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Datry T, Boulton AJ, Fritz K, Stubbington R, Cid N, Crabot J, Tockner K. Non-perennial segments in river networks. NATURE REVIEWS. EARTH & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 4:815-830. [PMID: 38784683 PMCID: PMC11110531 DOI: 10.1038/s43017-023-00495-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Non-perennial river segments - those that recurrently cease to flow or frequently dry - occur in all river networks and are globally more abundant than perennial (always flowing) segments. However, research and management have historically focused on perennial river segments. In this Review, we outline how non-perennial segments are integral parts of river networks. Repeated cycles of flowing, non-flowing and dry phases in non-perennial segments influence biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics at different spatial scales, from individual segments to entire river networks. Varying configurations of perennial and non-perennial segments govern physical, chemical and ecological responses to changes in the flow regimes of each river network, especially in response to human activities. The extent of non-perennial segments in river networks has increased owing to warming, changing hydrological patterns and human activities, and this increase is predicted to continue. Moreover, the dry phases of flow regimes are expected to be longer, drier and more frequent, albeit with high regional variability. These changes will likely impact biodiversity, potentially tipping some ecosystems to compromised stable states. Effective river-network management must recognize ecosystem services (such as flood risk management and groundwater recharge) provided by non-perennial segments and ensure their legislative and regulatory protection, which is often lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Datry
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Centre Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS70077, 69626 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Andrew J Boulton
- Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, 2350, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ken Fritz
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 USA
| | - Rachel Stubbington
- School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Nuria Cid
- IRTA Marine and Continental Waters Programme, Ctra de Poble Nou Km 5.5, E43540, La Ràpita, Catalonia, Spain
- FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julie Crabot
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, UMR GEOLAB, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Klement Tockner
- Senckenberg Society for Nature Research and Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe-University, Frankfurt a. M., Germany
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Are Intermittent Rivers in the Karst Mediterranean Region of the Balkans Suitable as Mayfly Habitats? DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Intermittent rivers, common in dry parts of the world, such as the Mediterranean region, are hydrologically harsh habitats characterized by periodical flow cessation. Ephemeroptera are aquatic insects common in both lotic and lentic waterbodies, where they show a high sensitivity to anthropogenic modifications of their habitat. Therefore, they are widely used as bio-indicators of the freshwater’s health. However, mayfly assemblages and their ecological requirements in the karst Mediterranean intermittent habitats are still not sufficiently known. Thus, the work presented here includes an analysis of mayfly assemblages and their relationship with environmental variables in the lotic phase of four intermittent rivers in the karst Mediterranean region of Croatia. Considering that the studied intermittent rivers are hydrologically extreme environments, a total of 12 recorded mayfly species could be considered as rather high species richness. Nevertheless, species richness per river was quite low (between three and six), and was highly influenced by river morphology, physico-chemical water properties (especially conductivity, water velocity, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen), and anthropogenic pressures. Our results could contribute to the mayfly species protection in karst Mediterranean intermittent freshwater habitats in the Balkans, as well as to the development of conservation measures for those threatened habitats.
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Datry T, Truchy A, Olden JD, Busch MH, Stubbington R, Dodds WK, Zipper S, Yu S, Messager ML, Tonkin JD, Kaiser KE, Hammond JC, Moody EK, Burrows RM, Sarremejane R, DelVecchia AG, Fork ML, Little CJ, Walker RH, Walters AW, Allen D. Causes, Responses, and Implications of Anthropogenic versus Natural Flow Intermittence in River Networks. Bioscience 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biac098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Rivers that do not flow year-round are the predominant type of running waters on Earth. Despite a burgeoning literature on natural flow intermittence (NFI), knowledge about the hydrological causes and ecological effects of human-induced, anthropogenic flow intermittence (AFI) remains limited. NFI and AFI could generate contrasting hydrological and biological responses in rivers because of distinct underlying causes of drying and evolutionary adaptations of their biota. We first review the causes of AFI and show how different anthropogenic drivers alter the timing, frequency and duration of drying, compared with NFI. Second, we evaluate the possible differences in biodiversity responses, ecological functions, and ecosystem services between NFI and AFI. Last, we outline knowledge gaps and management needs related to AFI. Because of the distinct hydrologic characteristics and ecological impacts of AFI, ignoring the distinction between NFI and AFI could undermine management of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams and exacerbate risks to the ecosystems and societies downstream.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Datry
- INRAE , UR RiverLy, Centre Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Villeurbanne France
| | - Amélie Truchy
- INRAE , UR RiverLy, Centre Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Villeurbanne France
| | - Julian D Olden
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington , Seattle Washington, United States
| | - Michelle H Busch
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma , Norman, Oklahoma, United States
| | - Rachel Stubbington
- School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University , Nottingham, England, United Kingdom
| | - Walter K Dodds
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas, United States
| | - Sam Zipper
- Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas , Lawrence, Kansas, United States
| | - Songyan Yu
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University , Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mathis L Messager
- Department of Geography, McGill University , Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Tonkin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury , Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kendra E Kaiser
- Department of Geosciences, Boise State University , Boise, Idaho, United States
| | - John C Hammond
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University , Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Eric K Moody
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College , Middlebury, Vermont, United States
| | - Ryan M Burrows
