https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2022.2139
Towards ecological flows: status of the benthic macroinvertebrate community during summer low-flow periods in a regulated lowland river
Submitted: 31 March 2023
Accepted: 3 May 2023
Published: 22 May 2023
Accepted: 3 May 2023
Abstract Views: 1380
PDF: 179
HTML: 7
HTML: 7
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Climate change along with the increasing exploitation of water resources exacerbates low-flow periods, causing detrimental effects on riverine communities. The main mitigation measure currently adopted to counteract hydrological alterations induced by off-stream diversion is the release of minimum flows (MFs), even if within the European Union Water Framework Directive an upgrade towards ecological flows is urgently required to achieve good ecological status (GES). In this study, we investigated the temporal evolution of the benthic macroinvertebrate community in an Italian-regulated lowland river (Ticino River) to clarify the ecological effects of summer low flows, and we evaluated the current MFs in the perspective of meeting GES standard. Biomonitoring was carried out for four consecutive years (2019-2022), in a river site immediately below a large off-stream diversion. The four study years were characterized by different streamflow patterns, thus allowing us to compare the temporal trajectories of the community under different flow conditions. Moreover, the interruption of the low-flow periods due to overflow spilled by the upstream dam gave us the opportunity to assess the effects of experimental flow peaks. Contrary to the expectation, the macroinvertebrate assemblage kept almost unvaried across the years, showing great resistance and resilience to hydrological changes. Even in extraordinarily dry 2022, the community composition varied only slightly, with a reduction of mayflies and an increase of mollusks. However, a deterioration of the ecological status below GES standard was recorded that summer, indicating the need for an upgrading of the current MFs. This upgrade would include experimental flow peaks in critical periods, which act as intermediate disturbances, enhancing community richness, diversity, and overall quality, as well as compliance with a threshold of an index specifically developed for the hydrological pressure.
Acreman M, 2016. Environmental flows-basics for novices. WIREs Water 3:622-628.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1160
Amraoui N, Sbai MA, Stollsteiner P, 2019. Assessment of climate change impacts on water resources in the Somme River basin (France). Water Resour Manag 33:2073-2092.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-019-02230-x
Buffagni A, Erba S, 2007a. Intercalibrazione e classificazione di qualità ecologica dei fiumi per la 2000/60/EC (WFD): l’indice STAR-ICMi. IRSA-CNR Notiziario dei metodi analitici 1:94-100.
Buffagni A, Erba S, 2007b. Macroinvertebrati acquatici e Direttiva 2000/60/EC (WFD) – Parte A. Metodo di campionamento per i fiumi guadabili. IRSA-CNR Notiziario dei metodi analitici 1:2-27.
Bunn SE, Arthington AH, 2002. Basic principles and ecological consequences of altered flow regimes for aquatic biodiversity. Environ Manag 30:492-507.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-002-2737-0
Dewson ZS, James ABW, Death RG, 2007. Invertebrate community response to experimentally reduced discharge in small streams of different water quality. J N Am Benthol Soc 26:754-756.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1899/07-003R.1
Dolédec S, Simon L, Blemus J, Rigal A, Robin J, Mermillod-Blondin F, 2021. Multiple stressors shape invertebrate assemblages and reduce their trophic niche: A case study in a regulated stream. Sci Total Environ 773:145061.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145061
Doretto A, Bona F, Falasco E, Morandini D, Piano E, Fenoglio S, 2020. Stay with the flow: How macroinvertebrate communities recover during the rewetting phase in Alpine streams affected by an exceptional drought. River Res Appl 36:91-101.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3563
