| Abstract | Non-perennial rivers and streams (NPRS) cover > 50% of the global river network. They are particularly predominant in Mediterranean Europe as a result of dry climate conditions, climate change and land use development. Historically, both scientists and policy makers underestimated the importance of NRPS for nature and humans alike, mainly because they have been considered as systems of low ecological and economic value. During the past decades, diminishing water resources have increased the spatial and temporal extent of artificial NPRS as well as their exposure to multiple stressors, which threatening their ecological integrity, biodiversity and ecosystem services. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of the structural and functional characteristics of NPRS in the European Mediterranean, and discuss gaps and problems in their management, concerning their typology, ecological assessment, legislative and policy protection, and incorporation in River Basin Management Plans. Because NPRS comprise highly unstable ecosystems, with strong and often unpredictable temporal and spatial variability - at least as far as it is possible to assess - we outline the future research needs required to better understand, manage and conserve them as highly valuable and sensitive ecosystems. Efficient collaborative activities among multidisciplinary research groups aiming to create innovative knowledge, water managers and policy makers are urgently needed in order to establish an appropriate methodological and legislative background. The incorporation of NPRS in EU-Med River Basin Management Plans in combination with the application of ecological flows is a first step towards enhancing NPRS management and conservation in order to effectively safeguard these highly valuable albeit threatened ecosystems. |
| Text | 380132 2017 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.147 Scopus 2 s2.0 84995921637 ISI Web of Science WOS WOS 000390737400001 Non perennial temporary intermittent Non perennial Mediterranean rivers in Europe Status, pressures, and challenges for research and management Skoulikidis N.T.; Sabater S.; Datry T.; Morais M.M.; Buffagni A.; Dorflinger G.; Zogaris S.; del Mar Sanchez Montoya M.; Bonada N.; Kalogianni E.; Rosado J.; Vardakas L.; De Girolamo A.M.; Tockner K. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, 46.7 km Athens Sounion Ave., Anavyssos, Attica, 19013, , Greece; Catalan Institute for Water Research ICRA , Emili Grahit 101, Girona, 17003, , Spain; IRSTEA UR MALY centre de Lyon Villeurbanne, 5 rue de la Doua CS70077, Villeurbanne Cedex, FR 69626, , France; Dept. Biology, Institute of Earth Sciences ICT , University of Évora, Largo dos Colegiais, Évora, 7000, , Portugal; IRSA CNR, Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Rome, , , Italy; IRSA CNR, Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Rome, , , Italy; Water Development Department, 100 110 Kennenty Avenue, Pallouriotissa, Lefkosia, 1047, , Cyprus; Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Muggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, , Germany; Group de Recerca Freshwater Ecology and Management FEM , Departament d Ecologia, Facultat de Biologia, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat IRBio , Universitat de Barcelona UB , Diagonal 643, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08028, , Spain; Institute of Earth Sciences ICT , University of Évora, Largo dos Colegiais, Évora, 7000, , Portugal; GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, Girona, 17003, , Spain Non perennial rivers and streams NPRS cover > 50% of the global river network. They are particularly predominant in Mediterranean Europe as a result of dry climate conditions, climate change and land use development. Historically, both scientists and policy makers underestimated the importance of NRPS for nature and humans alike, mainly because they have been considered as systems of low ecological and economic value. During the past decades, diminishing water resources have increased the spatial and temporal extent of artificial NPRS as well as their exposure to multiple stressors, which threatening their ecological integrity, biodiversity and ecosystem services. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of the structural and functional characteristics of NPRS in the European Mediterranean, and discuss gaps and problems in their management, concerning their typology, ecological assessment, legislative and policy protection, and incorporation in River Basin Management Plans. Because NPRS comprise highly unstable ecosystems, with strong and often unpredictable temporal and spatial variability at least as far as it is possible to assess we outline the future research needs required to better understand, manage and conserve them as highly valuable and sensitive ecosystems. Efficient collaborative activities among multidisciplinary research groups aiming to create innovative knowledge, water managers and policy makers are urgently needed in order to establish an appropriate methodological and legislative background. The incorporation of NPRS in EU Med River Basin Management Plans in combination with the application of ecological flows is a first step towards enhancing NPRS management and conservation in order to effectively safeguard these highly valuable albeit threatened ecosystems. 577 Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 84995921637 origin=inward Non perennial Mediterranean rivers in Europe Status, pressures, and challenges for research and management Skoulikidiss_MEDtemp_2017.pdf Articolo in rivista Elsevier 0048 9697 Science of the total environment Science of the total environment Sci. total environ. andreastefano.buffagni BUFFAGNI ANDREA STEFANO annamaria.degirolamo DE GIROLAMO ANNA MARIA |
