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Springs can be defined as places on the Earth’s surface that are influenced by the exposure, and often the flow, of groundwater. They support biodiverse ecosystems and have socioeconomic value as sources of water for drinking, agriculture, industry and recreation, , but they are often highly vulnerable to human disturbance, such as groundwater depletion, pollution, […]
March 26, 2022
Comments Off on Freshwater megafauna under threat
Because large-bodied animal species tend to have a higher than average extinction risk, there are concerns that freshwater megafauna (species with body weights over 30 kg) are relatively vulnerable to human-induced disturbances such as reduced river flows, habitat fragmentation and pollution. In the 40 years leading up to 2012, global populations of freshwater megafauna declined […]
March 26, 2022
Comments Off on Dams challenge platypus populations
The construction of dams has many adverse effects on river hydrology and ecology. Dams limit animal movements and reduce the cover of riparian vegetation, which leads to bank erosion and the filling of stream pools with sediment. Dam-related impacts have been documented for many types of riverine animals, including macroinvertebrates, amphibians and waterbirds. However, the […]
March 26, 2022
Comments Off on A lesson from fish: don’t let stress ruin procreation
Annual fishes live in temporary ponds that dry out completely in summer. As a result they have the shortest life spans of all vertebrates: after a few months they perish and the next generation depends on the survival of their drought-proof eggs, which hatch when the pond is eventually flooded. As the shallow ponds dry […]
December 14, 2021
Comments Off on Gene flow in complex river systems
Understanding how variations in habitat connectivity affect gene flow and possible genetic isolation in river systems is tricky because of the unique structural features of stream ecosystems, which are notoriously difficult to model: unlike terrestrial landscapes, they are linear branching networks, which means that overland distance is often a poor indicator of the correlation between […]
September 28, 2021
Comments Off on In-stream wood increases fish abundance
Although fallen woody material provides many freshwater fish species with essential habitat for feeding, refuge and spawning, a lot of submerged wood has been removed from rivers in an attempt to prevent floods and improve boat passage. However, current best management practice is to reverse this historical trend by reintroducing wood to rivers and streams. […]
September 28, 2021
Comments Off on Restoration of urban headwaters pays dividends
Because urban streams are often ecologically degraded as a result of channelisation and pollution, restoration work is often attempted to improve ecosystem structure and function. This usually involves remodelling of the stream channel. Knowing that there are predictable shifts in ecosystem processes between headwater streams and the main body of the river, American ecologists investigated […]
September 28, 2021
Comments Off on Assessing human impacts on river systems
Because many river systems have been significantly modified as a result of human activities, indicators of changing river structure and function are very helpful in guiding our efforts to manage rivers on a sustainable basis. A number of different indicators based on the hydrology, chemistry or biology of rivers have been developed, but in many […]
March 13, 2021
Comments Off on Aquatic ecosystem services: impacts of land use
Streams and riparian zones are seldom given priority in protected-area planning, and little is known about the effects of protection on the many ecosystem services that streams provide. To help fill this knowledge gap, researchers studied differences in biodiversity and the ecosystem services provided by 28 streams in protected and unprotected watersheds in Quebec, Canada. […]
Freshwater Research News 
March 26, 2022
Comments Off on Springs – neglected ecosystems