How vegetation controls the shape of rivers
A Sudbury professor has published findings of his study on how vegetation affects the stability and shape of rivers.
Dr. Alessandro Ielpi is an associate professor of sedimentology at the Vale Living with Lakes Centre on Ramsey Lake and the Harquail School of Earth Sciences at Laurentian University in Sudbury.
He published a paper called The impact of vegetation on meandering rivers in the earth and environment section of an online journal called Nature Reviews on Tuesday in collaboration with three professors from two other universities, Stanford and Dalhousie.
The study examines "how vegetation along banks helps rivers bend" and how it relates to flood control.
"To understand how vegetation - or its absence - influences the shape of river channels, Dr. Ielpi and colleagues have canoed through thickly vegetated watersheds, have crossed on foot through barren deserts looking for otherworldly ephemeral streams, and have even looked at the surface of other planets like Mars, where the deposits of billions-year-old meanders are visible through its thin atmosphere," Laurentian University said in a news release.
"Their results demonstrate that although river meanders can form without vegetation, the latter reinforces channel banks, modulating floods and restraining erosion."
Ielpi said the results will help "predict how rivers will behave in a near future if vegetation is continually removed from watersheds through wildfires, aggressive timber harvesting, or urbanization."
"This paper is an example of the scientific, social, and environmental relevance of the study of earth sciences on a planetary and interplanetary scale," Dr. Douglas Tinkam, director of Harquail School of Earth Sciences, said in the news release.
"The authors have published a work that will help scientists and governments to better understand and predict river behaviour, offering valuable research that could help prevent or mitigate flood damage."
Dr. Tammy Eger, Laurentian's vice-president of research, said the study "underscores the importance of international collaborations in scientific discoveries which highlight the healing power of nature."
Correction
The spelling of Dr. Alessandro Ielpi's last name has been corrected.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.