Why should the habitat‐level approach underpin holistic river survey and management?

摘要: 1. The UK's new River Habitat Survey (RHS) is founded upon the assumption that species depend habitats and higher habitat heterogeneity supports biodiversity in river channels, riparian zones floodplains. 2. paper reviews evidence for this assumption. Physical habitats—of substrate velocity conditions—are created by predictable physical forces acting within ‘continuum’, modified colonization metabolism of biota. Numerous studies have shown distinct biotic assemblages. 3. management has, past, generally simplified structure but, order to mitigate worst effects restore damaged rivers, it necessary a sound understanding term as applies all components system (channel, zone floodplain). 4. RHS has nested approach channel at one level, ‘functional habitats’, link between processes been demonstrated. ‘The functional habitats’ concept now used mitigation engineering works restoration drought-damaged rivers. 5. Similar approaches still need be developed river-influenced floodplain. Sustainable needs come terms with dynamic nature change well quantify economic benefits which provide. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.