Data from: Interactions of wood accumulations, channel dynamics, and geomorphic heterogeneity within a river corridor

Natural rivers are inherently dynamic. Spatial and temporal variations in water, sediment, and wood fluxes both cause and respond to an increase in geomorphic heterogeneity within the river corridor. We analyze 16 two-kilometer river corridor segments of the Swan River in Montana, USA to examine relationships between wood accumulations (wood accumulation distribution density, count, and persistence), channel dynamism (total sinuosity and average channel migration), and geomorphic heterogeneity (density, aggregation, interspersion, and evenness of patches in the river corridor). We hypothesize that i) more dynamic river segments correlate with a greater presence, persistence, and distribution of wood accumulations; ii) years with higher peak discharge correspond with greater channel dynamism and wood accumulations; and iii) all river corridor variables analyzed play a role in explaining river corridor spatial heterogeneity. Our results suggest that decadal-scale channel dynamism, as reflected in total sinuosity, corresponds to greater numbers of wood accumulations per surface area and greater persistence of these wood accumulations through time. Second, higher peak discharges correspond to greater values of wood distribution density, but not to greater channel dynamism. Third, persistent values of geomorphic heterogeneity, as reflected in the heterogeneity metrics of aggregation, interspersion, patch density, and evenness, are explained by potential predictor variables analyzed here. Our results reflect the complex interactions of water, sediment, and large wood in river corridors; the difficulties of interpreting causal relationships among these variables through time; and the importance of spatial and temporal analyses of past and present river processes to understand future river conditions