199-8 Hydrodiversity and River System Resilience

Session: Advances in Fluvial Processes and Sediment Transport, Part II

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Hydrodiversity - the variability of water-related processes, features, and resources- underpins the resilience of river systems. It includes flow regimes, water levels, and groundwater - surface water exchanges, and interacts closely with geo- and biodiversity. Despite its ecological significance, hydrodiversity lacks a standardized definition or quantitative framework.

In riverine transition zones (riparian, littoral, hyporheic), hydrodiversity shapes connectivity, sediment and water transport, and habitat complexity. Seasonal processes such as snowmelt flooding and ice cover strongly influence these areas, yet climate change and human pressures, including land use change and water regulation, are degrading hydrodiversity, threatening ecosystem function and biodiversity.

Advances in geospatial technologies - multispectral lidar, unmanned surface vehicles, hydrological modeling - enable precise mapping of water pathways, sediment fluxes, and habitat dynamics. Coupled surface-groundwater models reveal spatial and temporal patterns, supporting integration of geo-, bio-, and hydrodiversity in river assessments.

This work proposes a working definition of hydrodiversity and outlines methods for its measurement. By combining interdisciplinary approaches with policy frameworks such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and Nature Restoration Law, we aim to fill critical knowledge gaps, guide sustainable river management, and improve predictions of ecosystem response to geomorphological change. Advancing hydrodiversity science will enhance our ability to preserve and restore rivers in an era of rapid environmental change.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-9688

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