In semi-arid environments, the effects of irregularly distributed rainfall, flow regulation and w... more In semi-arid environments, the effects of irregularly distributed rainfall, flow regulation and water inter-basin transfer enhance the spread of non-native fish to the detriment of native communities. In the River Segura, since the 1980s the number of non-native fish species has progressively increased, also because of the building of water transfer facility connecting the rivers Segura and Tajo. With the aim of highlighting how man-driven changes in the diversity of fish communities affect the diet of top-predators, we compared Eurasian otter Lutra lutra diet in the span of 20 years, i.e. 1997–98 vs. 2016–19. As habitat quality affects the condition of Andalusian barbel Luciobarbus sclateri, the most widespread native fish, we also compared the size of preyed barbels to point out whether human activities may have lowered their profitability to otters. Fish and introduced red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii formed the bulk of otter diet in both study periods. In 2016–19 the contr...
Catchment urbanisation results in urban streams being exposed to a multitude of stressors. Notabl... more Catchment urbanisation results in urban streams being exposed to a multitude of stressors. Notably, stressors originating from diffuse sources have received less attention than stressors originating from point sources. Here, advances related to diffuse urban stressors and their consequences for stream benthic communities are summarised by reviewing 92 articles. Based on the search criteria, the number of articles dealing with diffuse urban stressors in streams has been increasing, and most of them focused on North America, Europe, and China. Land use was the most common measure used to characterize diffuse stressor sources in urban streams (70.7 % of the articles characterised land use), and chemical stressors (inorganic nutrients, xenobiotics, metals, and water properties, including pH and conductivity) were more frequently reported than physical or biological stressors. A total of 53.3 % of the articles addressed the impact of urban stressors on macroinvertebrates, while 35.9 % fo...
Riparian vegetation supports high biodiversity providing many services and is, therefore, an impo... more Riparian vegetation supports high biodiversity providing many services and is, therefore, an important landscape element. Riparian ecosystems are subject to numerous pressures leading to population decline and genetic erosion of riparian plants. This may have cascading effects at various ecosystem levels, including decreasing ecosystem services, so identifying the current status of genetic diversity of riparian tree species is vital to improve the effectiveness of restoration efforts. We aimed to elicit expert views on the status and importance of genetic diversity of tree species, and conservation needs across European riparian ecosystems. Sharing of such information among researchers, managers and policymakers has the potential to enhance ecological restoration and management of riparian ecosystems. We identified experts in riparian genetic resources conservation and management across Europe. These included stakeholders with different perspectives, ranging from researchers to prac...
1. Riparian zones are vital areas of interaction between land and rivers and are often degraded b... more 1. Riparian zones are vital areas of interaction between land and rivers and are often degraded by several pressures such as urbanisation, intensive agriculture and river engineering works. 2. This policy brief provides five key policy messages and recommendations to be considered by policy-makers, scientists, managers, and stakeholders to enhance riparian zone management. 3. Adopting an integrated socio-economic and environmentally dynamic view will ensure the sustainable management of riparian zones. 4. In light of climate change, it is critically important to conserve and/or restore the ecological integrity of riparian zones. 5. European Union Directives and national-scale legislation and regulations need updating to ensure coordinated implementation of riparian zone-related policies. 6. Stakeholder knowledge exchange, policy co-creation and adaptive management are key to enhancing riparian zone functions.
Resumen: Se han estudiado las comunidades de coleopteros acuaticos de los 71 humedales designados... more Resumen: Se han estudiado las comunidades de coleopteros acuaticos de los 71 humedales designados como “Humedales Ram-sar” de Espana peninsular. Ademas, se ha disenado y aplicado el indice ICC (Interes de Conservacion basado en Coleopteros) que utiliza criterios de riqueza, grado de endemicidad, vulnerabilidad y el valor indicador de las especies para evaluar el interes de conservacion de estos humedales. Se han registrado un total de 305 especies de coleopteros acuaticos, lo que supone cerca del 62% del total de especies peninsulares. Los humedales Ramsar con mayor interes de conservacion son: Donana, la Laguna de Gallocanta, el Parque Nacional de Aiguestortes i Estany de SantMaurici, los Humedales del Macizo de Penalara y la Laguna de Pi-tillas. Los resultados completos de este estudio estan disponibles como Monografia electronica S.E.A. Para cada humedal Ram-sar, se presenta una ficha donde ademas del listado de coleopteros acuaticos, aparece la informacion biologica y ambiental ...
