Riparian vegetation diversity in boreal headwaters: Comparing streams, modified waterways and ditches

Decades of forest management in the boreal biome have involved digging drainage ditches and modifying streams to increase timber production, altering terrestrial ecosystems and expanding stream networks. Modified waterways and drainage ditches represent widespread novel aquatic and riparian ecosystems, with little known about their biodiversity. With approximately 68% of small waterways in Sweden human-made or modified, improved knowledge is needed to inform effective management of biodiversity of these often-disregarded habitats. Currently, ditches and modified waterways may undergo ditch network maintenance, involving the removal of debris and vegetation, with less emphasis placed on protecting them with vegetated buffers compared to natural waterways. In this study, we surveyed riparian vegetation across soil types (till and peat) along a drainage size gradient (0.5 ha – 60 ha) in a northern boreal catchment, assessing the riparian vegetation amongst ditches, modified waterways, and ..., , # Dryad dataset Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.8w9ghx42j](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8w9ghx42j) ## Description of the data and file structure These data were collected as part of a field study examining riparian vegetation structure, diversity, and environmental characteristics across different waterway types, including natural streams, modified waterways, and drainage ditches. Field surveys were conducted at multiple sites where standardized plots were established within riparian zones adjacent to each waterway. ### Files and variables #### File: Ground_cover.csv **Description:** All the species listed represent their % cover in a plot (20 cm x 80 cm quadrant). Each row represents one plot. ##### Variables * Site: Site code * Waterway: waterway type * Elevation: Elevation above summer water level * Plot: plot number * CWD: Coarse woody debris * Bare: % bare ground cover * Litter: % litter cover * Rock: % rock cover * Sphagnum: *Sphagnum* % cover * Hypnales: *Hypnoses* % cover ..., , ,数十年来，寒带针叶林生物群区（boreal biome）的森林管理活动常通过开挖排水沟渠、改造河道以提升木材产量，这一过程改变了陆地生态系统并扩张了河道网络。经改造的河道与排水沟渠已成为广泛分布的新型水生与河岸生态系统，目前对其生物多样性的了解仍十分有限。瑞典境内约68%的小型河道均为人工修建或经改造而成，因此亟需深化相关认知，以助力对这些常被忽视的生境开展有效的生物多样性管理。当前，沟渠与改造河道常需开展沟渠网络维护工作，包括清除杂物与植被，但相较于天然河道，其通过植被缓冲带进行保护的相关工作未得到足够重视。本研究在北方寒带流域内，沿排水规模梯度（0.5公顷–60公顷），针对不同土壤类型（冰碛土与泥炭土）开展河岸植被调查，评估沟渠、改造河道及……的河岸植被状况。# Dryad数据集 数据集DOI：10.5061/dryad.8w9ghx42j，访问链接：https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8w9ghx42j ## 数据与文件结构说明 本数据集源自一项野外研究，该研究针对包括天然溪流、改造河道与排水沟渠在内的不同河道类型，展开河岸植被结构、多样性及环境特征的调查。研究在多个样地开展，于各河道毗邻的河岸带内设置标准化样方。 ### 文件与变量说明 #### 文件：Ground_cover.csv **说明**：列表中所有物种的数值均代表其在样方（20cm×80cm的四分样区）中的盖度百分比。每一行对应一个样方。 ##### 变量说明 * Site：样地编码 * Waterway：河道类型 * Elevation：夏季水位以上的海拔高度 * Plot：样方编号 * CWD：粗木质残体（Coarse woody debris） * Bare：裸地盖度百分比 * Litter：枯落物盖度百分比 * Rock：岩石盖度百分比 * Sphagnum：泥炭藓属（*Sphagnum*）盖度百分比 * Hypnales：*Hypnoses* 属植物盖度百分比