscape scale (Alpine landscapes: Scherrer & Körner, 2010; braided river floodplains: Tonolla et al., 2010).
The main aim of the present study was to quantify the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of temperature (during two different flow conditions) at the river-floodplain scale by applying aerial TIR imagery together with in-situ temperature recording using conventional loggers. The second aim was to evaluate the potential link between thermal heterogeneity and the structure of fish assemblages at the river floodplain scale. We hypothesized that ectothermic fish strongly respond to high temperatures, especially in spring. It was further hypothesized that given a strong correspondence between in situ measurements and TIR imagery, the latter can be used to predict spatiotemporal heterogeneity in fish assemblage structure.
Section snippets
Experimental design
Thermal long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) and visible spectrum images were remotely collected during two low altitude flights (~ 300 m agl) to spatially map continuous patterns of surface temperature and water extent under two different flow conditions in a dynamic river floodplain (area: 347.5 ha) along the lowland Oder River (Fig. 1). Concurrently, all major river and floodplain water bodies were electro-fished to assess the composition of fish assemblages. In addition, temperature loggers were
Spatial thermal heterogeneity at the floodplain scale
A distinct variation in surface water extent and surface temperature was detected at the floodplain scale (Fig. 2). At high flow (spring), most water bodies were hydrologically connected, as reflected in the thermal properties (Fig. 2). For example, a side channel was fully connected to the main channel over its entire length (3900 m) during high flow, whereas it was only connected downstream for 1700 m during mean flow (from “a” to “b”, Fig. 2). Furthermore, TIR imagery was able to delineate the
Discussion
In this study, we quantified thermal heterogeneity during two different flow conditions at the floodplain scale and related it to fish assemblage structure. Based on the thermal properties and the fish assemblage structure, three main habitat types were distinguished: (i) main channel habitats, (ii) connected and isolated ponds, and (iii) side channel habitats. These water bodies were best separated by the thermal variables of cumulative degree-days, and average and maximum temperatures. The
Acknowledgments
The authors are especially indebted to the generous field support provided by C. Schomaker and our electro-fishing field crew (J. Hallermann, A. Türck, A. Weber, and H. Zwadlo,). We would like to thank M. S. Lorang for an editorial review and insightful comments on an early stage of the manuscript. Furthermore, we acknowledge the pilot of the Cessna, C. Lindemann, for his skills and helpfulness during the remote sensing flights. In addition, we thank Christian Torgersen as well as two anonymous
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