Terrestrial structure-from-motion: spatial error analysis of roughness and morphology

Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry is rapidly becoming a key tool for morphological characterisation and change detection of the earth surface. This paper demonstrates the use of Terrestrial Structure-from-Motion (TSfM) photogrammetry to acquire morphology and roughness data at the reach-scale in an upland gravel-bed river. We quantify 1) spatially-distributed error in TSfM derived Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and 2) identify differences in roughness populations acquired from TSfM photogrammetry versus TLS. We identify an association between local topographic variation and error in the TSfM DEM. On flatter surfaces (e.g. bar and terrace surfaces), the difference between the TSfM and TLS DEMs are generally less than ±0.1 m. However, in areas of high topographic variability (>0.4 m) such as berm or terrace edges, differences between the TSfM and TLS DEMs can be up to ±1 m. Our results suggest that grain roughness estimates from the TSfM point cloud generate values twice those derived from the TLS point cloud on coarse berm areas, and up to four-fold those derived from the TLS point cloud over finer gravel bar surfaces. This finding has implications when using SfM data to derive roughness metrics for hydrodynamic modelling. Despite the use of standard filtering procedures, noise pertains in the SfM DEM and the time required for its reduction might partially outweigh the survey efficiency using SfM. Therefore, caution is needed when SfM surveys are employed for the assessment of surface roughness at a reach-scale

Climate-change driven increased flood magnitudes and frequency in the British uplands: geomorphologically informed scientific underpinning for upland flood-risk management

Upland river systems in the UK are predicted to be prone to the effects of increased flood magnitudes and frequency, driven by climate change. It is clear from recent events that some headwater catchments can be very sensitive to large floods, activating the full sediment system, with implications for flood risk management further down the catchment. We provide a 15-year record of detailed morphological change on a 500-m reach of upland gravel-bed river, focusing upon the geomorphic response to an extreme event in 2007, and the recovery in the decade following. Through novel application of 2D hydrodynamic modelling we evaluate the different energy states of pre- and post-flood morphologies of the river reach, exploring how energy state adjusts with recovery following the event. Following the 2007 flood, morphological adjustments resulted in changes to the shear stress population over the reach, most likely as a direct result of morphological changes, and resulting in higher shear stresses. Although the proportion of shear stresses in excess of those experienced using the pre-flood DEM varied over the recovery period, they remained substantially in excess of those experienced pre-2007, suggesting that there is still potential for enhanced bedload transport and morphological adjustment within the reach. Although volumetric change calculated from DEM differencing does indicate a reduction in erosion and deposition volumes in the decade following the flood, we argue that the system still has not recovered to the pre-flood situation. We further argue that Thinhope Burn, and other similarly impacted catchments in upland environments, may not recover under the wet climatic phase currently being experienced. Hence systems like Thinhope Burn will continue to deliver large volumes of sediment further down river catchments, providing new challenges for flood risk management into the future

Morphological dynamics of upland headwater streams in the southern North Island of New Zealand

Short-term channel dynamics of mountain stream reaches in the southern North Island of New Zealand were assessed over two successive 3-month periods using morphological budgeting. Response to floods varies between reaches, even when the catchments were located close to each other and had similar characteristics. The reaches on the Central Volcanic Plateau experienced least morphological change, while streams with steep catchments and migrating planform in the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges showed frequent channel adjustments. Channel response is conditioned by intrinsic variables rendering reaches responsive or robust to the effects of floods, and this is likely to reflect the degree of connectivity between slopes and channels, and reaches

Linking disturbance and stream invertebrate communities: how best to measure bed stability

Substrate stability is a key determinant of stream invertebrate community composition, but its measurement can be problematic. Stream ecologists often use different approaches and techniques to quantify bed stability, and this variability makes comparison among studies difficult. We examined the link between 6 reach-scale measures of substrate stability and invertebrate community metrics in 12 New Zealand mountain streams. The strength of the link varied with the method used to define substrate stability. We used morphological budgeting to measure spatial patterns and volumes of scour and fill. We found that as erosion of sediments increased, invertebrate diversity declined exponentially. In particular, increases in the volume of scour reduced taxonomic richness, whereas deposition of coarse sediments was less relevant for invertebrate communities. Overall, the distance travelled by in-situ-marked tracer stones was most strongly linked with all invertebrate community metrics, whereas the bottom component of the Pfankuch Index related very well to diversity. Both metrics showed near-linear declines in diversity with decreasing stability. In contrast, the link between invertebrate communities and the proportion of bed area affected by entrainment was weak. Therefore, we propose tracer-based indices and the Pfankuch bottom component as the most suitable measures for research involving invertebrate-substrate-stability relationships. Measures derived from in-situ-marked tracer stones reflected only entrainment and transport of particles. In contrast, the bottom component of the Pfankuch Index encompassed the widest range of bed-stability characteristics but is prone to observer bias. An objective method that combines the efficiency of the Pfankuch Index with the characteristics measured using tracer stones could serve as a powerful explanatory tool in stream ecology. © 2011 The North American Benthological Society

A macroinvertebrate index to assess stream-bed stability

Biotic indices based on community composition and calculated from sensitivity scores assigned to individual taxa are commonly used as indicators for ecological integrity of fluvial ecosystems. Macroinvertebrate indices can assess water quality but invertebrate community composition also responds to other environmental factors including stream bed disturbance. This study presents a biotic community index that assesses stream bed stability in stony riffles. This Macroinvertebrate Index of Bed Stability is calibrated on transport and entrainment of in situ-marked tracer stones in 46 streams in New Zealand’s North Island, representing a wide range of substrate stability. Scores were investigated for 67 common invertebrate taxa using Indicator Species Analysis based on taxa abundance at varying levels of substrate stability. The resulting site score, weighted by taxa abundance, improved a predictive model of bed stability, generated with model trees, when added to the pool of habitat variables and explained 69% of the variation in bed stability. Site scores were strongly correlated with measured bed stability at the development sites, but not at eight independent validation sites, suggesting the need for further testing on a larger dataset including streams in other regions of New Zealand, and overseas. </jats:p