Freshwater type.

You are here: home/Rivers in warm ecoregions/Case studies /

Rivers in warm ecoregions

– Case studies  –

Hundreds, if not thousands, of recently published papers are dealing with the impact of Climate Change on freshwater ecosystems.

Here you find summaries of a few hundred papers, which we consider as most relevant.

  • Small

    Abiotic indicators

    • Morphology / Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (200 ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Abiotic indicators
      Indicator Morphology

      Reference

      Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (2000): Modelling vegetation interactions with channel flow in river valleys of the Mediterranean region. Catena 40(1): 93-118.

      Description

      The effects of vegetation upon flow, erosion and deposition processes and the feedback of flow, sediment and moisture on vegetation are identified. High flow events: vegetation may help to prevent erosion and this helps prevent destruction at the site and reduces sediment loads and sedimentation problems downstream. Much evidence is emerging that it is the effects of sediment in flash floods which is particularly damaging, rather than the water itself.

  • Early warning indicators

    • Hydrology: flooding events, extremes increased / Iacobellis, V., P. Claps & M. Fiorentino ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Early warning indicators
      Indicator Hydrology: flooding events, extremes increased

      Reference

      Iacobellis, V., P. Claps & M. Fiorentino (2002): Climatic control on the variability of flood distribution. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 6(2): 229-237.

      Description

      Coefficient of variation of series of annual maximum floods mainly controlled by climate. Decrease of Cv with basin area: limited spatial extent of extreme events.

  • Primary production

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Nilsson, C., S.J. Xiong, M.E. Johansson & ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Nilsson, C., S.J. Xiong, M.E. Johansson & L.B.M. Vought (1999): Effects of leaf-litter accumulation on riparian plant diversity across Europe. Ecology 80(5): 1770-1775.

      Description

      Plant biomass decreased with increasing litter mass but did not vary with site-dependent variables such as climate and soil. Species density for various plant life traits varied with litter mass, summer temperature, and summer precipitation. Litter mass was the most important variable for all life traits except rhizomatous and stoloniferous species, which were most dependent upon summer precipitation. These findings are useful for the prediction of responses in riparian vegetation following future climatic changes.

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Vegetation cover function (hydaulic, morphologic) / Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (200 ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Vegetation cover function (hydaulic, morphologic)

      Reference

      Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (2000): Modelling vegetation interactions with channel flow in river valleys of the Mediterranean region. Catena 40(1): 93-118.

      Description

      The effects of vegetation upon flow, erosion and deposition processes and the feedback of flow, sediment and moisture on vegetation are identified. High flow events: vegetation may help to prevent erosion and this helps prevent destruction at the site and reduces sediment loads and sedimentation problems downstream. Much evidence is emerging that it is the effects of sediment in flash floods which is particularly damaging, rather than the water itself.

  • Secondary production - fish

    • Assemblage structure / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Assemblage structure

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Assemblage structure / Poff, N.L. & J.D. Allan (1995): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Assemblage structure

      Reference

      Poff, N.L. & J.D. Allan (1995): Functional-organization of stream fish assemblages in relation to hydrological variability. Ecology 76(2): 606-627.

      Description

      The strong hydrological-assemblage relations found in the 34 midwestern sites suggest that hydrological factors are significant environmental variables influencing fish assemblage structure, and that hydrological alterations induced by climate change (or other anthropogenic disturbances) could modify stream fish assemblage structure in this region.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms / Schindler, D.W. (2001): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms

      Reference

      Schindler, D.W. (2001): The cumulative effects of climate warming and other human stresses on Canadian freshwaters in the new millennium. Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 58: 18-29.

      Description

      Changing flows due to changing temperatures and precipitation. Changing aquatic community, life cycles. Warming trend: Habitats for cold-stenotherms decline.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms, distribution range, habitat change / Eaton, J.G. & R.M. Scheller (1996): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms, distribution range, habitat change

      Reference

      Eaton, J.G. & R.M. Scheller (1996): Effects of climate warming on fish habitat in streams of the United States. Limnology and Oceanography 41(5): 1109-1115.

      Description

      Water temperature increase: Habitats for cold and cool water fish reduced by approx. 50%. Examples: Oncorhynchus mykiss, Catastomus commersoni.

    • Distribution range, habitat change / Carpenter, S.R., S.G. Fisher, N.B. Grimm & ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Distribution range, habitat change

      Reference

      Carpenter, S.R., S.G. Fisher, N.B. Grimm & J.F. Kitchell (1992): Global change and freshwater ecosystems. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 23: 119-139.

      Description

      Water temperature increase. Higher variability in runoff. Channel widening by high magnitude floods, debris torrents with effect on habitats, aquatic species in general. Examples: Trout, charr, salmon: altered stream habitat, changed geographical distribution due to changed thermal limits.

