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Cited by 187Fish Ecology and Management StudiesFreshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecologyHydrology and Sediment Transport Processes

Effects of human-driven water stress on river ecosystems: a meta-analysis

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Sabater, Sergi, Bregoli, Francesco, Acuña, Vicenç, Barceló, Damià, Elosegi, Arturo, Ginebreda, Antoni, Marcé, Rafael, Muñoz, Isabel +2 more·2018·Scientific Reports
DOI 10.1038/s41598-018-29807-7PMC PMC6065398
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Abstract

Human appropriation of water resources may induce water stress in freshwater ecosystems when ecosystem needs are not met. Intensive abstraction and regulation cause river ecosystems to shift towards non-natural flow regimes, which might have implications for their water quality, biological structure and functioning. We performed a meta-analysis of published studies to assess the potential effects of water stress on nutrients, microcontaminants, biological communities (bacteria, algae, invertebrates and fish), and ecosystem functions (organic matter breakdown, gross primary production and respiration). Despite the different nature of the flow regime changes, our meta-analysis showed significant effects of human-driven water stress, such as significant increases in algal biomass and metabolism and reduced invertebrate richness, abundance and density and organic matter decomposition. Water stress also significantly decreased phosphate concentration and increased the concentration of pharmaceutical compounds. The magnitude of significant effects was dependent on climate, rainfall regime, period of the year, river size and type of water stress. Among the different causes of water stress, flow regulation by dams produced the strongest effects, followed by water abstraction and channelization.

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  • Changes in river flow regimes and pollution inflow from agricultural fields can increase algal biomass, reduce invertebrate richness, abundance, and density, and alter organic matter decomposition.

    “Changes in river flow regimes, but also pollution inflow from agricultural fields, can increase algal biomass; reduce invertebrate richness, abundance, and density; and alter organic matter decomposition (58).”

    From Restoring Degraded Lands (2021) · cites this paper as [58]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports that human-driven water stress increased algal biomass, reduced invertebrate richness, abundance and density, and reduced organic matter breakdown. It links these effects chiefly to altered flows from dams and water abstraction; the passages do not establish pollution inflow from agricultural fields as a cause of those outcomes. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Sabater, S., Bregoli, F., Acuña, V., Barceló, D., Elosegi, A., Ginebreda, A., Marcé, R., Muñoz, I., Sabater-Liesa, L., & Ferreira, V.
Affiliations
  • Universitat de Girona (ES)
  • Catalan Institute for Water Research (ES)
  • University of the Basque Country (ES)
  • Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (ES)
  • Universitat de Barcelona (ES)
  • University of Coimbra (PT)
Corresponding author
Sabater, Sergi
ORCID
Venue
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2018-07-30
Volume
8
Issue
1
Pages
11462-11462
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41598-018-29807-7
PMC
PMC6065398
OpenAlex
W2884695804
Cited by
187
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 13
FWCI
1.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Communities in ADDI (Universidad del Pais Vasco) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Communities in ADDI (University of the Basque Country) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion)
  • Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) (submittedVersion)
  • Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Hispana (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
EC | Seventh Framework Programme (grant No. 603629 &amp;#x2013; project GLOBAQUA)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
Keywords
water stress, river ecosystems, flow regime alteration, dam regulation, water abstraction, channelization, nutrients, micropollutants, pharmaceutical compounds, phosphate, algal biomass, invertebrate communities, fish, organic matter decomposition, gross primary productivity, respiration, freshwater biodiversity

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