Riparian Restoration Experiment
Fish surveys in Middle Creek Victoria

Monitoring Protocol

The overall objective of the experiment is to assess the change in riparian and in-stream ecological condition following livestock removal and replanting. Within this primary objective, a monitoring protocol was designed to test a number of hypotheses each relating to key response variables. Six broad monitoring themes, and their associated measurements, are summarised below. At least one full year of data have been collected from all sites prior to fencing and re-planting. The monitoring protocol has been designed to reflect changes anticipated in the short (1-3 yrs), medium (3-8 yrs) and long (10 yrs+) term.

 

MONITORING THEMES

SUMMARY OF KEY MEASUREMENTS

1. Contextual Variables
  • Landuse
    • Historical
    • Current
  • Hydrology
    • Discharge
    • Zero flow hydrology

2. Geomorphology and Soils
  • Geomorphology
    • Channel Cross-Section
    • Thalweg Longitudinal Profile
    • Bank full Longitudinal Profile
    • Bank Erosion
  • Soils
    • Soil Properties

3. Water Quality
    • Temperature
    • Water physico-chemical parameters
    • Water Nutrients
    • Benthic Algal Biomass

4. Litter and Coarse Wood
  • Litter
    • Stream channel (CPOM)
    • Floodplain (CPOM)
  • Coarse Wood
    • Stream channel
    • Floodplain

5. Vegetation
  • Restoration Works
    • Tube-stock
  • Riparian Vegetation
    • Ground Layer and Marginal Vegetation
    • Shrub Layer
    • Tree Layer
  • Canopy
    • Canopy Cover
    • Canopy Longitudinal Continuity
    • Canopy Width
  • Aquatic Macrophytes

6. Fauna
  • Aquatic Fauna
    • Fish (adult and laval)
    • Crayfish
    • Shrimp
    • Aquatic Macro-invertebrates
  • Terrestrial Fauna
    • Birds