Monitoring the response of littoral and floodplain vegetation and soil moisture flux to weir pool raising -2015

A series of 11 Locks and Weirs along the River Murray are managed to provide stable water levels for irrigation and navigation, resulting in reduced hydrological variability and complexity. Flow stablisation favours species adapted to comparatively stable, lentic conditions and potentially limits the life history processes of native biota adapted to intermittent and lotic environments. Flow regulation contributes to reduced river-floodplain connectivity leading to a subsequent decline in riparian and floodplain vegetation. Various water level management interventions have been trialed along the River Murray to provide environmental benefits by restoring a greater range of water regimes. Weir pool surcharge is one method used to increase river channel water level variability and deliver water to temporary wetlands and lowlying floodplain. This can benefit vegetation that has reduced in condition, distribution and abundance because they are less tolerant of stable regulated conditions or have become water stressed as a result of a loss in river-floodplain connectivity or increased dry intervals between inundation events. This data set is the result of this investigation. The data was collected over 18 months between August 2015 and December 2016- before, during and after the weir pool levels were raised. The data set contains information on Tree Condition including crown extent and density, bark form, epicormic growth and state, reproduction, crown growth, leaf die off and damage, and mistletoe. Leaf Water Potential, taken predawn and in the middle of the day. Plant Area Index/Canopy Cover measurements using hemispherical photos. Soil Chemistry measurements- total soil moisture (gravimetric water content; %), soil suction (or soil matric potential), Electrical Conductivity and pH

墨累河（River Murray）沿岸共设有11座船闸与堰（Locks and Weirs），通过调控运行维持稳定水位以保障灌溉与航运需求，此举降低了河道水文变异性（hydrological variability）与复杂性。水流稳定化（flow stabilization）更适配适应相对稳定静水环境（lentic conditions）的物种，且可能抑制适应间歇性流水环境（lotic environments）的本土生物群（native biota）的生活史过程。水流调控会削弱河道-洪泛平原的连通性，进而导致河岸带与洪泛平原植被（riparian and floodplain vegetation）衰退。为通过恢复更丰富的水文情势（water regimes）以获取生态效益，墨累河沿岸已试点多项水位管理干预措施。堰池水位抬升（Weir pool surcharge）即为其中一种方法：该方法可提升河道水位变异性，并为临时性湿地与低洼洪泛平原补水。对于因无法耐受稳定调控水位、或是因河道-洪泛平原连通性丧失、淹没间隔期延长而遭受水分胁迫，进而导致健康状况、分布范围与种群丰度下降的植被而言，该措施可带来显著益处。本数据集即为该项调查的研究成果。数据采集于2015年8月至2016年12月的18个月周期内，覆盖堰池水位抬升前、抬升期间与抬升后三个阶段。数据集包含以下信息：树木健康状况（Tree Condition）相关数据，具体包括树冠范围与密度、树皮形态、萌条生长与状态、繁殖情况、树冠生长、叶片枯落与受损情况以及槲寄生（mistletoe）相关信息；黎明前与正午时段测定的叶水势（Leaf Water Potential）数据；采用半球摄影（hemispherical photos）法获取的叶面积指数/冠层覆盖度（Plant Area Index/Canopy Cover）测量数据；以及土壤化学指标数据，包括土壤总含水量（重量含水量，gravimetric water content，单位：%）、土壤吸力（或称土壤基质势，soil matric potential）、电导率（Electrical Conductivity）与pH值。