Emerging threats and persistent conservation challenges for freshwater biodiversity

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 94(3), P. 849 - 873

Published: Nov. 22, 2018

ABSTRACT In the 12 years since Dudgeon et al . (2006) reviewed major pressures on freshwater ecosystems, biodiversity crisis in world's lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams and wetlands has deepened. While reservoirs rivers cover only 2.3% of Earth's surface, these ecosystems host at least 9.5% described animal species. Furthermore, using World Wide Fund for Nature's Living Planet Index, population declines (83% between 1970 2014) continue to outpace contemporaneous marine or terrestrial systems. The Anthropocene brought multiple new varied threats that disproportionately impact We document emerging are either entirely 2006 have intensified: ( i ) changing climates; ii e‐commerce invasions; iii infectious diseases; iv harmful algal blooms; v expanding hydropower; vi contaminants; vii engineered nanomaterials; viii microplastic pollution; (i x light noise; salinisation; xi declining calcium; xii cumulative stressors. Effects evidenced amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, microbes, plants, turtles waterbirds, with potential ecosystem‐level changes through bottom‐up top‐down processes. our highly uncertain future, net effects raise serious concerns ecosystems. However, we also highlight opportunities conservation gains as a result novel management tools (e.g. environmental flows, DNA) specific conservation‐oriented actions dam removal, habitat protection policies, managed relocation species) been met varying levels success. Moving forward, advocate hybrid approaches manage fresh waters crucial human life support well essential hotspots ecological function. Efforts reverse global trends degradation now depend bridging an immense gap aspirations biologists accelerating rate species endangerment.

Language: Английский

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Freshwater biodiversity conservation: recent progress and future challenges

Journal of the North American Benthological Society, Journal Year: 2010, Volume and Issue: 29(1), P. 344 - 358

Published: March 1, 2010

Freshwater habitats occupy <1% of the Earth's surface, yet are hotspots that support ∼10% all known species, and ∼⅓ vertebrate species. Fresh waters also for human activities have led to widespread habitat degradation, pollution, flow regulation water extraction, fisheries overexploitation, alien species introductions. These impacts caused severe declines in range abundance many freshwater so they now far more imperiled than their marine or terrestrial counterparts. Here, we review progress conservation biodiversity, with a focus on period since 1986, outline key challenges future. Driven by rising concerns, ecologists conducted great deal research over past 25 y status, trends, autecology, propagation threats these consequences biodiversity loss ecosystem functioning, metapopulation dynamics, hotspots, reserve design, restoration, communication stakeholders, weaknesses protective legislation. Nevertheless, existing efforts might be insufficient stem ongoing coming multitude extinctions. We briefly discuss 4 important conservation. First, climate change will imperil both uses fresh water, driving engineering responses further threaten biota. need anticipate ecological change, encourage rational deliberate planning before disasters strike. Second, because extinctions already well underway, conservationists must prepared act prevent losses, even if our knowledge is incomplete, engage effectively other stakeholders. Third, bridge gap between ecology biology. Fourth, suggest scientific societies scholarly journals concerned limnology sciences improve historically poor record publishing papers influencing practice ecology. Failure meet lead extinction impoverishment very subjects research.

Language: Английский

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Scientists’ warning to humanity on the freshwater biodiversity crisis

AMBIO, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 50(1), P. 85 - 94

Published: Feb. 10, 2020

Language: Английский

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Climate change effects on stream and river temperatures across the northwest U.S. from 1980–2009 and implications for salmonid fishes

Climatic Change, Journal Year: 2011, Volume and Issue: 113(2), P. 499 - 524

Published: Nov. 3, 2011

Thermal regimes in rivers and streams are fundamentally important to aquatic ecosystems expected change response climate forcing as the Earth’s temperature warms. Description attribution of stream changes key understanding how these may be affected by change, but difficult given rarity long-term monitoring data. We assembled 18 time-series from sites on regulated unregulated northwest U.S. describe historical trends 1980–2009 assess thermal consistency between categories. Statistically significant were detected across seven during all seasons year, with a cooling trend apparent spring warming summer, fall, winter. The amount more than compensated for cause net increase, rates highest summer (raw = 0.17°C/decade; reconstructed 0.22°C/decade). Air was dominant factor explaining (82–94% trends) inter-annual variability (48–86% variability), except when discharge accounted approximately half (52%) variation temperatures. Seasonal at eleven qualitatively similar those if two managed reduce fall temperatures excluded analysis. However, never statistically due greater among that resulted local water management policies effects upstream reservoirs. Despite serious deficiencies record, our results suggest many exhibiting regionally coherent forcing. More extensive efforts needed techniques short-term sensitivity analysis reconstructing so spatial temporal patterns can better understood. Continuation this century will increasingly stress regional salmon trout resources hamper recover species, comprehensive vulnerability assessments provide strategic frameworks prioritizing conservation efforts.