    • Non native invasives; native rare species extinct / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Non native invasives; native rare species extinct

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Non native invasives; native rare species extinct, species change, extinction (floods), thermal stress: deseases increase -> population decrease / Xenopoulos, M.A., D.M. Lodge, J. Alcamo, M. M ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Non native invasives; native rare species extinct, species change, extinction (floods), thermal stress: deseases increase -> population decrease

      Reference

      Xenopoulos, M.A., D.M. Lodge, J. Alcamo, M. Märker, K. Schulze & D.P. Van Vuuren (2005): Scenarios of freshwater fish extinctions from climate change and water withdrawal. Global Change Biology 11(10): 1557-1564.

      Description

      Modelled river discharge (HadCM3): Fish richness loss, anthropogenic influences: channelization, industrial pollution, water withdrawals, increase in discharge 65-70% in both scenarios, regionally variable. Species change, fish stress factor increase, fish infections increase, fish extinction, invasive species, toxic algal blooms increase.

  • Secondary production - invertebrates

    • Community change: anoxiatolerant species / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: anoxiatolerant species

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Community change: Species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: Species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Boulton, A.J. (2003): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Boulton, A.J. (2003): Parallels and contrasts in the effects of drought on stream macroinvertebrate assemblages. Freshwater Biology 48(7): 1173-1185.

      Description

      Australia: drought conditions eliminated or decimated several groups of macroinvertebrates, including atyid shrimps, stoneflies and free-living caddisflies. These taxa persisted during the early stages of the drought but did not recruit successfully the following year, despite a return to higher-than-baseflow conditions: lag effect. Shifts in taxa richness, abundance and trophic organisation. England: Effects of summer drought were buffered by sustained groundwater discharge from the previous winter. Reduction of available riverine habitats, especially via siltation, but few taxa were eliminated: Rapid recolonisation from perennial sections of the chalk streams. However, recruitment by taxa that lack desiccation-resistant stages or have limited mobility is delayed.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Life history characteristics change / Baron, J.S. (1997): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Life history characteristics change

      Reference

      Baron, J.S. (1997): Effects of climate change on in-stream biology and freshwater ecosystems. Briefing document for Great Plains climate change workshop 5/97

      Description

      Water temperature increased i.e. caddiesflies growth rates change, shortened life cycles. Habitat loss, population fragmentation.

    • Life history characteristics change / Briers, R.A., Gee, J.H.R. & R. Geoghegan ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Life history characteristics change

      Reference

      Briers, R.A., Gee, J.H.R. & R. Geoghegan (2004): Effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation on growth and phenology of stream insects. Ecography 27: 811-817.

      Description

      long-term empirical data on the sizes of mayfly and stonefly nymphs and on water temperature data. Models of egg development and nymphal growth in relation to temperature were used to predict the effect of the NAO on phenology. The observed mean size and the simulated developmental period of mayfly nymphs were significantly related to the winter NAO index, with nymphs growing faster in positive phases of the NAO (warmer stream t), but the growth of stonefly nymphs was not related to the NAO. This may have been due to the semivoltine stonefly lifecycle, but stonefly nymph growth is also generally less dependent on temperature. There were significant differences in growth rates of both species between streams, with nymphs growing more slowly in the forested stream that was consistently cooler than the open stream. Predicted emergence dates for adult mayflies varied by nearly two months between years, depending on the phase of the NAO. Variation in growth and phenology of stream insects associated with the NAO may influence temporal fluctuations in the composition and dynamics of stream communities.

  • Susceptibility ecosystem

    • Catchment size, other characteristics / Iacobellis, V., P. Claps & M. Fiorentino ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Susceptibility ecosystem
      Indicator Catchment size, other characteristics

      Reference

      Iacobellis, V., P. Claps & M. Fiorentino (2002): Climatic control on the variability of flood distribution. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 6(2): 229-237.

      Description

      Coefficient of variation of series of annual maximum floods mainly controlled by climate. Decrease of Cv with basin area: limited spatial extent of extreme events.

    • Land use / Ferreira, M.T., F.C. Aguiar & C. Nogueira ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type small
      Parameter group Susceptibility ecosystem
      Indicator Land use

      Reference

      Ferreira, M.T., F.C. Aguiar & C. Nogueira (2005): Changes in Riparian woods over space and time: Influence of environment and land use. Forest Ecology and Management 212(1-3): 145-159.

      Description

      Neither fragmentation patterns nor the loss or increase of riparian cover were consistent with similar land use changes throughout the rest of the studied basins, particularly in urbanizing landscape patches. The longitudinal patterns of streamside forests along Mediterranean-type rivers - particularly in Iberia - appear to be complex and dependent upon the previous life-history features of land use. Results also suggest that the proximity, type and extension of land use patch interplay influence the degree of changes in riparian integrity, which in overall terms displayed appreciable resistance to alterations and indirect disturbance.