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne , Burnley Campus, Burnley, Victoria, Australia
| | - Romain Sarremejane
- INRAE , UR RiverLy, Centre Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Villeurbanne France
| | - Amanda G DelVecchia
- Department of Biology, Duke University , Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Megan L Fork
- Department of Biology, West Chester University , West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Chelsea J Little
- Department of Biology, West Chester University , West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Richard H Walker
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Upper Iowa University , Fayette, Iowa, United States
| | - Annika W Walters
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming , Larame, Wyoming, United States
| | - Daniel Allen
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
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DelVecchia AG, Shanafield M, Zimmer MA, Busch MH, Krabbenhoft CA, Stubbington R, Kaiser KE, Burrows RM, Hosen J, Datry T, Kampf SK, Zipper SC, Fritz K, Costigan K, Allen DC. Reconceptualizing the hyporheic zone for nonperennial rivers and streams. FRESHWATER SCIENCE (PRINT) 2022; 41:167-182. [PMID: 35846249 PMCID: PMC9280706 DOI: 10.1086/720071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nonperennial streams dominate global river networks and are increasing in occurrence across space and time. When surface flow ceases or the surface water dries, flow or moisture can be retained in the subsurface sediments of the hyporheic zone, supporting aquatic communities and ecosystem processes. However, hydrological and ecological definitions of the hyporheic zone have been developed in perennial rivers and emphasize the mixing of water and organisms, respectively, from both the surface stream and groundwater. The adaptation of such definitions to include both humid and dry unsaturated conditions could promote characterization of how hydrological and biogeochemical variability shape ecological communities within nonperennial hyporheic zones, advancing our understanding of both ecosystem structure and function in these habitats. To conceptualize hyporheic zones for nonperennial streams, we review how water sources and surface and subsurface structure influence hydrological and physicochemical conditions. We consider the extent of this zone and how biogeochemistry and ecology might vary with surface states. We then link these components to the composition of nonperennial stream communities. Next, we examine literature to identify priorities for hydrological and ecological research exploring nonperennial hyporheic zones. Lastly, by integrating hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecology, we recommend a multidisciplinary conceptualization of the nonperennial hyporheic zone as the porous subsurface streambed sediments that shift between lotic, lentic, humid, and dry conditions in space and time to support aquatic-terrestrial biodiversity. As river drying increases in extent because of global change, we call for holistic, interdisciplinary research across the terrestrial and aquatic sciences to apply this conceptualization to characterize hyporheic zone structure and function across the full spectrum of hydrological states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda G. DelVecchia
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708 USA
| | - Margaret Shanafield
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Ring Road, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042 Australia
| | - Margaret A. Zimmer
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1156 High Street, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 USA
| | - Michelle H. Busch
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, Oklahoma 73019 USA
| | - Corey A. Krabbenhoft
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St Paul, Minnesota 55108 USA
| | - Rachel Stubbington
- School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Clifton Lane, Nottingham NG11 8NS United Kingdom
| | - Kendra E. Kaiser
- Geosciences Department, Boise State University, 1295 University Drive, Boise, Idaho 83725 USA
| | - Ryan M. Burrows
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Burnley, Victoria 3121 Australia
| | - Jake Hosen
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 195 Marsteller Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906 USA
| | - Thibault Datry
- French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, UR-RiverLy, Centre de Lyon-Villeurbanne, Centre Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 5 rue de la Doua CS70077, 69626 Villeurbanne CEDEX France
| | - Stephanie K. Kampf
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, 1476 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521 USA
| | - Samuel C. Zipper
- Kansas Geological Survey, 1930 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66047 USA
| | - Ken Fritz
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Mailstop 585, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 USA
| | - Katie Costigan
- School of Geosciences, University of Louisiana, 611 McKinley Street, Hamilton Hall 323, P.O. Box 43717, Lafayette, Louisiana 70504USA
| | - Daniel C. Allen
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, 311 Forestry Resources Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 USA
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Llanos-Paez O, Acuña V. Analysis of the socio-ecological drivers of the recreational use of temporary streams and rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150805. [PMID: 34626634 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The undervaluation of the ecosystem services that temporary waterways provide to human wellbeing is one of the most important threats for the conservation and management of these ecosystems. Recreational services might be particularly undervalued in temporary waterways, as there is some evidence that social perceptions and attitudes towards rivers and streams may depend on their flow permanency. The objective of this study was to determine if the recreational use (here considered as an indicator of social perceptions) of temporary waterways differs from the recreational use of perennial waterways. We analysed the recreational use of temporary and perennial waterways in a Mediterranean basin using geotagged photographs (with temporal and spatial-coordinate metadata) that were uploaded during the period 2003 -2020 on the outdoor recreational website Wikiloc, as well as on Google Earth. The observed recreational activity in each type of waterway was compared with the expected activity, estimated from the proportion of temporary and perennial waterways in the basin, considering the accessibility from both paved and unpaved roads, proximity to populations and flow permanency were significant drivers of recreational activities associated with waterways, thus confirming our two hypotheses of a negative bias towards temporary waterways.This is the first study of our knowledge reporting evidence on the role of flow permanency on the social perception towards waterways. The undervaluation of temporary waterways is one of their major threats, and we must activity design and implement management actions to change this social perception from educational activities at schools to restoration actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Llanos-Paez
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Carrer Emili Grahit 101, Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; University of Girona, Plaça de Sant Domènec 3, 17004 Girona, Spain.
