Ice breakup: a neglected factor in river ecology

• DOI: 10.1139/l02-040
• Publication Date: 2003-03-19T17:23:15Z
• Authors: Terry D Prowse; Joseph M Culp
• Keywords: River ecosystem

To minimize environmental impacts that may result from any engineered modifications of stream or river systems, a basic understanding ecology is required. Most fundamental theories have developed largely studies warm-temperate and tropical streams rivers. As these evolved over the last few decades, floods were recognized increasingly as dominant hydrologic events control numerous abiotic biotic forms processes, both within channel on adjacent riparian floodplains. Over approximately same time frame, river-ice breakup was shown to be major, if not predominant, source cold-regions Despite this, rarely has role ice-induced flooding been considered by subsequent original in extensive literature they spawned. This manuscript reviews broad, although frequently anecdotal, information about effects processes flooding. Based it argues for incorporated future advancements ecological theory. The list cited provides valuable reference scientists engineers assessing development-related rivers, further researching aspects breakup.Key words: ice, ecology, freshwater flooding, breakup, ice jam.