Author(s): E. Pini Prato; S. Schweizer
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Diversity indices; Ecohydraulics; Fluvial ecosystems; Habitat; Hydraulic interventions; Reference condition; Riparian buffers
Abstract: In order to evaluate the impacts of hydraulic interventions on the diversity o habitats a reference condition approach was used. This approach is based on the idea o comparing river reaches which are in a nearly natural state, chosen as ideal (or ‘model'reaches, to reaches of which the likely state of degradation (distance from natural state) needs to be assessed. In order to assess the diversity of habitat in terms of richness and evenness (i.e., a balanced distribution of the species of the specimen) the Shannon – Wiener index, the Pielou index and Hill's Diversity Number have been used. Also the percentage of a 25m wide respect area (on each side of the river) covered by vegetation has been calculated and used as an assessment descriptor.
Year: 2003