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Response curves can also be employed in restoration designed to mitigate the
effects of resource development that has already occurred. Prediction of physical
and ecological changes in river ecosystems will never be as precise as constrained
economic analyses because of complex interactions among the numerous processes
within river ecosystems. However, enhanced predictive ability can result from
development of response curves (Arthington et al. 2006; Merritt et al. 2010; Shafroth
et al. 2010).
At least three challenges exist for using response curves to understand river ecosystem response to changes. The first challenge involves quantifying the relationship between control variables such as flow regime and response variables. The
Fig. 4.8 Hypothetical response curves (after Wohl et al. 2015b, Fig. 4).
Fig. 4.9 Conceptual
diagram illustrating
development space (after
King and Brown 2010,
Fig. 4).
4.4 Response Curves and Development Space
Response curves can also be employed in restoration designed to mitigate the
effects of resource development that has already occurred. Prediction of physical
and ecological changes in river ecosystems will never be as precise as constrained
economic analyses because of complex interactions among the numerous processes
within river ecosystems. However, enhanced predictive ability can result from
development of response curves (Arthington et al. 2006; Merritt et al. 2010; Shafroth
et al. 2010).
At least three challenges exist for using response curves to understand river ecosystem response to changes. The first challenge involves quantifying the relationship between control variables such as flow regime and response variables. The
Fig. 4.8 Hypothetical response curves (after Wohl et al. 2015b, Fig. 4).
Fig. 4.9 Conceptual
diagram illustrating
development space (after
King and Brown 2010,
Fig. 4).
4.4 Response Curves and Development Space