Projected novel eco-hydrological river types for Europe

Abstract

The NERC and CEH trademarks and logos ('the Trademarks') are registered trademarks of NERC in the UK and other countries, and may not be used without the prior written consent of the Trademark owner. 1Projected novel eco-hydrological river types for Europe Abstract Climate change and human use of water abstracted from rivers and groundwater are projected to alter river flow regimes worldwide in coming decades. Consequently, community structure in many rivers is expected to change because river flow is fundamental in determining conditions required by organisms, and processes on which they depend. Future flows in panEuropean rivers were computed for baseline conditions (period 1961-1990) and for different combinations of climate and socio-economic scenarios . For each scenario a set of indicators was produced that describe flow regime aspects that are most important in determining river ecosystem character. Classification techniques were applied to each set to define eco-hydrological river types. Spatial patterns of baseline and future types were mapped. Depending on scenario, about 30-50% of the river network length remained of the same type, whilst c. 40-50% transformed to an existing type; a third group of rivers (c. 10-20% of network length) formed new types, not present under baseline conditions, with potential to create novel river ecosystems.

Increasing Risk of Ecological Change to Major Rivers of the World With Global Warming

“…ERFA, and other environmental flow methods that employ the RVA/IHA approach (e.g., Olden & Poff, 2003;Richter et al, 1996Richter et al, , 1997, are underpinned by the key controls that river flow exerts on ecological conditions and processes within riverine ecosystems. It is, however, important to recognize that river ecosystems are not only controlled by hydrological conditions (Laizé et al, 2017) so that there are other possible impacts of climate change on rivers that are not revealed using the approach employed herein. The most obvious direct impact is increased water temperate, which might in some instances outweigh the impacts of changing river flows (e.g., Oliveira et al, 2019), and lead to shifts in the distribution of species including fish (e.g., Comte & Grenouillet, 2013;Herrera-R et al, 2020).…”

Ecoregions, climate, topography, physicochemical, or a combination of all: Which criteria are the best to define river types based on abiotic variables and macroinvertebrates in neotropical rivers?

“…Calibrations of ecological classifications are also been conducted to achieved common management objectives for aquatic ecosystems (Birk et al, 2013;Lyche Solheim et al, 2019). In addition, some future climate and socio-economic scenarios suggested that some eco-hydrological river types could change their types becoming another type or even new types, with the potential to create novel river ecosystems (Laizé et al 2017). The approach proposed by the WFD recognizes two systems for river classification, based on the ecoregions proposed by Illies and Botosaneanu (1963) and Illies (1978).…”

Impacts of climate change on environmental flows in West Africa's Upper Niger Basin and the Inner Niger Delta

“…Within riverine wetlands, including floodplains, these hydrological conditions are most strongly influenced by the regimes of the rivers with which they are associated (Tockner & Stanford 2002). Flow alterations due to climate change, as well as other factors including water resources management, therefore have the potential to impact riverine, riparian and floodplain habitats, with the modification or loss of ecosystem services (Okruszko et al 2011;Acreman et al 2014;Laizé et al 2017;Xi et al 2020). Depending upon the magnitude of hydrological changes, thresholds may be exceeded beyond which significant ecological alteration occurs (Richter et al 1996;Bunn & Arthington 2002).…”