Abstract ID
climch10
Type
Oral
Theme
climch
Full title
Flood pulsing, climate change and regeneration dynamics of Ramsar sites along the Mississippi and Gangetic
Floodplains
Abstract text
Shifts in water availability related to climate change have the potential to alter the regeneration dynamics of
plant species on floodplain wetlands. Climate change predictions differ for Ramsar sites of the Mississippi and
Gangetic Floodplains in the U.S. and India, respectively. For the central U.S., the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) predicts hotter and drier climates with occasional severe flooding from intense storms;
for central India, the National Centre for Medium Range Forecasting predicts a hotter wetter climate punctuated
by unpredictable monsoons and extreme droughts. Thus, climate change could affect the biodiversity of
Ramsar wetlands in both floodplains because the regeneration of species from the seed bank is dependent on
local moisture availability. In <i>Taxodium distichum</i> (baldcypress) swamps in North America, latitudinal
studies show that woody species recruitment and other functions are higher in the northern, and central part of
the range, respectively. Ramsar sites under study in the baldcypress swamp region of the U.S. include the
Cache River/Cypress Creek in the State of Illinois (northern), and White River in the State of Arkansas (central).
This study suggests that the effect of climate change may vary in Ramsar sites of the same vegetation type, but
at different latitudes. Similarly, the regeneration dynamics of monsoonal wetlands in India are driven by
moisture availability, based on studies conducted in the 1980’s. In the Keoladeo National Park in the State
of Rajasthan, India, years of recent drought have reduced the flooded areas of these monsoonal wetlands of the
floating grass, <i>Paspalum distichum</i>. After the park flooded in 2009, a brief survey concluded that the
majority of aquatic species persisted at sites as seeds in the seed banks. While many aquatic species can persist
in seed banks, little is known about how these species may survive under the conditions predicted under climate
change scenarios. Many Ramsar sites have been affected by water diversion, so that biodiversity loss may
become more extreme with climate change. Along the Cache River/Cypress Creek in Illinois, a partial
reconnection of the upper and lower portions of the river is being considered to reconnect flood pulsing and
migration routes. Projections of the effects of climate change on the biodiversity of Ramsar listed wetlands is
limited by the lack of information on the responses of aquatic species to climate change environments including
water availability/delivery, CO₂ and temperature.
Submission date
2009-08-24
Keywords
water regime, drought, aquatic plants, monsoonal wetland, baldcypress swamp
Will be submitting paper?
Yes