Effects of flooding duration on the occurrence of three hardwood floodplain forest species inside and outside a dike relocation area at the Elbe River

Floodplain forests have become rare in Europe due to anthropogenic changes. A critical aspect of their restoration is reintroducing flooding via dike relocation, as implemented at the Elbe River near Lenzen/Germany. How forest development is influenced by dike relocation is still unclear and difficult to predict. Inside the dike relocation area at the Elbe River, most trees were planted. Due to high tree mortality, we asked if the relative elevation of the planted trees and thus the number of flooding days inside the relocation area was comparable to the prevailing flooding regime in the surrounding active floodplain. Therefore, the positions of Ulmus laevis, Quercus robur, and Crataegus monogyna individuals were recorded using a DGPS and merged with a digital terrain model. Subsequently, relative elevations and numbers of flooding days per year and growing season (averages for 2011-2017) were calculated. The most flooding tolerant species, U. laevis, occurred at the lowest sites and tolerated the highest number of flooding days, followed by Q. robur, and finally by the least flooding tolerant species C. monogyna. All three species occurred at lower sites inside the dike relocation area and were exposed to longer flooding durations compared to sites outside the area. This was due to the complex morphology of this area and its special flooding and flow dynamics, which differed from the conditions in the surrounding active floodplain. Although the mean flooding duration was within the growth range of hardwood floodplain forests (Ficario-Ulmetum), most individuals may not have established at the planted sites under natural conditions. Therefore, we recommend not relying only on plantings but also allowing natural succession. Then, species that can cope with the hydrological site characteristics may also establish in the long term.

Automated summary

A study found that the distribution of flood-tolerant tree species including Ulmus laevis, Quercus robur, and Crataegus monogyna varies at different elevations within the dike relocation area, due to differences in flooding regime compared to the surrounding active floodplain. To ensure long-term growth, it is recommended not only to rely on plantings but also to allow natural succession.