HR: 1340h
AN: H43C-0512    [Abstracts]
TI: Long-term Eco-geomorphological Evolution of Tidal Environments
AU: * D`Alpaos, A
EM: adalpaos@idra.unipd.it
AF: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Idraulica, Marittima, Ambientale e Geotecnica University of Padova, Via Loredan, 20, Padova, Pd 35131 Italy
AU: * D`Alpaos, A
EM: adalpaos@idra.unipd.it
AF: International Centre for Hydrology ``Dino Tonini'' University of Padova, Via Loredan, 20, Padova, Pd 35131 Italy
AU: Lanzoni, S
EM: lanzo@idra.unipd.it
AF: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Idraulica, Marittima, Ambientale e Geotecnica University of Padova, Via Loredan, 20, Padova, Pd 35131 Italy
AU: Lanzoni, S
EM: lanzo@idra.unipd.it
AF: International Centre for Hydrology ``Dino Tonini'' University of Padova, Via Loredan, 20, Padova, Pd 35131 Italy
AU: Marani, M
EM: marani@idra.unipd.it
AF: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Idraulica, Marittima, Ambientale e Geotecnica University of Padova, Via Loredan, 20, Padova, Pd 35131 Italy
AU: Marani, M
EM: marani@idra.unipd.it
AF: International Centre for Hydrology ``Dino Tonini'' University of Padova, Via Loredan, 20, Padova, Pd 35131 Italy
AU: Rinaldo, A
EM: rinaldo@idra.unipd.it
AF: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Idraulica, Marittima, Ambientale e Geotecnica University of Padova, Via Loredan, 20, Padova, Pd 35131 Italy
AU: Rinaldo, A
EM: rinaldo@idra.unipd.it
AF: International Centre for Hydrology ``Dino Tonini'' University of Padova, Via Loredan, 20, Padova, Pd 35131 Italy
AB: Tidal environments are dynamic and delicate systems exposed to the effects of climate changes and often subject to increasing human pressure. In order to address issues of conservation of such environments, it is of critical importance to improve our understanding of the main characteristics of the tidal landscape and of the landforming processes which lead to their origins and further evolution. To this end we have addressed a comprehensive theoretical framework which makes it possible to investigate the strictly intertwined long-term evolution of tidal channel networks and of the adjacent marsh platforms. On the basis of previous observational evidence, indicating the existence of different time scales governing the various landscape-forming processes, we propose a morphological model, which decouples the initial rapid network incision from its subsequent slower process-controlled elaboration (chiefly by meandering) and from eco-morphological evolution of intertidal areas. We then couple the resulting model of channel network ontogeny to models of the relevant morphodynamic and ecological processes acting on the adjacent marsh surface such as: sediment erosion and deposition, inorganic soil interception and organic soil production due to the presence of vegetation. The overall model allows the investigation of the response of tidal morphologies to different scenarios of changing sea-level, incoming sediment concentrations and colonization of halophytic vegetation. The statistical properties of complex network structures and sedimentation patterns produced by the model are compared to those from observed tidal morphologies.
DE: 1815 Erosion
DE: 1821 Floods
DE: 1824 Geomorphology: general (1625)
DE: 1848 Monitoring networks
DE: 1860 Streamflow
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005