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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.