| | - V Acuña
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Carrer Emili Grahit 101, Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; University of Girona, Plaça de Sant Domènec 3, 17004 Girona, Spain
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Kukuła K, Bylak A. Barrier removal and dynamics of intermittent stream habitat regulate persistence and structure of fish community. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1512. [PMID: 35087139 PMCID: PMC8795198 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05636-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Barrier effects observed in the presence of weirs are exacerbated by low water levels. We conducted a 10-year study to assess the ecological effects of stream restoration while analysing the possibility of a seasonal lack of hydrological continuity, with multiple measurements before and after restoring stream structural continuity. The research hypothesis assumes that in intermittent streams, there would be little or no change in the fish community downstream the barrier before vs. after barrier removal, and a significant change upstream the barrier before vs. after. Our results indicate, that by removing small barriers, their detrimental effects on the longitudinal passage of riverine fishes and fish assemblages can be rehabilitated. In the wet season, fish migrants from the mainstem river appeared in the downstream section of the stream. Stream intermittency, however, placed a habitat filter over the assemblage. Thus, after barrier removal, only two small-bodied fish species that tolerate periodic oxygen deficiencies and rising water temperatures gradually shifted upstream and formed stable populations. We emphasize, that we should not refrain from restoring the longitudinal continuity of intermittent streams, because they periodically provide fish valuable refugia and can also be a source of new generations and strengthen fish populations in mainstem river.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Kukuła
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, University of Rzeszow, ul. Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Aneta Bylak
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, University of Rzeszow, ul. Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601, Rzeszów, Poland.
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Miliša M, Stubbington R, Datry T, Cid N, Bonada N, Šumanović M, Milošević D. Taxon-specific sensitivities to flow intermittence reveal macroinvertebrates as potential bioindicators of intermittent rivers and streams. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 804:150022. [PMID: 34517322 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As complex mosaics of lotic, lentic, and terrestrial habitats, intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) support high biodiversity. Despite their ecological importance, IRES are poorly represented in routine monitoring programs, but recent recognition of their considerable-and increasing-spatiotemporal extent is motivating efforts to better represent IRES in ecological status assessments. We examine response patterns of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities and taxa to flow intermittence (FI) across three European climatic regions. We used self-organizing map (SOM) to ordinate and classify sampling sites based on community structure in regions with continental, Mediterranean and oceanic climates. The SOM passively introduced FI, quantified as the mean annual % flow, and visualized its variability across classified communities, revealing a clear association between community structure and FI in all regions. Indicator species analysis identified taxa indicative of low, intermediate and high FI. In the continental region, the amphipod Niphargus was indicative of high FI and was associated with groundwater-fed IRES, whereas indicators of Mediterranean IRES comprised Odonata, Coleoptera and Heteroptera taxa, which favor lentic conditions. In the oceanic region, taxa indicative of relatively high FI included leuctrid stoneflies and a limnephilid caddisfly, likely reflecting the colonization of IRES by aerial adults from nearby perennial reaches. The Diptera families Chironomidae and Simuliidae showed contrasting FI preferences among regions, reflecting environmental heterogeneity between regions and the coarse taxonomic resolution to which these organisms were identified. These region-specific community and taxon responses of aquatic biota to FI highlight the need to adapt standard biotic indices to enable effective ecological status assessments in IRES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Miliša
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Rachel Stubbington
- School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Thibault Datry
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Centre de Lyon-Villeurbanne, 5 rue de la Doua CS20244, 69625 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Núria Cid
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, Centre de Lyon-Villeurbanne, 5 rue de la Doua CS20244, 69625 Villeurbanne Cedex, France; FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Núria Bonada
- FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marina Šumanović
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Djuradj Milošević
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia.
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