  • Rivers in general

    Abiotic indicators

    • Morphology / Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (200 ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Abiotic indicators
      Indicator Morphology

      Reference

      Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (2000): Modelling vegetation interactions with channel flow in river valleys of the Mediterranean region. Catena 40(1): 93-118.

      Description

      The effects of vegetation upon flow, erosion and deposition processes and the feedback of flow, sediment and moisture on vegetation are identified. High flow events: vegetation may help to prevent erosion and this helps prevent destruction at the site and reduces sediment loads and sedimentation problems downstream. Much evidence is emerging that it is the effects of sediment in flash floods which is particularly damaging, rather than the water itself.

  • Primary production

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Nilsson, C., S.J. Xiong, M.E. Johansson & ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Nilsson, C., S.J. Xiong, M.E. Johansson & L.B.M. Vought (1999): Effects of leaf-litter accumulation on riparian plant diversity across Europe. Ecology 80(5): 1770-1775.

      Description

      Plant biomass decreased with increasing litter mass but did not vary with site-dependent variables such as climate and soil. Species density for various plant life traits varied with litter mass, summer temperature, and summer precipitation. Litter mass was the most important variable for all life traits except rhizomatous and stoloniferous species, which were most dependent upon summer precipitation. These findings are useful for the prediction of responses in riparian vegetation following future climatic changes.

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Vegetation cover function (hydaulic, morphologic) / Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (200 ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Vegetation cover function (hydaulic, morphologic)

      Reference

      Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (2000): Modelling vegetation interactions with channel flow in river valleys of the Mediterranean region. Catena 40(1): 93-118.

      Description

      The effects of vegetation upon flow, erosion and deposition processes and the feedback of flow, sediment and moisture on vegetation are identified. High flow events: vegetation may help to prevent erosion and this helps prevent destruction at the site and reduces sediment loads and sedimentation problems downstream. Much evidence is emerging that it is the effects of sediment in flash floods which is particularly damaging, rather than the water itself.

  • Secondary production - fish

    • Assemblage structure / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Assemblage structure

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Assemblage structure / Poff, N.L. & J.D. Allan (1995): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Assemblage structure

      Reference

      Poff, N.L. & J.D. Allan (1995): Functional-organization of stream fish assemblages in relation to hydrological variability. Ecology 76(2): 606-627.

      Description

      The strong hydrological-assemblage relations found in the 34 midwestern sites suggest that hydrological factors are significant environmental variables influencing fish assemblage structure, and that hydrological alterations induced by climate change (or other anthropogenic disturbances) could modify stream fish assemblage structure in this region.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms / Schindler, D.W. (2001): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms

      Reference

      Schindler, D.W. (2001): The cumulative effects of climate warming and other human stresses on Canadian freshwaters in the new millennium. Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 58: 18-29.

      Description

      Changing flows due to changing temperatures and precipitation. Changing aquatic community, life cycles. Warming trend: Habitats for cold-stenotherms decline.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms, distribution range, habitat change / Eaton, J.G. & R.M. Scheller (1996): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms, distribution range, habitat change

      Reference

      Eaton, J.G. & R.M. Scheller (1996): Effects of climate warming on fish habitat in streams of the United States. Limnology and Oceanography 41(5): 1109-1115.

      Description

      Water temperature increase: Habitats for cold and cool water fish reduced by approx. 50%. Examples: Oncorhynchus mykiss, Catastomus commersoni.

    • Distribution range, habitat change / Carpenter, S.R., S.G. Fisher, N.B. Grimm & ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Distribution range, habitat change

      Reference

      Carpenter, S.R., S.G. Fisher, N.B. Grimm & J.F. Kitchell (1992): Global change and freshwater ecosystems. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 23: 119-139.

      Description

      Water temperature increase. Higher variability in runoff. Channel widening by high magnitude floods, debris torrents with effect on habitats, aquatic species in general. Examples: Trout, charr, salmon: altered stream habitat, changed geographical distribution due to changed thermal limits.

    • Non native invasives; native rare species extinct / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Non native invasives; native rare species extinct

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Non native invasives; native rare species extinct, species change, extinction (floods), thermal stress: deseases increase -> population decrease / Xenopoulos, M.A., D.M. Lodge, J. Alcamo, M. M ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Non native invasives; native rare species extinct, species change, extinction (floods), thermal stress: deseases increase -> population decrease

      Reference

      Xenopoulos, M.A., D.M. Lodge, J. Alcamo, M. Märker, K. Schulze & D.P. Van Vuuren (2005): Scenarios of freshwater fish extinctions from climate change and water withdrawal. Global Change Biology 11(10): 1557-1564.