Espa P, Petaccia G, Servanzi L, Sibilla S, 2022. Juvenile fish stranding induced by upstream gate operation: A risk assessment through eco-hydraulic modeling. Ecol Eng 183:106753.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2022.106753
Fornaroli R, Calabrese S, Marazzi F, Zaupa S, Mezzanotte V, 2019. The influence of multiple controls on structural and functional characteristics of macroinvertebrate community in a regulated Alpine river. Ecohydrology 12:e2069.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2069
Grill G, Lehner B, Thieme M, Geenen B, Tickner F, Antonelli F, Babu S, et al., 2019. Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers. Nature 569:215-221.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9
Guareschi S, Laini A, Racchetti E, Bo T, Fenoglio S, Bartoli M, 2012. How hydromorphological constraints and regulated flows govern macroinvertebrate communities along an entire lowland river? Ecohydrology 7:366-377.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.1354
Laini A, Viaroli P, Bolpagni R, Cancellario T, Racchetti E, Guareschi S, 2019. Taxonomic and functional responses of benthic macroinvertebrate communities to hydrological and water quality variations in a heavily regulated river. Water 11:1478.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071478
Laini A, Burgazzi G, Chadd R, England J, Tziortzis I, Ventrucci M, et al., 2022a. Using invertebrate functional traits to improve flow variability assessment within European rivers. Sci Total Environ 832:155047.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155047
Laini A, Guareschi S, Bolpagni R, Burgazzi G, Bruno D, Gutiérrez-Cánovas C, Miranda R, Mondy C, Várbíró G, Cancellario T, 2022b.
biomonitoR: an R package for managing ecological data and calculating biomonitoring indices. PeerJ 10:e14183.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14183
Larsen S, Bruno MC, Zolezzi G, 2019. WFD ecological status indicator shows poor correlation with flow parameters in a large Alpine catchment. Ecol Indic 98:704-711.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.11.047
Le Quesne T, Kendy E, Weston D, 2010. The implementation challenge. Taking stock of government policies to protect and restore environmental flows. WWF and TNC. Available from: https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?196955/The-Implementation--Challenge---Taking-stock-of-government-policies-to-protect-and-restore-environmental-flows
Leitner P, Borgwardt F, Birk S, Graf W, 2021. Multiple stressor effects on benthic macroinvertebrates in very large European rivers–A typology-based evaluation of faunal responses as a basis for future bioassessment. Sci Total Environ 756:143472.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143472
Moccia D, Salvadori L, Ferrari S, Carucci A, Pusceddu A, 2020. Implementation of the EU ecological flow policy in Italy with a focus on Sardinia. Adv Ocean Limnol 11:8781.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/aiol.2020.8781
Ogbeibu AE, Oribhabor BJ, 2002. Ecological impact of river impoundments using benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators. Water Res 36:2427-2436.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(01)00489-4
Palmer M, Ruhi A, 2019. Linkages between flow regime, biota, and ecosystem processes: Implications for river restoration. Science 365:eaaw2087.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw2087
Pham HV, Torresan S, Critto A, Marcomini A, 2019. Alteration of freshwater ecosystem services under global change – A review focusing on the Po River basin (Italy) and the Red River basin (Vietnam). Sci Total Environ 652:1347-1365.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.303
Piano E, Doretto A, Falasco E, Fenoglio S, Gruppuso L, Nizzoli D, et al., 2019a. If Alpine streams run dry: the drought memory of benthic communities. Aquat Sci 81:1-4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-019-0629-0
Piano E, Doretto A, Falasco E, Gruppuso L, Fenoglio S, Bona F, 2019b. The role of recurrent dewatering events in shaping ecological niches of scrapers in intermittent Alpine streams. Hydrobiologia 841:177-89.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-019-04021-2
