Abstract
AbstractDams create many impacts on freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity. Freshwater turtles are at direct and indirect risk due to changes caused by damming including the loss of terrestrial and aquatic nesting and feeding habitats, changes to resource availability and reduced dispersal. We reviewed the global scientific literature that evaluated the impact of dams on freshwater turtles, and carried out additional searches of literature published in seventeen languages for studies evaluating actions to mitigate the impact of dams. The search produced 43 published articles documenting dam impacts on 29 freshwater turtle species from seven families (Chelidae, Chelydridae, Emydidae, Geoemydidae, Kinosternidae, Podocnemididae and Trionychidae) in 13 countries. More than a third of studies (41.9%, n = 18) focused on nine North American species of the Emydidae. Few studies were found from Europe and Asia and none from Africa. The number of studies, life-history stage studied and threat status differed significantly between temperate and tropical latitudes. Most studies were from temperate latitudes, where studies focused more on adults and less threatened species compared with tropical latitudes. Studies evaluated dam impacts as barriers and changes to water flow and quality, but no studies were found that assessed turtles and changes to land cover or mercury caused by dams. More than half of the studies (59%, n = 24) suggested actions to help mitigate dam impacts. Yet, only four studies on three temperate and one tropical species documented the effect of interventions (dam removal, flow management, artificial pond maintenance and community-based action). These findings demonstrate a lack of documented evidence evaluating dam impacts on freshwater turtles particularly in tropical regions. This lack of evidence reinforces the importance of strengthening and maintaining robust long-term studies of freshwater turtles needed to develop effective conservation actions for this group of vertebrates.Highlights■Damming of rivers is an increasing global threat to natural resources and biodiversity, particularly for freshwater turtles, a culturally important but globally threatened group of vertebrates.■A review of the scientific literature was conducted to understand threats, impacts and mitigation actions of dams for freshwater turtles.■Studies were often short-term with geographic and taxonomic biases: most studies were from temperate regions of North America and none from Africa.■Although several mitigation actions were proposed only four have been tested for freshwater turtles.■There is an urgent need to generate robust effective mitigation actions, particularly in tropical regions experiencing rapid expansion in dams.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Reference178 articles.
1. Agresti A. Categorical data analysis: John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
2. Environmental effects of hydropower reservoirs on wild mammals and freshwater turtles in Amazonia: a review;Oecologia Australis,2011
3. How much is enough? An integrated examination of energy security, economic growth and climate change related to hydropower expansion in Brazil;Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews,2016
4. Tapping into non-English-language science for the conservation of global biodiversity;PLOS Biology,2021
5. Andrade PCM , Garcez JR , Azevedo SH , Duarte JAM , Barboza ES , Pound MCD , et al. Projeto Pé-de-pincha: Técnicas de conservação e manejo de quelônios manual do monitor de praia. Manaus: UNISOL/UFAM, 2015.
Cited by
2 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献