      Description

      Modelled river discharge (HadCM3): Fish richness loss, anthropogenic influences: channelization, industrial pollution, water withdrawals, increase in discharge 65-70% in both scenarios, regionally variable. Species change, fish stress factor increase, fish infections increase, fish extinction, invasive species, toxic algal blooms increase.

    • Productivity, density, species richness, survival / Cabral, H.N., M.J. Costa & J.P. Salgado ( ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Productivity, density, species richness, survival

      Reference

      Cabral, H.N., M.J. Costa & J.P. Salgado (2001): Does the Tagus estuary fish community reflect environmental changes? Climatic Research 18: 119-126.

      Description

      Water temperature: 1.2 to 1.3 °C higher in recent years. Decrease of Platichthys flesus, Ciliata mustela, Trisopterus luscus, Trigla lucerna; increase of Liza ramada, Halobatrachus didactylus, Diplodus bellottii, Sparus aurata, Agyrosomus regius.

    • Productivity, density, species richness, survival, thermal stress: deseases increase -> population decrease / Rivers-Moore, N.A., G.P.W. Jewitt & D.C. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Productivity, density, species richness, survival, thermal stress: deseases increase -> population decrease

      Reference

      Rivers-Moore, N.A., G.P.W. Jewitt & D.C. Weeks (2005): Derivation of quantitative management objectives for annual instream water temperature in the Sabie River using a biological index. Water SA 31(4):473-482.

      Description

      Water temperature increased; exceedance of treshold temperature (25 °C) from Chiloglanis anoterus, abundance, condition declined.

  • Secondary production - invertebrates

    • Community change: anoxiatolerant species / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: anoxiatolerant species

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Community change: Species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: Species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Boulton, A.J. (2003): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Boulton, A.J. (2003): Parallels and contrasts in the effects of drought on stream macroinvertebrate assemblages. Freshwater Biology 48(7): 1173-1185.

      Description

      Australia: drought conditions eliminated or decimated several groups of macroinvertebrates, including atyid shrimps, stoneflies and free-living caddisflies. These taxa persisted during the early stages of the drought but did not recruit successfully the following year, despite a return to higher-than-baseflow conditions: lag effect. Shifts in taxa richness, abundance and trophic organisation. England: Effects of summer drought were buffered by sustained groundwater discharge from the previous winter. Reduction of available riverine habitats, especially via siltation, but few taxa were eliminated: Rapid recolonisation from perennial sections of the chalk streams. However, recruitment by taxa that lack desiccation-resistant stages or have limited mobility is delayed.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Monk, W.A., P.J. Wood, D.M. Hannah, D.A. Wils ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Monk, W.A., P.J. Wood, D.M. Hannah, D.A. Wilson, C.A. Extence & R.P. Chadd (2006): Flow variability and macroinvertebrate community response within riverine systems. River Research and Applications 22(5): 595-615.

      Description

      A west-east trend of flow regime magnitude (high-low) and timing (early-late peak) was displayed across the study area, reflecting climatic gradients and basin controls (e.g. lithology). From the suite of hydrological variables, those associated with the magnitude of the flow regime consistently produced the strongest relationships with macroinvertebrate community metrics for all sites and for the long-term regime composite classes.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Life history characteristics change / Baron, J.S. (1997): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Life history characteristics change

      Reference

      Baron, J.S. (1997): Effects of climate change on in-stream biology and freshwater ecosystems. Briefing document for Great Plains climate change workshop 5/97

      Description

      Water temperature increased i.e. caddiesflies growth rates change, shortened life cycles. Habitat loss, population fragmentation.

  • Susceptibility ecosystem

    • Land use / Ferreira, M.T., F.C. Aguiar & C. Nogueira ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Susceptibility ecosystem
      Indicator Land use

      Reference

      Ferreira, M.T., F.C. Aguiar & C. Nogueira (2005): Changes in Riparian woods over space and time: Influence of environment and land use. Forest Ecology and Management 212(1-3): 145-159.

      Description

      Neither fragmentation patterns nor the loss or increase of riparian cover were consistent with similar land use changes throughout the rest of the studied basins, particularly in urbanizing landscape patches. The longitudinal patterns of streamside forests along Mediterranean-type rivers - particularly in Iberia - appear to be complex and dependent upon the previous life-history features of land use. Results also suggest that the proximity, type and extension of land use patch interplay influence the degree of changes in riparian integrity, which in overall terms displayed appreciable resistance to alterations and indirect disturbance.

    • Review (anthropogenic stressors) / Søndergaard, M., Jeppesen, E. (2007): ...

