Abstract
The distribution of floodwaters and their average recurrence interval (ART) on the lower Balonne flood plain in semiarid Queensland, Australia, was mapped using 13 Landsat thematic mapper (TM) images. The vigour of vegetation growth was also mapped from a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) transformed "reference image" showing average pixel value between images captured over a period of nearly 10 years. The area of each NDVI class in each ARI zone was calculated. The largest proportion of vigorous vegetation occurred where flood frequency was between 1.25 and 1.75 years. The smallest proportion of vigorous vegetation occurred where flood frequency was low. Vegetation with very low growth vigour was common only where flooding occurred more frequently than once per year. Possible explanations for this relationship include reduced plant vigour due to soil anoxia, the impact of disturbance frequency on plant productivity, and pixel mixing at the vegetation/water boundary
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | The Structure, Function and Management Implications of Fluvial Sedimentary Systems |
| Subtitle of host publication | Proceedings of an international symposium held at Alice Springs, Australia, September 2002). IAHS Publ. no. 276. 2002 |
| Editors | Fiona J. Dyer, Martin C. Thoms, Jon M. Olley |
| Place of Publication | Oxfordshire |
| Publisher | International Association of Hydrological Sciences |
| Pages | 195-202 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Volume | 276 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781901502961 |
| Publication status | Published - 2002 |
| Event | International Symposium on the Structure, Function and Management Implications of Fluvial Sedimentary Systems - Alice Springs, Alice Springs, Australia Duration: 2 Sep 2002 → 6 Sep 2002 |
Conference
| Conference | International Symposium on the Structure, Function and Management Implications of Fluvial Sedimentary Systems |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| City | Alice Springs |
| Period | 2/09/02 → 6/09/02 |
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Cite this
Sims, N., & Thoms, M. (2002). What happens when flood plains wet themselves: vegetation response to inundation on the lower Balonne flood plain. In F. J. Dyer, M. C. Thoms, & J. M. Olley (Eds.), The Structure, Function and Management Implications of Fluvial Sedimentary Systems : Proceedings of an international symposium held at Alice Springs, Australia, September 2002). IAHS Publ. no. 276. 2002 (Vol. 276, pp. 195-202). Oxfordshire : International Association of Hydrological Sciences.