Running waters in Mediterranean regions are strongly regulated by dams, which produce significant... more Running waters in Mediterranean regions are strongly regulated by dams, which produce significant alterations to natural flow regimes. Climate change will reduce discharge and increase flow intermittence in Mediterranean streams, which will lead to an intensified flow regulation to meet water demands. Very little is known about how the functional features of aquatic communities vary along combined anthropogenic flow alteration and natural intermittence gradients. As intermittent streams are subjected to natural stress (droughts and flash floods), the flow regime alteration effect may differ from that observed in perennial rivers. Consequently, studies that aim to determine the effects of flow regulation on the functioning of aquatic communities in a global change context are crucial. By applying linear mixed‐effect models and null models to the macroinvertebrate communities from 65 stream sites in the Segura River Basin (south‐east Spain), we assessed the separate effects of natural...
Riparian zones are the paragon of transitional ecosystems, providing critical habitat and ecosyst... more Riparian zones are the paragon of transitional ecosystems, providing critical habitat and ecosystem services that are especially threatened by global change. Following consultation with experts, 10 key challenges were identified to be addressed for riparian vegetation science and management improvement: (1) Create a distinct scientific community by establishing stronger bridges between disciplines; (2) Make riparian vegetation more visible and appreciated in society and policies; (3) Improve knowledge regarding biodiversity—ecosystem functioning links; (4) Manage spatial scale and context‐based issues; (5) Improve knowledge on social dimensions of riparian vegetation; (6) Anticipate responses to emergent issues and future trajectories; (7) Enhance tools to quantify and prioritize ecosystem services; (8) Improve numerical modeling and simulation tools; (9) Calibrate methods and increase data availability for better indicators and monitoring practices and transferability; and (10) Und...
Fluvial riparian vegetation (RV) links fluvial and terrestrial ecosystems. It is under significan... more Fluvial riparian vegetation (RV) links fluvial and terrestrial ecosystems. It is under significant pressure from anthropogenic activities, and, therefore, the management and restoration of RV are increasingly important worldwide. RV has been investigated from different perspectives, so knowledge on its structure and function is widely distributed. An important step forward is to convert existing knowledge into an overview easily accessible—for example, for use in decision-making and management. We aim to provide an overview of ecosystem services provided by RV by adopting a structured approach to identify the ecosystem services, describe their characteristics, and rank the importance of each service. We evaluate each service within four main riparian vegetation types adopting a global perspective to derive a broad concept. Subsequently, we introduce a guided framework for use in RV management based on our structured approach. We also identify knowledge gaps and evaluate the opportun...
Invasive species are among the top five causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Arundo donax has p... more Invasive species are among the top five causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Arundo donax has progressively colonized the riparian zones of Mediterranean rivers with detrimental effects on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, being catalogued as one of the 100 worst invasive species. In order to control this invasive species and restore native riparian vegetation, different methods have been traditionally used, depending on the environmental, economic and social context. Here, the effect of repeated above-ground removal of A. donax on aquatic and terrestrial communities was assessed by testing two different frequencies of mowing (monthly-intensive and quarterly-extensive), combined with the plantation of native species. Specifically, it was evaluated if riparian vegetation, birds and aquatic macroinvertebrates showed significant responses throughout time and between restoration treatments based on 4-year annual biomonitoring data (2015–2018). Changes in taxonomic diversity and ec...
