Transferability Of Mesohabitat Suitability Criteria In Northern Italy

In the framework of water resources planning and management, the MesoHABSIM (MesoHABitat SImulation Model) approach demonstrated high potential to assess suitable environmental conditions for freshwater fish species. In the present study, the transferability capabilities of mesohabitat suitability criteria were evaluated in nine streams across Northern Italy. In particular, the Random Forest (RF) technique was used to calibrate and validate suitability criteria for adult and juvenile life stages of brown trout (Salmo trutta), marble trout (Salmo marmoratus), bullhead (Cottus gobio) Italian barbel (Barbus plebejus), and Italian vairone (Telestes muticellus). Presence/absence binary models were calibrated at the mesohabitat scale (i.e., the geomorphic unit scale) using field data collected in reference sites, selected for their natural hydro-morphological conditions and habitat characteristics. Model transferability tests were performed in streams located in different regions within the distribution area of the fish and not included in the model calibration dataset. Predictive capacities of the models were very good in terms of accuracy (ranging from 75% to 82%) and true skill statistic (ranging from 52% to 75%). The high predictive performances can be related to (i) the use of an ecologically relevant spatial resolution (mesohabitat) to predict fish presence, (ii) a robust and adequate hydro-morphological characterization of the analyzed geomorphic units, and (iii) the large number of mesohabitat descriptors provided by the MesoHABSIM approach. Results showed that mesohabitat suitability criteria based on RF can be considered transferable among streams located in different regions of Northern Italy, especially when river channels are characterized by similar hydro-morphological characteristics

Sensitivity of fish habitat suitability to multi-resolution hydraulic modeling and field-based description of meso-scale river habitats

In-stream habitat models at the meso-scale are increasingly used to quantify the effects of hydro-morphological pressures in rivers. The spatial distributions of water depth and velocity represent key attributes of physical habitat. Choosing between field surveys, hydraulic modeling or their integration is made depending on available tools, technical skills, budget and time. However, the sensitivity to such choices of estimated habitat conditions suitable for biological organisms, such as fish, is poorly known.In this study, three commonly used approaches in hydraulic-habitat modeling were compared and tested on a mountain stream, the Mareta River (NE Italy). Two approaches were based on 2D hydraulic modeling, calculated on computational meshes with varying resolution and quality: (1) high-resolution meshes derived from topographical data obtained from Airborne Bathymetric LiDAR; (2) a mesh extrapolated from topographical cross-sectional profiles. The third approach (3) was based on in-stream surveys. From these, suitable channel-area for two fish species, the marble trout (juvenile and adult), and the European bullhead (adult), were estimated.Results showed that decreasing mesh resolution and quality affects the simulated water depth and velocity distributions, both in terms of their average and their standard deviation. The largest differences were found for the in-stream survey-based results. Morphologically complex unit types, such as steps, rapids and pools were more sensitive than simpler mesohabitats, such as glides and riffles. The most sensitive hydro-morphological unit types to the chosen approach were backwaters, glides being the least sensitive, also in terms of their suitability as mesohabitats. Despite that, a key finding is that errors are minimized when deriving habitat - streamflow rating curves at the reach scale, for which all approaches were largely able to reproduce the main characteristics of the curve, i.e. maxima, minima and inflection points

Ecopolitical Mapping: A Multispecies Research Methodology for Environmental Communication

El Mapeo Ecopolítico es una metodología experimental que busca mapear encuentros amorosos y desastrosos entre humanos y su entorno más que humano. Esta metodología, primeramente acuñada por un grupo transdisciplinario de artistas e investigadores en el sur de Chile, se desarrolla a través de sesiones de mapeo colectivo utilizando un enfoque ecopolítico con el fin de rastrear las relaciones de poder entre diferentes especies. En este informe de investigación expandimos acerca de nuestras aproximaciones a esta metodología a partir de tres escalas y territorios diferentes: Cuenca del Biobío (Chile), la Ciudad de Berlín (Alemania) y Europa (Continente). Cada caso presentó un fuerte componente de comunicación ambiental, que terminó en la producción de mapas ilustrados. El enfoque metodológico que aquí se propone es a la vez íntimo, político y situado. El mapa se propone no como un supuesto artefacto políticamente neutral, sino como una herramienta para la educación ambiental, la comunicación y el activismo. Ofrecemos el concepto y enfoque, esperando que esta metodología pueda ser practicada y desarrollada por otros humanos, aliados en la producción de parentescos tentaculares.Ecopolitical Mapping is a methodology which seeks to map encounters of love and disaster between humans and their more-than-human surroundings. This methodology, first coined by an transdisciplinary group of artists and researchers in South Chile, unfolds through collective mapping sessions using an ecopolitical approach to trace the power relationships between different species-beings. In this research document, we unpack our engagements with this methodology in three different scales and territories: the Biobío Watershed (Chile), Berlin City (Germany) and Europe (Continent). Each case presented a strong environmental communication component, which ended up with the translation of the stories of the encounters into illustrated maps. The methodological approach proposed here is intimate, political and situated. The map evolves from a supposed politically neutral artifact into a tool for environmental education, communication, and activism. We offer the notionand approach, hoping that this methodology can be practiced and refined by other humans, allies of the tentacle kinship

Ecopolitical Mapping: A Multispecies Research Methodology for Environmental Communication

El Mapeo Ecopolítico es una metodología experimental que busca mapear encuentros amorosos y desastrosos entre humanos y su entorno más que humano. Esta metodología, primeramente acuñada por un grupo transdisciplinario de artistas e investigadores en el sur de Chile, se desarrolla a través de sesiones de mapeo colectivo utilizando un enfoque ecopolítico con el fin de rastrear las relaciones de poder entre diferentes especies. En este informe de investigación expandimos acerca de nuestras aproximaciones a esta metodología a partir de tres escalas y territorios diferentes: Cuenca del Biobío (Chile), la Ciudad de Berlín (Alemania) y Europa (Continente). Cada caso presentó un fuerte componente de comunicación ambiental, que terminó en la producción de mapas ilustrados. El enfoque metodológico que aquí se propone es a la vez íntimo, político y situado. El mapa se propone no como un supuesto artefacto políticamente neutral, sino como una herramienta para la educación ambiental, la comunicación y el activismo. Ofrecemos el concepto y enfoque, esperando que esta metodología pueda ser practicada y desarrollada por otros humanos, aliados en la producción de parentescos tentaculares.Ecopolitical Mapping is a methodology which seeks to map encounters of love and disaster between humans and their more-than-human surroundings. This methodology, first coined by an transdisciplinary group of artists and researchers in South Chile, unfolds through collective mapping sessions using an ecopolitical approach to trace the power relationships between different species-beings. In this research document, we unpack our engagements with this methodology in three different scales and territories: the Biobío Watershed (Chile), Berlin City (Germany) and Europe (Continent). Each case presented a strong environmental communication component, which ended up with the translation of the stories of the encounters into illustrated maps. The methodological approach proposed here is intimate, political and situated. The map evolves from a supposed politically neutral artifact into a tool for environmental education, communication, and activism. We offer the notionand approach, hoping that this methodology can be practiced and refined by other humans, allies of the tentacle kinship