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	Title: Sacramento River Biocomplexity Project: Linking large-scale hydrological and biological processes in restoring riparian forest ecosystems (Biocomplexity) Abstract/Description: The vast majority of restoration efforts, including those for Sacramento River riparian forests, are based on the assumption that, if appropriate physical conditions are created and woody plants are successfully established at a site, that site will be colonized by native herbaceous plants and animals. Alternatively, establishment of native plant and animal species may be limited by biological processes that operate at larger spatial scales than individual sites, such as dispersal limitation of desired native species and movement of undesirable species (such as weeds, pathogens, and predators) across the landscape. To design efficient restoration strategies, we must understand the relative importance of physical and biological processes in determining long-term community dynamics. This requires working across traditional disciplinary boundaries to link physical and biological processes at site and landscape scales. In the initial phase of our research, we are combining data from ongoing mapping and monitoring programs (described earlier) to formulate simple empirical models linking hydrology, vegetation, and bird communities in Sacramento River riparian habitats. Current monitoring efforts are not sufficient to parameterize predictive mechanistic models, but may allow us to quantify how certain we are about the relative importance of possible management actions. Using empirical models and traditional sensitivity analysis, we will test which suites of processes (restoring flood regimes, restoring channel meandering, establishing appropriate woody plant species, establishment of connectedness among riparian sites, or human uses of floodplain habitats) most affect plants and songbirds, based on our current knowledge of ecosystem dynamics. We will also use an uncertainty analysis (that takes into account both sensitivity and estimation error, Schultz and Crone 1998) to ask which areas of future research would most increase our ability to identify correct management actions for restoration. Data compilation to date has identified broad areas that are not well monitored under existing programs, but are key steps linking restoration of hydrological processes, plant communities, and songbird communities. These include: (1) stage-discharge relationships at restored (planted with woody species) sites, (2) dynamics of herbaceous plants at restored sites, and (3) effects of human land use on insect and mammal communities. We have also identified a set of empirical relationships that link what is known about hydrology, geomorphology, plant communities, and songbird population dynamics. Ongoing modeling will identify which of these, or other areas, are most important to study to direct future restoration efforts. In the future, we hope to develop an increasingly mechanistic, predictive understanding of riparian forest ecosystem dynamics using an iterative process of modeling, manipulative experiments, monitoring, and adaptive management. Associated Projects: Sacramento River Biocomplexity Project: Linking large-scale hydrological and biological processes in restoring riparian forest ecosystems, Peer Review of San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Studies, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Peer Review of San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Studies, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Peer Review of San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Studies, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Peer Review of San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Studies, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Peer Review of San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Studies, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, Peer Review of San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Studies, Peer Review of San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Studies, Non-Aeration Feasibility Studies Criteria Evaluation for the San Joaquin River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Main Subjects: Hydrology & Geomorphology, Ecosystem Restoration, Habitat / Species, Ecosystem Dynamics Specific Subjects: flooding, sediment deposition, meander zones, flood plain, hydraulic modeling, computer modeling, indicators, assessment, adaptive management, meander zones, planning, research, flow regime, riparian, aquatic, terrestrial, food web, woodlands, plants, birds, modeling, bio-physical coupling, ecological interactions Species Keywords:   Publication & Citation Author(s): Elizabeth Crone, Karen Holl Contributor(s): Bret Elderd, Kerry Moffat, Steven Greco, Matt Kondolf, Ingrid Morken, David Wood, Gregory Golet, Nadav Nur, Stacy Small Citation: Holl K.D., and E.E. Crone. 2002.Sacramento River Biocomplexity Project: Linking large-scale hydrological and biological processes in restoring riparian forest ecosystems. Report to The Nature Conservancy. Publisher: The Nature Conservancy Publication Date: December 31, 2001         Currentness: Funder(s): The Nature Conservancy   Format & Access Information Resource Type: (Documents) Media Type / Format: Access Limitations: Public Use Limitations: No Limitations To Obtain:   Location Information Cities / Urban Areas: Counties: Specific Location Names: Undefined: Water / Special Districts: Watershed / Streams: First Entered by: Greg Golet on 2003/10/08 Last Edited by: Greg Golet on 2003/10/08