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Effects of hydromorphological impacts on river ecosystem functioning: a review and suggestions for assessing ecological impacts

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Abstract

Because of the serious effects of pollution on water supply much closer attention has been paid to water quality than to other aspects of river integrity. However, channel form and water flow are relevant components of river health, and recent evidences show that their impairment threatens the services derived from them. In this article, we review the literature on the effects of common hydromorphological impacts (channel modification and flow modification) on the functioning of river ecosystems. There are evidences that even light hydromorphological impacts can have deep effects on ecosystem functioning, and that different functional variables differ in their responses. Three criteria (relevance, scale and sensitivity) in the selection of functional variables are suggested as a guide for the river scientists and managers to assess the ecological impacts of hydromorphological modifications.

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Acknowledgments

This paper has benefited from the support of the Spanish Ministry of Research and Innovation through projects METATOOL (BOS2003–04466), COMPLEXTREAM (CGL2007-65176/HID), and SCARCE (CONSOLIDER-INGENIO CSD2009-00065).

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  1. Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country, PO Box 644, 48080, Bilbao, Spain

    Arturo Elosegi

  2. Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Edifici H2O, Emili Grahit, 101, 17003, Girona, Spain

    Sergi Sabater

  3. Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071, Girona, Spain

    Sergi Sabater

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  1. Arturo Elosegi
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Correspondence to Arturo Elosegi.

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Guest editors: A. Elosegi, M. Mutz & H. Piégay / Form and function: channel form, hydraulic integrity, and river ecosystem functioning

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Elosegi, A., Sabater, S. Effects of hydromorphological impacts on river ecosystem functioning: a review and suggestions for assessing ecological impacts. Hydrobiologia 712, 129–143 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1226-6

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