      Climate Region warm
      Ecosystem type rivers in general
      Parameter group Susceptibility ecosystem
      Indicator Review (anthropogenic stressors)

      Reference

      Søndergaard, M., Jeppesen, E. (2007): Editorial overview: anthroprogenic impacts on freshwater ecosystems and approaches to restoration.Journal of Applied Ecology 44: 1089-1094.

      Description

      Freshwater ecosystems have long been affected by numerous types of human interventions that have a negative impact on their water quality and ecological state. Fortunately, in most western countries the input of sewage to freshwater systems has been reduced, but hydromorphological alterations, eutrophication-related turbidity and loss of biodiversity remain major problems in many parts of the world. Such impacts prevent the achievement of a high or good ecological state, as defined by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) or other standards. This paper synthesizes and links the findings presented in the seven papers of this special profile, focusing on the effects of anthropogenic stressors on freshwater ecosystems and on how to maintain and restore ecological quality. The papers cover a broad range of research areas and methods, but are all centred on the relationship between dispersal barriers, the connectivity of waterways and the restoration of rivers and lakes. The construction of dams and reservoirs disturbs the natural functioning of many streams and rivers and shore-line development around lakes may reduce habitat complexity. New methods demonstrate how reservoirs may have a severe impact on the distribution and connectivity of fish populations, and new techniques illustrate the potential of using graph theory and connectivity models to illustrate the ecological implications. Hydromorphologically degraded rivers and streams can be restored by addition of wood debris, but "passive" restoration via natural wood recruitment may be preferable. The most cost-effective way to restore streams may also include information campaigns to farmers on best management practices. Removal of zooplanktivorous fish often has marked positive effects on trophic structure in lakes, but there is a tendency to return to turbid conditions after 8-10 years or less unless fish removal is repeated. Development of new methods, as well as derivation of more general conclusions from reviewing the effects of previous restoration efforts, are crucial to achieve progress in applied freshwater research. The papers contained in this Special Profile contribute on both counts, as well as illustrating the importance of well-designed research projects and monitoring programmes to record the effects of the interventions. Such efforts are vital if we are to improve our knowledge of freshwater systems and to elaborate the best and most cost-effective recommendations. They may also help in achieving a good ecological state or potential in water bodies by 2015, as demanded by the European WFD.


  • Large

    Abiotic indicators

    • Eutrophication (decomposition, mineralisation, oxidation, release wetlands) / Varanou, E., E. Gkouvatsou, E. Baltas & M ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Abiotic indicators
      Indicator Eutrophication (decomposition, mineralisation, oxidation, release wetlands)

      Reference

      Varanou, E., E. Gkouvatsou, E. Baltas & M. Mimikou (2002): Quantity and quality integrated catchment modelling under climate change with use of soil and water assessment tool model. Journal of Hydrology Enginee. 7(3): 228-244.

      Description

      Runoff: Decreasing. Increasing frequency of extreme events, e.g. floods (not all scenarios). Decreasing NO3-N in runoff.

    • Eutrophication (decomposition, mineralisation, oxidation, release wetlands) / Mimikou, M.A., E. Baltas, E. Varanou, E. ∓ ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Abiotic indicators
      Indicator Eutrophication (decomposition, mineralisation, oxidation, release wetlands)

      Reference

      Mimikou, M.A., E. Baltas, E. Varanou, E. ∓ K. Pantazis (2000): Regional impacts of climate change on water resources quantity and quality indicators. Journal of Hydrology 234: 95-109.

      Description

      Runoff volume: Decreasing, particularly in summer. Oxygen: Increasing BOD. Eutrophication: Decreasing DON, increasing NH4-N. Impairment of water quality, particularly in summer.

    • Morphology / Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (200 ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Abiotic indicators
      Indicator Morphology

      Reference

      Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (2000): Modelling vegetation interactions with channel flow in river valleys of the Mediterranean region. Catena 40(1): 93-118.

      Description

      The effects of vegetation upon flow, erosion and deposition processes and the feedback of flow, sediment and moisture on vegetation are identified. High flow events: vegetation may help to prevent erosion and this helps prevent destruction at the site and reduces sediment loads and sedimentation problems downstream. Much evidence is emerging that it is the effects of sediment in flash floods which is particularly damaging, rather than the water itself.

  • Early warning indicators

    • Hydrology: flooding events, extremes increased / Iacobellis, V., P. Claps & M. Fiorentino ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Early warning indicators
      Indicator Hydrology: flooding events, extremes increased

      Reference

      Iacobellis, V., P. Claps & M. Fiorentino (2002): Climatic control on the variability of flood distribution. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 6(2): 229-237.

      Description

      Coefficient of variation of series of annual maximum floods mainly controlled by climate. Decrease of Cv with basin area: limited spatial extent of extreme events.