In semi-arid environments, the effects of irregularly distributed rainfall, flow regulation and w... more In semi-arid environments, the effects of irregularly distributed rainfall, flow regulation and water inter-basin transfer enhance the spread of non-native fish to the detriment of native communities. In the River Segura, since the 1980s the number of non-native fish species has progressively increased, also because of the building of water transfer facility connecting the rivers Segura and Tajo. With the aim of highlighting how man-driven changes in the diversity of fish communities affect the diet of top-predators, we compared Eurasian otter Lutra lutra diet in the span of 20 years, i.e. 1997–98 vs. 2016–19. As habitat quality affects the condition of Andalusian barbel Luciobarbus sclateri, the most widespread native fish, we also compared the size of preyed barbels to point out whether human activities may have lowered their profitability to otters. Fish and introduced red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii formed the bulk of otter diet in both study periods. In 2016–19 the contr...
Catchment urbanisation results in urban streams being exposed to a multitude of stressors. Notabl... more Catchment urbanisation results in urban streams being exposed to a multitude of stressors. Notably, stressors originating from diffuse sources have received less attention than stressors originating from point sources. Here, advances related to diffuse urban stressors and their consequences for stream benthic communities are summarised by reviewing 92 articles. Based on the search criteria, the number of articles dealing with diffuse urban stressors in streams has been increasing, and most of them focused on North America, Europe, and China. Land use was the most common measure used to characterize diffuse stressor sources in urban streams (70.7 % of the articles characterised land use), and chemical stressors (inorganic nutrients, xenobiotics, metals, and water properties, including pH and conductivity) were more frequently reported than physical or biological stressors. A total of 53.3 % of the articles addressed the impact of urban stressors on macroinvertebrates, while 35.9 % fo...
Riparian vegetation supports high biodiversity providing many services and is, therefore, an impo... more Riparian vegetation supports high biodiversity providing many services and is, therefore, an important landscape element. Riparian ecosystems are subject to numerous pressures leading to population decline and genetic erosion of riparian plants. This may have cascading effects at various ecosystem levels, including decreasing ecosystem services, so identifying the current status of genetic diversity of riparian tree species is vital to improve the effectiveness of restoration efforts. We aimed to elicit expert views on the status and importance of genetic diversity of tree species, and conservation needs across European riparian ecosystems. Sharing of such information among researchers, managers and policymakers has the potential to enhance ecological restoration and management of riparian ecosystems. We identified experts in riparian genetic resources conservation and management across Europe. These included stakeholders with different perspectives, ranging from researchers to prac...
1. Riparian zones are vital areas of interaction between land and rivers and are often degraded b... more 1. Riparian zones are vital areas of interaction between land and rivers and are often degraded by several pressures such as urbanisation, intensive agriculture and river engineering works. 2. This policy brief provides five key policy messages and recommendations to be considered by policy-makers, scientists, managers, and stakeholders to enhance riparian zone management. 3. Adopting an integrated socio-economic and environmentally dynamic view will ensure the sustainable management of riparian zones. 4. In light of climate change, it is critically important to conserve and/or restore the ecological integrity of riparian zones. 5. European Union Directives and national-scale legislation and regulations need updating to ensure coordinated implementation of riparian zone-related policies. 6. Stakeholder knowledge exchange, policy co-creation and adaptive management are key to enhancing riparian zone functions.
Resumen: Se han estudiado las comunidades de coleopteros acuaticos de los 71 humedales designados... more Resumen: Se han estudiado las comunidades de coleopteros acuaticos de los 71 humedales designados como “Humedales Ram-sar” de Espana peninsular. Ademas, se ha disenado y aplicado el indice ICC (Interes de Conservacion basado en Coleopteros) que utiliza criterios de riqueza, grado de endemicidad, vulnerabilidad y el valor indicador de las especies para evaluar el interes de conservacion de estos humedales. Se han registrado un total de 305 especies de coleopteros acuaticos, lo que supone cerca del 62% del total de especies peninsulares. Los humedales Ramsar con mayor interes de conservacion son: Donana, la Laguna de Gallocanta, el Parque Nacional de Aiguestortes i Estany de SantMaurici, los Humedales del Macizo de Penalara y la Laguna de Pi-tillas. Los resultados completos de este estudio estan disponibles como Monografia electronica S.E.A. