Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers

Grill, Günther; Lehner, Bernhard; Thieme, Michele; Geenen, Bart; Tickner, David; Antonelli, Francesca; Babu, Suresh; Borrelli, Pasquale; Cheng, Linyin; Crochetiere, H.; Macedo, Heloisa Ehalt; Filgueiras, Raquel; Goichot, Marc; Higgins, Jonathan; Hogan, Zeb; Lip, B.; McClain, Michael E.; Meng, Jing; Mulligan, Mark; Nilsson, Christer; Olden, Julian D.; Opperman, Jeffrey J.; Petry, Paulo; Liermann, Catherine Reidy; Sáenz, Leonardo; Salinas-Rodríguez, Sergio A.; Schelle, P.; Schmitt, R.; Snider, James; Tan, Florence; Tockner, Klement; Valdujo, Paula Hanna; Soesbergen, Arnout van; Zarfl, Christiane

doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9

Cited by 1,601 publications

(1,173 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…Freshwater species and habitats are some of the most threatened in the world (Grill et al, 2019;IUCN, 2010;Jelks et al, 2008;Ricciardi & Rasmussen, 1999;Vörösmarty et al, 2010;WWF, 2016), with an estimated one fifth of the described freshwater fish species are extinct, threatened or endangered (MEA, 2005;Darwall et al, 2009;Moyle & Leidy, 1992). In this context, it is crucial to acknowledge that sustainable inland fisheries often have compatible objectives with those for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity.…”

Section: Discussion and Con Clus I Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More than half of the largest river systems in the world have dams above 15m, which together retain more than 15 per cent of global river runoff (Nilsson, Reidy, Dynesius, & Revenga, 2005) and only 37 per cent of rivers longer than 1,000 km remain free-flowing over their entire length (Grill et al, 2019). Each year, 1,500 km 3 of freshwater is extracted for agricultural irrigation, ranging from a low of 4.1 per cent of water in Sweden to nearly all (98.6 per cent) in Afghanistan (FAO, 2012a).…”

Section: Discussion and Con Clus I Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A fresh look at inland fisheries and their role in food security and livelihoods

2019

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The role of inland fisheries in livelihoods, food security and sustainable development is often overshadowed by the higher profile interest in ocean issues. Whilst inland fisheries' catch and contribution to global nutrition, food security and the economy, are less than that of marine fisheries, global‐level comparisons of fish production obscure considerable livelihood impacts in certain countries and sub‐national areas. To highlight these contributions, this paper synthesizes recent data and innovative approaches for assessing such livelihood contributions and their importance in countries with limited access to ocean resources and aquaculture. Inland fisheries are crucial for many socially, economically and nutritionally vulnerable groups of people around the world, but the challenges in monitoring inland fisheries preclude a complete understanding of the magnitude of their contributions. This situation is rapidly improving with increasing recognition of inland fisheries in development discourses, which has also encouraged research to enhance knowledge on the importance of inland fisheries. We review this work, including collated information published in a recent Food and Agriculture Organization report, to provide an up to date characterization of the state of knowledge on the role of inland fisheries.

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Section: Discussion and Con Clus I Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussion and Con Clus I Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

A fresh look at inland fisheries and their role in food security and livelihoods

2019

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“…Consequently, they are among the most threatened ecosystems globally, with their degradation likely to continue—or even accelerate—into the near future. For example, approximately 3,700 additional large hydropower dams are planned or under construction, increasing the fragmentation of rivers worldwide (Grill et al, , ; Zarfl, Lumsdon, Berlekamp, Tydecks, & Tockner, ). Accelerating hydropower development and overexploitation, particularly in highly diverse river basins such as the Mekong, Congo, and Amazon may cause the extinction of hundreds of freshwater species (Castello et al, ; Winemiller et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The global decline of freshwater megafauna