Pletterbauer F, Melcher A, Graf W, 2018. Climate change impacts in riverine ecosystems. Riverine ecosystem management. Aquat Ecol 8:203-223.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73250-3_11
Poff NL, 2018. Beyond the natural flow regime? Broadening the hydro-ecological foundation to meet environmental flows challenges in a non-stationary world. Freshwater Biol 63:1011-1021.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.13038
Poff NL, Allan JD, Bain MB, Karr JR, Prestegaard KL, Richter BD, Sparks RE, Stromberg JC, 1997. The natural flow regime. BioScience 47:769-784.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1313099
Poff NL, Matthews JH, 2013. Environmental flows in the Anthropocence: Past progress and future prospects. Curr Opin Env Sust 5:667-675.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2013.11.006
Poff NL, Zimmerman JKH, 2010. Ecological responses to altered flow regimes: A literature review to inform the science and management of environmental flows. Freshwater Biol 55:194-205.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2009.02272.x
Pyšek P, Hulme PE, Simberloff D, Bacher S, Blackburn TM, Carlton JT, et al., 2020. Scientists' warning on invasive alien species. Biol Rev 95:1511-1534.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12627
Racchetti E, Salmaso F, Pinardi M, Quadroni S, Soana E, Sacchi E, et al., 2019. Is flood irrigation a potential driver of river-groundwater interactions and diffuse nitrate pollution in agricultural watersheds? Water 11:2304.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w11112304
Rolls RJ, Heino J, Ryder DS, Chessman BC, Growns IO, Thompson RM, Gido KB, 2018. Scaling biodiversity responses to hydrological regimes. Biol Rev 93:971-995.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12381
Quadroni S, Crosa G, Gentili G, Espa P, 2017. Response of stream benthic macroinvertebrates to current water management in Alpine catchments massively developed for hydropower. Sci Total Environ 609:484-496.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.099
Quadroni S, Salmaso F, Gentili G, Crosa G, Espa P, 2021. Response of benthic macroinvertebrates to different hydropower off-stream diversion schemes. Ecohydrology 14:e2267.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2267
Richter B, Baumgartner J, Wigington R, Braun D, 1997. How much water does a river need? Freshwater Biol 37:231-249.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2427.1997.00153.x
Robinson CT, 2012. Long-term changes in community assembly, resistance, and resilience following experimental floods. Ecol Appl 22:1949-1961.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1042.1
Salmaso F, Crosa G, Espa P, Gentili G, Quadroni S, Zaccara S, 2018. Benthic macroinvertebrate response to water management in a lowland river: Effects of hydro-power vs irrigation off-strem diversions. Environ Monit Assess 190:33.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6390-8
Salmaso F, Crosa G, Espa P, Quadroni S, 2021. Climate change and water exploitation as co-impact sources on river benthic macroinvertebrates. Water 13:1-19.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w13192778
Salmaso F, Quadroni S, Gentili G, Crosa G, 2017. Thermal regime of a highly regulated Italian river (Ticino River) and implications for aquatic communities. J Limnol 76:1437.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2016.1437
Shipley JR, Twining CW, Mathieu-Resuge M, Parmar TP, Kainz M, Martin-Creuzburg D, et al., 2022. Climate change shifts the timing of nutritional flux from aquatic insects. Curr Biol 32:1342-1349.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.01.057
Tachet H, Richoux P, Bournaud M, Usseglio-Polatera P, 2010. Invertébrés d’eau douce: Systématique, biologie, écologie, édition revue et augmentée. CNRS EDITIONS, Paris.
Tharme RE, 2000. An overview of environmental flow methodologies, with particular reference to South Africa, p.15-40. In: J.M. King, R.E. Tharme and M.S. De Villiers (eds.), Environmental Flow Assessments for Rivers: Manual for the Building Block Methodology. Water Research Commission Technology Transfer Report No. TT131/00. Water Research Commission: Pretoria.
