Fragmentation of Andes-to-Amazon connectivity by hydropower dams

Energy development – as manifested by the proliferation of hydroelectric dams and increased oil and gas exploration – is a driver of change in Amazonian ecosystems. However, prevailing approaches to Amazonian ecosystem conservation that focus on terrestrial protected areas and Indigenous territories do not offer sufficient insurance against the risks associated with energy development. Here, we explore three related areas of concern: the exclusion of subsurface rights on Indigenous lands; the absence of frameworks for freshwater ecosystem conservation; and downgrading, downsizing, degazettement (loss of protection), and reclassification of protected areas. We consider these issues from the perspectives of multiple countries across the Amazon Basin, and link them directly to energy development. Finally, we offer suggestions for addressing the challenges of energy development for Amazon ecosystem conservation through existing policies, new approaches, and international collaboration.

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“…; Anderson et al . ), with detrimental consequences for floodplain agriculture and fisheries (Coomes et al . , ).…”

Section: Absence Of Framework For Freshwater Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…New energy development could trigger irreversible alterations to protected areas and Indigenous territories, and has highlighted the need to strengthen or modify prevailing conservation strategies in the Amazon (Fraser ; Anderson et al . ; Harfoot et al . ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy development reveals blind spots for ecosystem conservation in the Amazon Basin

Anderson

Osborne

Maldonado‐Ocampo

et al. 2019

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

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“…The world is experiencing a renewed period of dam building driven by new donors and applying different social and environmental safeguards Greenhill et al, 2016;Kirchherr et al, 2016). Moreover, much of the new construction is concentrated in ecologically sensitive river basins where dams will act as barriers to fish and other migrations, and fragment formerly connected populations Anderson et al, 2018). Globally, 48% of river volume is moderately to severely impacted by either flow regulation, fragmentation, or both, and this proportion will nearly double if all dams planned and under construction are completed (Grill et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Brisbane Declaration and Global Action Agenda on Environmental Flows (2018)

Arthington

Bhaduri

Bunn

et al. 2018

Front. Environ. Sci.

333

225

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“…They also rank among the most economically important exploited fishes, supporting annual landings above 40,000 tons/year (MPA, 2013;Batista, Alonso, Ladle &, Fabré 2018), leading to documented or suspected overexploitation in some species (Petrere et al, 2004;Alonso & Pirker, 2005;García-Vasquez et al, 2009;Agudelo et al, 2013). The sustainability of these populations is threatened by current and planned hydropower development projects in the Amazon Basin, with >100 dams being planned for future construction (Finer & Jenkins, 2012;Castello et al, 2013;Duponchelle et al, 2016;Lees, Peres, Fearnside, Schneider, & Zuanon 2016;Anderson et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unmasking continental natal homing in goliath catfish from the upper Amazon

et al. 2019

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1. Amazonian goliath catfishes are widespread in the Amazon Basin. Recently, otolith 87 Sr: 86 Sr analyses using laser ablation-multi-collector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICPMS) revealed a >8,000 km trans-Amazonian natal homing in Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii among fish caught and hatched in the largest Amazon River tributary, the upper Madeira basin. Although also suspected for fish in the upper Amazon, homing could not be demonstrated owing to less distinct environmental 87 Sr: 86 Sr gradients along the Amazon mainstem. Using scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy (SXFM), a separate study provided evidence that Se:Ca and Sr:Ca are useful markers for identifying migration into Andean headwaters and the estuarine environment. 2. We analysed otoliths of known 87 Sr: 86 Sr profiles using SXFM mapping to test if Sr:Ca and Se:Ca patterns could demonstrate natal homing for three fish caught in the upper Amazon, using as reference two individuals that were natal homers and two forced residents (hatched after the construction of hydroelectric dams on the Madeira River) from the upper Madeira River.

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Fragmentation of Andes-to-Amazon connectivity by hydropower dams

Abstract: Hydropower development in the Andean Amazon has been underestimated and will disrupt connected human and natural systems.

Cited by 292 publications

References 45 publications

Energy development reveals blind spots for ecosystem conservation in the Amazon Basin

Energy development reveals blind spots for ecosystem conservation in the Amazon Basin

The Brisbane Declaration and Global Action Agenda on Environmental Flows (2018)

Unmasking continental natal homing in goliath catfish from the upper Amazon

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