Journal article
River behavior on megafans and potential influences on diversification and distribution of aquatic organisms
Journal of South American earth sciences, v 21(1-2), pp 151-172
01 Mar 2006
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Megafans are partial cones of river sediment usually laid down by a single switching river, characterized by areas on the order of 10(3)-10(5) km(2), smooth plains, and slopes of < 1 degrees. Astronaut handheld imagery acquired since the early 1980s has permitted the first global geomorphic survey of megafans. Using examples mainly from South America, and based on stream behaviors common in megafans, seven models that appear to have implications for the distribution and diversification of aquatic organisms are presented. River behaviors that appear significant for the fragmentation and age of aquatic habitats on megafans include river switching (models 1.1-1.4) and the disconnection of the megafan river from the main river of the basin (models 2-4). Each model has a habitat fragmentation and a habitat combining mode. In their vicariant mode, models 1.1 and 1.2 involve longer periods of time. Models 1.3 and 1.4 involve the relatively instantaneous merging of aquatic populations from neighboring megafan rivers or neighboring major basins. Models 2-4 involve longer-term dynamics with the potential for speciation. We identify the following levels of diversity related to scales of stream operation: intrafan diversity, or local populations and among local populations; interfan diversity, or among local populations and species; and interbasin diversity, or species and biotas. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Details
- Title
- River behavior on megafans and potential influences on diversification and distribution of aquatic organisms
- Creators
- M. Justin WilkinsonLarry G. MarshallJohn G. Lundberg
- Publication Details
- Journal of South American earth sciences, v 21(1-2), pp 151-172
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 22
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000238781800012
- Other Identifier
- 991019335231704721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Geosciences, Multidisciplinary