Large wood loads in an urban stream: The role of recruitment limitation versus transport dominance

Large wood (LW) has important physical and ecological functions in streams. Riparian vegetation is extensively removed during urban expansion, streams may experience enhanced fluvial transport of LW due to flashy hydrology. In this study, loads were assessed for three reaches on North Buffalo Creek, an stream located Greensboro, Carolina, United States. These have similar hydrology but different riparian densities. We measured the frequencies sizes both in-channel across reaches. Our results showed that recently reforested reach had greater volume (22.5 m3/km) compared unmanaged forested site (16 with low density (4.78 m3/km). The difference frequency among was statistically significant ( p = .05 $$ p=.05 ). However, individual pieces not significantly .84 ) p=.84\Big) , indicating a size recruited sites. findings also there positive relationship between frequency, which are related as power function. Spatial lag models (integrating upstream trees) did show better non-lagged model, suggesting storage recruitment predominantly local distribution at our limited by rather than dominated transport. suggested fully watershed needed provide some benefits