Articles | Volume 20, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-431-2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-431-2016
Research article
 | 
26 Jan 2016
Research article |  | 26 Jan 2016

An index of floodplain surface complexity

M. W. Scown, M. C. Thoms, and N. R. De Jager

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Cited articles

Amoros, C. and Bornette, G.: Connectivity and biocomplexity in waterbodies of riverine floodplains, Freshw. Biol., 47, 761–776, 2002.
Bar Massada, A. and Radeloff, V. C.: Two multi-scale contextual approaches for mapping spatial pattern, Landsc. Ecol., 25, 711–725, 2010.
Bayley, P. B.: Understanding large river: floodplain ecosystems, BioScience, 45, 153–158, 1995.
Cadenasso, M. L., Pickett, S. T. A., and Grove, J. M.: Dimensions of ecosystem complexity: heterogeneity, connectivity, and history, Ecol. Complex., 3, 1–12, 2006.
De Jager, N. R. and Rohweder, J. J.: Spatial patterns of aquatic habitat richness in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain, USA, Ecol. Ind., 13, 275–283, 2012.
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Short summary
An index of floodplain surface complexity is developed in this paper and applied to eight floodplains from different geographic settings. Floodplain width and sediment yield were associated with the index or with sub-indicators, whereas hydrology was not. These findings suggest that valley and sediment conditions are important determinants of floodplain surface complexity, and these should complement hydrology as a focus of floodplain research and management.