Language: Английский

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www.freshwaterecology.info – An online tool that unifies, standardises and codifies more than 20,000 European freshwater organisms and their ecological preferences

Ecological Indicators, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 53, P. 271 - 282

Published: Feb. 27, 2015

Language: Английский

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Effects of climate change and wildfire on stream temperatures and salmonid thermal habitat in a mountain river network

Ecological Applications, Journal Year: 2010, Volume and Issue: 20(5), P. 1350 - 1371

Published: June 22, 2010

Mountain streams provide important habitats for many species, but their faunas are especially vulnerable to climate change because of ectothermic physiologies and movements that constrained linear networks easily fragmented. Effectively conserving biodiversity in these systems requires accurate downscaling climatic trends local habitat conditions, is difficult complex terrains given diverse microclimates mediation stream heat budgets by conditions. We compiled a temperature database (n = 780) 2500-km river network central Idaho assess possible summer temperatures thermal two native salmonid species from 1993 2006. New spatial statistical models account topology were parameterized with data explained 93% 86% the variation mean maximas, respectively. During our study period, basin average increased 0.38 degrees C (0.27 C/decade), maximas 0.48 (0.34 primarily due long-term (30-50 year) air flows. Radiation increases wildfires accounted 9% basin-scale increases, despite burning 14% basin. Within wildfire perimeters, however, 2-3 times greater than averages, radiation gains 50% warming. Thermal rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was minimally affected except small shifts towards higher elevations. Bull (Salvelinus confluentus), contrast, estimated have lost 11-20% (8-16%/decade) headwater lengths cold enough spawning early juvenile rearing, largest losses occurring coldest habitats. Our results suggest warming has begun affect conditions impacts biota will be specific both context. Where at risk, conservation actions should guided based on considerations restoration opportunity future effects. To refine predictions effects, more work needed understand mechanisms associated biological responses, effects other features, configurations confer population resilience.

Language: Английский

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Climate change poised to threaten hydrologic connectivity and endemic fishes in dryland streams

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 111(38), P. 13894 - 13899

Published: Aug. 18, 2014

Significance We provide the first demonstration to our knowledge that projected changes in regional climate regimes will have significant consequences for patterns of intermittence and hydrologic connectivity dryland streams American Southwest. By simulating fine-resolution streamflow responses forecasted change, we simultaneously evaluate alterations local flow continuity over time network space relate how these may challenge persistence a globally endemic fish fauna. Given human population growth arid regions only further increase surface groundwater extraction during droughts, expect even greater likelihood loss habitat future.

Language: Английский

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Climate‐induced changes in the distribution of freshwater fish: observed and predicted trends

Freshwater Biology, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 58(4), P. 625 - 639

Published: Dec. 20, 2012

Summary 1. Climate change could be one of the main threats faced by aquatic ecosystems and freshwater biodiversity. Improved understanding, monitoring forecasting its effects are thus crucial for researchers, policy makers biodiversity managers. 2. Here, we provide a review some meta‐analyses literature reporting both observed predicted climate‐induced on distribution fish. After reviewing three decades research, summarise how methods in assessing climate have evolved, whether current knowledge is geographically or taxonomically biased. We conducted multispecies qualitative quantitative analyses to find out responses fish recent changes consistent with those under future scenarios. 3. highlight fact that, years, distributions already been affected contemporary ways anticipated scenarios: range most cold‐water species reduced shift higher altitude latitude, whereas that cool‐ warm‐water expand contract. 4. Most evidence about underpinned large number studies devoted (mainly salmonids). Our still incomplete, however, particularly due taxonomic geographic biases. 5. Observed expected well correlated among families, suggesting model predictions supported empirical evidence. The greater magnitude show variability than effects, indicating other drivers may interacting seriously affecting 6. Finally, suggest avenues research required address gaps what know distribution, including (i) need more long‐term data analyses, (ii) assessment at levels organisation (e.g. assemblages), (iii) methodological improvements accounting uncertainty projections species’ dispersal abilities, combining distributional approaches multiple non‐climatic stressors) (iv) systematic confrontation versus across multi‐species assemblages several biological (i.e. populations assemblages).

Language: Английский

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Interactions between chemical and climate stressors: A role for mechanistic toxicology in assessing climate change risks

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 32(1), P. 32 - 48

Published: Nov. 8, 2012

Incorporation of global climate change (GCC) effects into assessments chemical risk and injury requires integrated examinations nonchemical stressors. Environmental variables altered by GCC (temperature, precipitation, salinity, pH) can influence the toxicokinetics absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion as well toxicodynamic interactions between chemicals target molecules. In addition, challenges processes critical for coping with external environment (water balance, thermoregulation, nutrition, immune, endocrine, neurological systems), leaving organisms sensitive to even slight perturbations when pushed limits their physiological tolerance range. simplest terms, make more stressors, while alternatively, exposure One challenge is identify potential stressors affecting key in an organism. We employed adverse outcome pathways, constructs depicting linkages mechanism-based molecular initiating events impacts on individuals or populations, assess how chemical- climate-specific interact lead outcomes. Case examples are presented prospective scenarios, hypothesizing chemical-GCC interactions, retrospective proposing mechanisms demonstrated chemical-climate natural populations. Understanding along pathways facilitates extrapolation species other levels organization, development hypotheses focal areas further research, improved inputs resource assessments.

Language: Английский

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Mesocosm Experiments as a Tool for Ecological Climate-Change Research

Advances in ecological research/Advances in Ecological Research, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 71 - 181

Published: Jan. 1, 2013

Language: Английский

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