Hydropower impacts on riverine biodiversity

Hydropower is a rapidly developing and globally important source of renewable electricity. In this Review, we discuss the impacts of hydropower on aquatic and semi-aquatic species in riverine ecosystems and how these impacts accumulate spatially and temporally across basins. Dams act as physical barriers that disrupt longitudinal connectivity and upstream–downstream movement of species. Impoundment creates still-water habitats upstream of dams and leads to declines in lotic-adapted species. Intermittent water releases modify the natural flow, sediment and thermal regimes in downstream channels, altering water quality, substrate structure and environmental cues that are vital for species to complete their life cycles, resulting in reduced reproduction success. Future research should support reforms to dam operations and design adaptations= to balance renewable electricity development and biodiversity conservation through systematic basin-scale planning, long-term monitoring, adaptive management and involving multiple actors in decision-making.

He, F., Zarfl, C., Tockner, K., Olden, J.D., Campos, Z., Muniz,F., Svenning, J-C., and S.C. Jähnig. 2024. Hydropower impacts on riverine biodiversity. Nature Ecology and Evolution. Article