Comparative Analysis on Environmental Adaptability of Two Types of Bank Stabilization Structures along the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

Yujie Fan, Zhonghua Yang, Ming Li, Zhiyong Zhang and Da Li
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Yujie Fan: State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Zhonghua Yang: State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Ming Li: Changjiang Waterway Institute of Planning and Design, Wuhan 430040, China
Zhiyong Zhang: Institute of Hydroecolog, Ministry of Water Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430079, China
Da Li: State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: With the aim to prevent channel incision and migration and provide protection at the riverbank, a series of ecological bank stabilization projects have been carried out in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In this study, nine ecological bank stabilization areas using two different techniques, Steel mesh gabion (Type 1) and Chain-type bricks (Type 2), were compared in terms of environmental adaptability on the basis of the survey data of vegetation and substrate. There were no significant differences between the two types of dominant species before and after the flood season. Annual or biennial herbaceous plants had clear spatial competitive advantages while perennial herbs had clear temporal competitive advantages. While Type 1 was better than Type 2 in overall vegetation restoration and growth, Type 2 was more sensitive to periodic flood disturbance. Redundancy Analysis was used to determine the main environmental impact factors that caused differences on biotic indices of the two types. The clay content in the substrate was an important factor affecting vegetation cover and diversity for Type 1 while the substrate nutrient composition was important for Type 2. Generally, Type 1 presented stronger environmental adaptability in channel regulation projects.

Keywords: bank stabilization structures; vegetation restoration; biotic indices; environmental impact factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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