(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Karpack, Marissa N., author; Morrison, Ryan R., author
Floodplain integrity can be defined as the ability of a floodplain to support essential functions that maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services. This ongoing research involves developing a novel framework to quantitatively assess floodplain integrity based on changes to hydrologic and landscape attributes that impact critical floodplain functions. For each floodplain function, measurable stressors that inhibit the floodplain function are identified. Each stressor variable is quantified relative to its theoretical maximum value using datasets available for large spatial scales. The floodplain integrity index for the given floodplain is assessed as the product of the indices of integrity for all floodplain functions.