    • Hydrology: flooding events, extremes increased, runoff (MNQ, MHQ) changed / Varanou, E., E. Gkouvatsou, E. Baltas & M ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Early warning indicators
      Indicator Hydrology: flooding events, extremes increased, runoff (MNQ, MHQ) changed

      Reference

      Varanou, E., E. Gkouvatsou, E. Baltas & M. Mimikou (2002): Quantity and quality integrated catchment modelling under climate change with use of soil and water assessment tool model. Journal of Hydrology Enginee. 7(3): 228-244.

      Description

      Runoff: Decreasing. Increasing frequency of extreme events, e.g. floods (not all scenarios). Decreasing NO3-N in runoff.

    • Hydrology: runoff (MNQ, MHQ) changed / Mimikou, M.A., S.P. Kanellopoulou & E.A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Early warning indicators
      Indicator Hydrology: runoff (MNQ, MHQ) changed

      Reference

      Mimikou, M.A., S.P. Kanellopoulou & E.A. Baltas (1999): Human implication of changes in the hydrological regime due to climate change in northern Greece. Global Environmental Change 9: 139-156.

      Description

      Implementation of climate change scenarios for 2020 to 2100.The runoff volume would decrease predominantly in spring. This and a slight increase in winter would lead to a prolongation of the dry period and a shifting of the wet period towards december.

    • Hydrology: runoff (MNQ, MHQ) changed / Mimikou, M.A., E. Baltas, E. Varanou, E. ∓ ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Early warning indicators
      Indicator Hydrology: runoff (MNQ, MHQ) changed

      Reference

      Mimikou, M.A., E. Baltas, E. Varanou, E. ∓ K. Pantazis (2000): Regional impacts of climate change on water resources quantity and quality indicators. Journal of Hydrology 234: 95-109.

      Description

      Runoff volume: Decreasing, particularly in summer. Oxygen: Increasing BOD. Eutrophication: Decreasing DON, increasing NH4-N. Impairment of water quality, particularly in summer.

    • Hydrology: seasonality changed / Panagoulia, D. (1992): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Early warning indicators
      Indicator Hydrology: seasonality changed

      Reference

      Panagoulia, D. (1992): Impacts of GISS-modelled climate changes on catchment hydrology. Hydrological Sciences Journal 37: 141-162.

      Description

      Runoff: Increase in winter runoff, decrease in spring and summer runoff.

    • Hydrology: seasonality changed / Mimikou, M.A., Y. Kouvopoulos, G. Cavadias &a ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Early warning indicators
      Indicator Hydrology: seasonality changed

      Reference

      Mimikou, M.A., Y. Kouvopoulos, G. Cavadias & N. Vayianos (1991): Regional hydrological effects of climate change. Journal of Hydrology 123: 119-146.

      Description

      Modelling future climatic scenarios regarding regional hydrological effects and spatial and temporal redistribution of the regional water resources by using data of the central mountainous region in Greece. The results show an increase in runoff volume in winter and a decrease particularly in summer.

    • Hydrology: seasonality changed / Gleick, P.H. (1987): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Early warning indicators
      Indicator Hydrology: seasonality changed

      Reference

      Gleick, P.H. (1987): Regional hydrologic consequences of increases in atmospheric CO2 and other trace gases. Climatic Change 10:137-161.

      Description

      Runoff dynamics: Decrease in summer runoff (for all scenarios); large increase in winter runoff (for most scenarios); major shift in timing of runoff.

  • Primary production

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Nilsson, C., S.J. Xiong, M.E. Johansson & ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Nilsson, C., S.J. Xiong, M.E. Johansson & L.B.M. Vought (1999): Effects of leaf-litter accumulation on riparian plant diversity across Europe. Ecology 80(5): 1770-1775.

      Description

      Plant biomass decreased with increasing litter mass but did not vary with site-dependent variables such as climate and soil. Species density for various plant life traits varied with litter mass, summer temperature, and summer precipitation. Litter mass was the most important variable for all life traits except rhizomatous and stoloniferous species, which were most dependent upon summer precipitation. These findings are useful for the prediction of responses in riparian vegetation following future climatic changes.

    • Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian) / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Diversity, community, distribution change (submersed and riparian)

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Vegetation cover function (hydaulic, morphologic) / Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (200 ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Primary production
      Indicator Vegetation cover function (hydaulic, morphologic)

      Reference

      Brookes, C.J., J.M. Hooke & J. Mant (2000): Modelling vegetation interactions with channel flow in river valleys of the Mediterranean region. Catena 40(1): 93-118.

      Description

      The effects of vegetation upon flow, erosion and deposition processes and the feedback of flow, sediment and moisture on vegetation are identified. High flow events: vegetation may help to prevent erosion and this helps prevent destruction at the site and reduces sediment loads and sedimentation problems downstream. Much evidence is emerging that it is the effects of sediment in flash floods which is particularly damaging, rather than the water itself.