Zarfl

Bremerich

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

203

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Freshwater ecosystems are among the most diverse and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. At the same time, they are among the most threatened ecosystems but remain underrepresented in biodiversity research and conservation efforts. The rate of decline of vertebrate populations is much higher in freshwaters than in terrestrial or marine realms. Freshwater megafauna (i.e., freshwater animals that can reach a body mass ≥30 kg) are intrinsically prone to extinction due to their large body size, complex habitat requirements and slow life‐history strategies such as long life span and late maturity. However, population trends and distribution changes of freshwater megafauna, at continental or global scales, remain unclear. In the present study, we compiled population data of 126 freshwater megafauna species globally from the Living Planet Database and available literature, and distribution data of 44 species inhabiting Europe and the United States from literature and databases of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and NatureServe. We quantified changes in population abundance and distribution range of freshwater megafauna species. Globally, freshwater megafauna populations declined by 88% from 1970 to 2012, with the highest declines in the Indomalaya and Palearctic realms (−99% and −97%, respectively). Among taxonomic groups, mega‐fishes exhibited the greatest global decline (−94%). In addition, freshwater megafauna experienced major range contractions. For example, distribution ranges of 42% of all freshwater megafauna species in Europe contracted by more than 40% of historical areas. We highlight the various sources of uncertainty in tracking changes in populations and distributions of freshwater megafauna, such as the lack of monitoring data and taxonomic and spatial biases. The detected trends emphasize the critical plight of freshwater megafauna globally and highlight the broader need for concerted, targeted and timely conservation of freshwater biodiversity.

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“…Fortunately, significant expansion of existing tools and databases such as the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN, ; and discussed by Tognelli et al, ) and HydroATLAS (http://wp.geog.mcgill.ca/hydrolab/hydroatlas/) is being complemented by a wave of new assessment methods for freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity. These include the Freshwater Health Index (Vollmer et al, ) and the Connectivity Status Index for the world's rivers (Grill et al, ). Systematic conservation planning, using tools like Marxan, will also become increasingly important for identifying networks of sites that can ensure species protection.…”

Section: Advances In Model and Tool Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the Anthropocene, dams – whether for power production, irrigation supply or other purposes – are one of the greatest threats to river flows and the persistence of freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem processes and functions (Grill et al, ; Reid et al, ; Zarfl, Lumsdon, Berlekamp, Tydecks, & Tockner, ). Although there is an increasing trend towards dam removal, especially in the US, global rates of dam construction are greater than those of dam removal (Reid et al, ).…”

Section: Enhancing Water Planning and Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Theory and practice to conserve freshwater biodiversity in the Anthropocene

Flitcroft

Cooperman

Harrison

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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The unprecedented impact of human activities on nature has led scientists to propose we might now be in a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene. Significant human alterations of freshwater systems include massive changes to soil erosion–deposition dynamics, hydrological regimes via impoundment and diversion, land‐use conversion, chemical and nutrient pollution, and human‐assisted range expansion of invasive species. In this human‐dominated epoch, biodiversity, which includes all life on Earth, is at risk, and freshwater biodiversity shows the strongest examples of the extent of this threat. We live in a world where it is necessary to find optimal ways to balance the growing human need for fresh water with ensuring that freshwater ecosystems remain functional in support of the biodiversity that inhabits them and the services these systems provide. Within the broader context of freshwater management in the Anthropocene, this special issue targets freshwater biodiversity and habitat conservation through a variety of lenses. Four main areas of emphasis include: conservation approaches; advances in model and tool development; enhancing water planning; and management and protection of species and habitats. For manuscripts included in this special issue, all authors were instructed to demonstrate how the material presented, be it commentary, conservation prioritization, new methodology or other subject matter, is broadly applicable and transferable.

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Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers

Cited by 1,601 publications

References 91 publications

A fresh look at inland fisheries and their role in food security and livelihoods

A fresh look at inland fisheries and their role in food security and livelihoods

The global decline of freshwater megafauna

Theory and practice to conserve freshwater biodiversity in the Anthropocene

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