18 May 2022

The salinisation of fresh-water habitats is a growing threat to biotic communities. To protect the biodiversity and ecosystem services and goods associated with these systems, effective monitoring is essential. Here, researchers present the Salinity Association Group Index (SAGI), a novel tool for the assessment of salinity in fresh-water habitats. Three case studies demonstrate how SAGI […]

11 May 2022

Less than 1% of the Earth’s surface is covered by freshwater, yet freshwater ecosystems hold a disproportionately large amount of the world’s species and genetic diversity. At the same time, these ecosystems and species are under threat from human activities. To contribute to halting this biodiversity decline, a new task force of the IUCN Species […]

05 May 2022

Humanity’s modification of the water cycle has pushed the world further beyond a safe operating space for continued life on Earth, say scientists. A reassessment of the planetary boundary for freshwater that now includes rainfall, soil moisture and evaporation — so-called “green water” — found the boundary to be “considerably transgressed,” with the situation likely to worsen […]

13 Apr 2022

A new study in the journal Chemosphere studies the effects of polystyrene beads on three freshwater species. The study expands the knowledge on the acute, chronic, and subchronic effects of MP polystyrene beads (PS-MP, size 1.0 µm) on three species of the freshwater chain. These species are the green alga Raphidocelis subcapitata, the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus, the cladoceran crustacean Ceriodaphnia […]

19 Oct 2021

Climate change poses a major threat to global biodiversity, yet fresh-water fish have been largely overlooked in climate-change assessments. This study presents a comprehensive appraisal of the threat from potential climate extremes, covering both water flow and temperature, to the world’s fresh-water fish. The results highlight a need to intensify national and international commitments to […]

10 Jul 2019

Thanks to Jan Brooke for this: The Environmental Audit Committee continues its inquiry into invasive species looking at invasive species in freshwater environments and prevention mechanisms, rapid response efforts and the control of invasive species. Watch Parliament TV: Invasive species Inquiry: Invasive species Environmental Audit Committee Witnesses Tuesday 25 June 2019, Committee Room 16, Palace […]

17 Apr 2018

Thanks to Fiona Bowles: There is the new Natural England report on generating more integrated biodiversity objectives which includes open freshwater habitats. It has some interesting facts about freshwater habitats, including 70% of river length is headwater stream and that 895 invertebrate species may be associated with running water, and identifies desirable management to restore naturalness […]