  • Secondary production - fish

    • Assemblage structure / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Assemblage structure

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Assemblage structure / Poff, N.L. & J.D. Allan (1995): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Assemblage structure

      Reference

      Poff, N.L. & J.D. Allan (1995): Functional-organization of stream fish assemblages in relation to hydrological variability. Ecology 76(2): 606-627.

      Description

      The strong hydrological-assemblage relations found in the 34 midwestern sites suggest that hydrological factors are significant environmental variables influencing fish assemblage structure, and that hydrological alterations induced by climate change (or other anthropogenic disturbances) could modify stream fish assemblage structure in this region.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms / Schindler, D.W. (2001): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms

      Reference

      Schindler, D.W. (2001): The cumulative effects of climate warming and other human stresses on Canadian freshwaters in the new millennium. Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 58: 18-29.

      Description

      Changing flows due to changing temperatures and precipitation. Changing aquatic community, life cycles. Warming trend: Habitats for cold-stenotherms decline.

    • Community change: decrease cold stenotherms, distribution range, habitat change / Eaton, J.G. & R.M. Scheller (1996): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Community change: decrease cold stenotherms, distribution range, habitat change

      Reference

      Eaton, J.G. & R.M. Scheller (1996): Effects of climate warming on fish habitat in streams of the United States. Limnology and Oceanography 41(5): 1109-1115.

      Description

      Water temperature increase: Habitats for cold and cool water fish reduced by approx. 50%. Examples: Oncorhynchus mykiss, Catastomus commersoni.

    • Distribution range, habitat change / Carpenter, S.R., S.G. Fisher, N.B. Grimm & ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Distribution range, habitat change

      Reference

      Carpenter, S.R., S.G. Fisher, N.B. Grimm & J.F. Kitchell (1992): Global change and freshwater ecosystems. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 23: 119-139.

      Description

      Water temperature increase. Higher variability in runoff. Channel widening by high magnitude floods, debris torrents with effect on habitats, aquatic species in general. Examples: Trout, charr, salmon: altered stream habitat, changed geographical distribution due to changed thermal limits.

    • Life-history: migration timing, spawning, emergence timing / Salinger, D.H. & J.J. Anderson (2006): ...

      Climate Region arid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Life-history: migration timing, spawning, emergence timing

      Reference

      Salinger, D.H. & J.J. Anderson (2006): Effects of water temperature and flow on adult salmon migration swim speed and delay. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 135(1): 188-199.

      Description

      For Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and steelhead O. mykiss 16 to 17°C is the thermal optimum (unimodal function of T) for maximum swim speed and minimum migration delay.

    • Non native invasives; native rare species extinct / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Non native invasives; native rare species extinct

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Non native invasives; native rare species extinct, species change, extinction (floods), thermal stress: deseases increase -> population decrease / Xenopoulos, M.A., D.M. Lodge, J. Alcamo, M. M ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - fish
      Indicator Non native invasives; native rare species extinct, species change, extinction (floods), thermal stress: deseases increase -> population decrease

      Reference

      Xenopoulos, M.A., D.M. Lodge, J. Alcamo, M. Märker, K. Schulze & D.P. Van Vuuren (2005): Scenarios of freshwater fish extinctions from climate change and water withdrawal. Global Change Biology 11(10): 1557-1564.

      Description

      Modelled river discharge (HadCM3): Fish richness loss, anthropogenic influences: channelization, industrial pollution, water withdrawals, increase in discharge 65-70% in both scenarios, regionally variable. Species change, fish stress factor increase, fish infections increase, fish extinction, invasive species, toxic algal blooms increase.

  • Secondary production - invertebrates

    • Community change: anoxiatolerant species / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: anoxiatolerant species

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Community change: Species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: Species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Hauer, F.R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostetler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M. Macknight & J.A. Stanford (1997): Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, USA and Canada. Hydrological Processes 11: 903-924.

      Description

      Changed runoff dynamics. Changes in stream temperature regime. Changed riparian vegetation. Changed benthic community composition. Changed riparian vegetation. Stenothermic species could be extirpated. Cold water stream fish may be isolated in increasingly confined headwaters.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A. ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Lake, P.S., M.A. Palmer, P. Biro, J. Cole, A.P. Covich, C. Dahm, J. Gibert, W. Goedkoop, K. Martens & J. Verhoeven (2000): Global Change and the Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems: Impacts on Linkages between Above-Sediment and Sediment Biota. BioScience 50(12): 1099-1106.

      Description

      Change in water temperature, flow regime, increasing sedimentation, change in water body morphology. Extinction of native species, habitat availability reduced, decreased diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera). Change of invertebrate communities to anoxiatolerant species.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Boulton, A.J. (2003): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Boulton, A.J. (2003): Parallels and contrasts in the effects of drought on stream macroinvertebrate assemblages. Freshwater Biology 48(7): 1173-1185.