Tickner D, Opperman JJ, Abell R, Acreman M, Arthington AH, Bunn SE, et al., 2020. Bending the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss: an emergency recovery plan. BioScience 70:330-342.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa002
Tramblay Y, Koutroulis A, Samaniego L, Vicente-Serrano SM, Volaire F, Boone A, et al., 2020. Challenges for drought assessment in the Mediterranean region under future climate scenarios. Earth-Sci Rev 210:103348.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103348
WFD CIS, 2015. CIS Guidance Document No. 31/2015 - Ecological flows in the implementation of the water framework directive. Technical Report, vol. 2015-086. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
White JC, Hannah DM, House A, Beatson SJV, Martin A, Wood PJ, 2017. Macroinvertebrate responses to flow and stream temperature variability across regulated and non-regulated rivers. Ecohydrology 10:e1773.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.1773
Wu H, Johnson BR, 2019. Climate change will both exacerbate and attenuate urbanization impacts on streamflow regimes in southern Willamette Valley, Oregon. River Res Appl 35:818-832.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3454
How to Cite
Quadroni, Silvia, Alex Laini, Francesca Salmaso, Livia Servanzi, Gaetano Gentili, Serena Zaccara, Paolo Espa, and Giuseppe Crosa. 2023. “Towards Ecological Flows: Status of the Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community During Summer Low-Flow Periods in a Regulated Lowland River”. Journal of Limnology 81 (s2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2022.2139.
Copyright (c) 2023 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Similar Articles
- Jianming Deng, Yunlin Zhang, Boqiang Qin, Xiaolong Yao, Yubing Deng, Trends of publications related to climate change and lake research from 1991 to 2015 , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 76 No. 3 (2017)
- Muhammed Shikhani, Chenxi Mi, Artur Gevorgyan, Gor Gevorgyan, Amalya Misakyan, Levon Azizyan, Klemens Barfus, Martin Schulze, Tom Shatwell, Karsten Rinke, Simulating thermal dynamics of the largest lake in the Caucasus region: The mountain Lake Sevan , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 81 No. s1 (2022): Lake Sevan. Past, present, and future state of a unique alpine lake
- Luciana Cibils Martina, Romina Principe, Noemí Gari, Effect of a dam on epilithic algal communities of a mountain stream: before-after dam construction comparison , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 72 No. 1 (2013)
- Stefan Weinberger, Mark Vetter, Lake heat content and stability variation due to climate change: coupled regional climate model (REMO)-lake model (DYRESM) analysis , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 73 No. 1 (2014)
- Xiangyu Mu, James Brower, Donald I. Siegel, Anthony J. Fiorentino II, Shuqing An, Ying Cai, Delin Xu, Hao Jiang, Using integrated multivariate statistics to assess the hydrochemistry of surface water quality, Lake Taihu basin, China , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 74 No. 2 (2015)
- Luigi Hinegk, Luca Adami, Sebastiano Piccolroaz, Marina Amadori, Marcello Moretti, Marco Tubino, Marco Toffolon, Multidecadal analysis of Lake Garda water balance , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 82 (2023)
- Edyta Buczyńska, Stanisław Czachorowski, Paweł Buczyński, Joanna Pakulnicka, Edyta Stępień, Agnieszka Szlauer-Łukaszewska, Robert Stryjecki, Andrzej Zawal, Environmental heterogeneity at different scales: key factors affecting caddisfly larvae assemblages in standing waters within a lowland river catchment , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 76 No. 2 (2017)
- Francesca Salmaso, Silvia Quadroni, Gaetano Gentili, Giuseppe Crosa, Thermal regime of a highly regulated Italian river (Ticino River) and implications for aquatic communities , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 76 No. 1 (2017)
- Claire Archer, Paula Noble, David Kreamer, Vincenzo Piscopo, Marco Petitta, Michael R. Rosen, Simon R. Poulson, Gianluca Piovesan, Scott Mensing, Hydrochemical determination of source water contributions to Lake Lungo and Lake Ripasottile (central Italy) , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 76 No. 2 (2017)
- Jordi Prats, Marie-José Salençon, Magali Gant, Pierre-Alain Danis, Simulation of the hydrodynamic behaviour of a Mediterranean reservoir under different climate change and management scenarios , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 77 No. 1 (2018)
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
List of Cited By :
