Fish species sensitivity classification for environmental impact assessment, conservation and restoration planning

Treeck, Ruben van; Wichelen, Jeroen Van; Wolter, Christian

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135173

Cited by 47 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…[2004] and Van Treeck et al. [2020]). Search components were combined by using Boolean operators in the search engines of six databases for scientific literature: Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Zoological Records and the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental requirements and heterogeneity of rheophilic fish nursery habitats in European lowland rivers: Current insights and future challenges

et al. 2021

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The large‐scale degradation of riparian ecotones and of the connectivity between rivers and their floodplains has resulted in a drastic decline of rheophilic fish populations in European temperate lowland rivers. Recent river restoration projects have had variable success in effectively restoring these fish populations. Knowledge on nursery habitat requirements is considered essential for effective population restoration. However, a detailed understanding of the role of habitat heterogeneity in young‐of‐the‐year (YOY) fish population development is limited. Therefore, we carried out a synthesis of the available knowledge on nursery habitat requirements of rheophilic fish species found in European temperate lowland rivers (<200 m elevation). From a total of 603 papers, 77 studies with primary information were selected, containing 390 associations between habitat features and YOY fish. As expected, most studies focused on static components of physical riparian habitat. Generally, YOY fish require habitats of shallow depth (<0.5 m), with slow‐flowing water (<0.2 m/s), gentle bank slope (<20°), variety in substratum types (fine sand to gravel), relatively warm water and high food availability. Surprisingly, no clear ontogenetic habitat shifts between larvae and juveniles were found, which may be explained by the limited spatial–temporal resolution of most studies. Since 2011, studies on habitat heterogeneity have increased, but few have explicitly assessed its role in relation to movement patterns of YOY fish for nursery success. Therefore, we recommend that future research focuses on fish movement patterns between habitat patches in heterogeneous (river‐floodplain) environments, to increase the knowledge base for effective recovery of rheophilic fish populations.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental requirements and heterogeneity of rheophilic fish nursery habitats in European lowland rivers: Current insights and future challenges

et al. 2021

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“…The latter is a fast growing, short-lived species that has a greater chance of completing its life cycle during the brief periods of improved water quality observed within the system. Furthermore, small-bodied and phytophyllic species, such as G. aestuaria, are more resilient to poor water quality (Van Treeck et al, 2020). Current catchment management practices have dampened the flushing potential in the Hartenbos Estuary, resulting in excessive sedimentation that reduces the nursery value of the system by limiting suitable shallow littoral zones (Whitfield et al, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effective Management of Closed Hypereutrophic Estuaries Requires Catchment-Scale Interventions

Lemley

Lamberth

Manuel³

et al. 2021

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Increased nutrient loading associated with rapid population growth is the leading cause of deteriorating water quality in urbanized estuaries globally. Small estuaries are particularly sensitive to changes when connection with the marine environment is restricted, or lost, because of high water retention. The temporarily closed Hartenbos Estuary (South Africa) is an example of how such pressures can culminate in a severely degraded ecosystem. Wastewater treatment work (WWTW) discharges introduce substantial volumes of freshwater (8,000 m3 d–1) and nutrient loads (38 kg DIN d–1 and 22 kg DIP d–1) into this estuary. This constant inflow has necessitated frequent artificial breaching (inducing alternating states) of the estuary mouth to prevent flooding of low-lying developments and, occasionally, to mitigate against extreme events such as fish kills and sewage spills. This study investigated the efficacy of artificial mouth breaching practices in eliciting responses in selected abiotic and biotic parameters. Microalgal (phytoplankton and benthic diatoms), benthic macrofauna and fish community dynamics were assessed in response to mouth state and water quality conditions using a seasonal monitoring programme. The hypereutrophic nature of the Hartenbos Estuary was highlighted by persistent high-biomass phytoplankton accumulations (>100 μg Chl-a l–1), extreme dissolved oxygen conditions (0.4–20.5 mg O2 l–1) and the predominance of harmful algal bloom (HAB) events comprising Nannochloropsis sp. and Heterosigma akashiwo. Artificial breaching of the mouth facilitated limited tidal exchange and occurred approximately bimonthly once water levels exceeded 1.9 m above mean sea level (MSL). Current pressures and management interventions have culminated in an ecosystem void of natural fluctuations and instead characterised by low diversity and shifts between undesirable states. This is highlighted by the near year-round dominance of only a few opportunistic species/groups tolerant of adverse conditions (e.g., Nannochloropsis sp., Halamphora coffeiformis, oligochaetes, estuarine round herring Gilchristella aestuaria, and southern mullet Chelon richardsonii). Therefore, catchment-scale interventions such as the diversion of WWTW discharges and restoration of hydrodynamic variability are management priorities for improving the health and biodiversity of small, closed microtidal systems such as the Hartenbos Estuary.

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“…While being beyond the scope of our analysis, the ecological and long-term population consequences are species specific and depend on a species' life-history traits (Harrison et al, 2019;van Treeck et al, 2020). Here, we refer to van Treeck et al (2021), who recently provided a tool for screening hazards of HPPs to fish populations that explicitly considers species' life-history traits.…”

Section: Significance Of Turbine-associated Fish Mortality and Persis...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is essential to contextualize the rate of mortality to a realized rate on a per fish or per species basis to draw larger population-level conclusions, particularly for nonmigratory fishes that do not necessarily need to pass through HPPs to complete life cycles. While being beyond the scope of our analysis, the ecological and long-term population consequences are species specific and depend on a species' life-history traits (Harrison et al, 2019;van Treeck et al, 2020). Here, we refer to van Treeck et al (2021), who recently provided a tool for screening hazards of HPPs to fish populations that explicitly considers species' life-history traits.…”

Section: Significance Of Turbine-associated Fish Mortality and Persis...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evident but context‐dependent mortality of fish passing hydroelectric turbines

Radinger

Treeck

Wolter

2022

Conservation Biology

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Globally, policies aiming for conservation of species, free‐flowing rivers, and promotion of hydroelectricity as renewable energy and as a means to decarbonize energy systems generate trade‐offs between protecting freshwater fauna and development of hydropower. Hydroelectric turbines put fish at risk of severe injury during passage. Therefore, comprehensive, reliable analyses of turbine‐induced fish mortality are pivotal to support an informed debate on the sustainability of hydropower (i.e., how much a society is willing to pay in terms of costs incurred on rivers and their biota). We compiled and examined a comprehensive, global data set of turbine fish‐mortality assessments involving >275,000 individual fish of 75 species to estimate mortality across turbine types and fish species. Average fish mortality from hydroelectric turbines was 22.3% (95% CI 17.5–26.7%) when accounting for common uncertainties related to empirical estimates (e.g., handling‐ or catch‐related effects). Mortality estimates were highly variable among and within different turbine types, study methods, and taxa. Technical configurations of hydroelectric turbines that successfully reduce fish mortality and fish‐protective hydropower operation as a global standard could balance the need for renewable energy with protection of fish biodiversity.

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Fish species sensitivity classification for environmental impact assessment, conservation and restoration planning

Cited by 47 publications

References 70 publications

Environmental requirements and heterogeneity of rheophilic fish nursery habitats in European lowland rivers: Current insights and future challenges

Environmental requirements and heterogeneity of rheophilic fish nursery habitats in European lowland rivers: Current insights and future challenges

Effective Management of Closed Hypereutrophic Estuaries Requires Catchment-Scale Interventions

Evident but context‐dependent mortality of fish passing hydroelectric turbines

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