      Description

      Australia: drought conditions eliminated or decimated several groups of macroinvertebrates, including atyid shrimps, stoneflies and free-living caddisflies. These taxa persisted during the early stages of the drought but did not recruit successfully the following year, despite a return to higher-than-baseflow conditions: lag effect. Shifts in taxa richness, abundance and trophic organisation. England: Effects of summer drought were buffered by sustained groundwater discharge from the previous winter. Reduction of available riverine habitats, especially via siltation, but few taxa were eliminated: Rapid recolonisation from perennial sections of the chalk streams. However, recruitment by taxa that lack desiccation-resistant stages or have limited mobility is delayed.

    • Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure. / Heino, J. (2002): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Community change: species richness, diversity, assemblage structure.

      Reference

      Heino, J. (2002): Concordance of species richness patterns among multiple freshwater taxa: a regional perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 11(1): 137-147.

      Description

      Macrophytes, dragonflies, stoneflies, aquatic beetles and fishes: Species richness in most groups decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and a considerable part of the variation was explained by mean July temperature. Stoneflies showed a reversed pattern, with species richness correlating positively, albeit more weakly, with mean provincial altitude. Such temperature-controlled patterns suggest that regional freshwater biodiversity will strongly respond to climate change, with repercussions for local community organization in freshwater ecosystems in Fennoscandia.

    • Life history characteristics change / Baron, J.S. (1997): ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Life history characteristics change

      Reference

      Baron, J.S. (1997): Effects of climate change on in-stream biology and freshwater ecosystems. Briefing document for Great Plains climate change workshop 5/97

      Description

      Water temperature increased i.e. caddiesflies growth rates change, shortened life cycles. Habitat loss, population fragmentation.

    • Life history characteristics change / Briers, R.A., Gee, J.H.R. & R. Geoghegan ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Secondary production - invertebrates
      Indicator Life history characteristics change

      Reference

      Briers, R.A., Gee, J.H.R. & R. Geoghegan (2004): Effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation on growth and phenology of stream insects. Ecography 27: 811-817.

      Description

      long-term empirical data on the sizes of mayfly and stonefly nymphs and on water temperature data. Models of egg development and nymphal growth in relation to temperature were used to predict the effect of the NAO on phenology. The observed mean size and the simulated developmental period of mayfly nymphs were significantly related to the winter NAO index, with nymphs growing faster in positive phases of the NAO (warmer stream t), but the growth of stonefly nymphs was not related to the NAO. This may have been due to the semivoltine stonefly lifecycle, but stonefly nymph growth is also generally less dependent on temperature. There were significant differences in growth rates of both species between streams, with nymphs growing more slowly in the forested stream that was consistently cooler than the open stream. Predicted emergence dates for adult mayflies varied by nearly two months between years, depending on the phase of the NAO. Variation in growth and phenology of stream insects associated with the NAO may influence temporal fluctuations in the composition and dynamics of stream communities.

  • Susceptibility ecosystem

    • Catchment size, other characteristics / Iacobellis, V., P. Claps & M. Fiorentino ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Susceptibility ecosystem
      Indicator Catchment size, other characteristics

      Reference

      Iacobellis, V., P. Claps & M. Fiorentino (2002): Climatic control on the variability of flood distribution. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 6(2): 229-237.

      Description

      Coefficient of variation of series of annual maximum floods mainly controlled by climate. Decrease of Cv with basin area: limited spatial extent of extreme events.

    • Land use / Ferreira, M.T., F.C. Aguiar & C. Nogueira ...

      Climate Region humid warm
      Ecosystem type large
      Parameter group Susceptibility ecosystem
      Indicator Land use

      Reference

      Ferreira, M.T., F.C. Aguiar & C. Nogueira (2005): Changes in Riparian woods over space and time: Influence of environment and land use. Forest Ecology and Management 212(1-3): 145-159.

      Description

      Neither fragmentation patterns nor the loss or increase of riparian cover were consistent with similar land use changes throughout the rest of the studied basins, particularly in urbanizing landscape patches. The longitudinal patterns of streamside forests along Mediterranean-type rivers - particularly in Iberia - appear to be complex and dependent upon the previous life-history features of land use. Results also suggest that the proximity, type and extension of land use patch interplay influence the degree of changes in riparian integrity, which in overall terms displayed appreciable resistance to alterations and indirect disturbance.



Climate Change and Freshwater
Online: http://www.climate-and-freshwater.info/rivers-warm-ecoregions/case-studies/
Date: 2012/02/05
© 2012 University of Duisburg-Essen | Institute of Biology, Department of Applied Zoology / Hydrobiology – All rights reserved.