Inland navigation is a driver of freshwater biodiversity declines in Europe
Author:
Sexton Aaron1ORCID, Beisel Jean-Nicolas2, Staentzel Cybill2, Wolter Christian3, Tales Evelyne4, Belliard Jérôme4ORCID, Buijse Anthonie5ORCID, Fernández Vanesa Martinez6, Wantzen Karl7, Jähnig Sonja3ORCID, de Leaniz Carlos Garcia8, Schmidt-Kloiber Astrid9ORCID, Haase Peter10ORCID, Forio Marie11, Archambaud Gait12, Fruget Jean-François13, Dohet Alain14ORCID, Evtimova Vesela15, Csabai Zoltán16ORCID, Floury Mathieu4, Goethals Peter11, Várbíró Gábor17, Cañedo-Argüelles Miguel18, Larrañaga Aitor19, Maire Anthony20ORCID, Schaefer Ralf21ORCID, Sinclair James22, Vannevel Rudy11, Welti Ellen10ORCID, Jeliazkov Alienor23ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Fondation pour la Recherche sur la biodiversite 2. Université de Strasbourg, ENGEES, CNRS, LIVE UMR 7362, F-67000 Strasbourg, France. 3. Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries 4. University of Paris-Saclay, INRAE, HYCAR, Antony, France. 5. Stichting Deltares 6. Departamento de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, E.T.S. Ingeniería de Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. 7. UNESCO Chair “Fleuves et Patrimoine”, CNRS UMRS CITERES, Tours University, 37000 Tours, and CNRS UMR LIVE, Strasbourg University, France. 8. Swansea University 9. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences 10. Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt 11. Ghent University 12. INRAE, Aix Marseille Univ, RECOVER, Aix-en-Provence, France 13. ARALEP - Ecologie des Eaux Douces, Villeurbanne 69603 France. 14. Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology 15. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 16. University of Pécs 17. Institute of Aquatic Ecology 18. FEHM Lab, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. 19. University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) 20. EDF R&D 21. University of Koblenz-Landau 22. Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystraße 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany. 23. INRAE / University of Paris-Saclay
Abstract
Abstract
Freshwater navigation is expected to increase in the coming years, being promoted as a low-carbon form of transport. However, we currently lack knowledge on how this will impact biodiversity at large scales and interact with existing stressors. We addressed this knowledge gap by analyzing fish and macroinvertebrate community time series spanning the last 30 years across large European rivers comprising 19,592 observations from 4,049 sampling sites. We found ship traffic to be associated with biodiversity declines, i.e. decreases in fish and macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness and diversity, and trait richness. Shipping was also associated with increases in taxonomic evenness, which, in concert with richness decreases, can likely be attributed to losses in rare/smaller populations. In particular, shipping was especially harmful for benthic taxa and those preferring slow flows. These effects were often dependent on local land use and degradation. In fish, the negative impacts of shipping were highest in urban and agricultural landscapes. Regarding navigation infrastructure, the negative impact of channelization on macroinvertebrates was only evident when riparian degradation was also high. Our results demonstrate the risk of increasing inland navigation on freshwater biodiversity. Integrative waterway management accounting for riparian and landscape characteristics could help to mitigate these impacts.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC
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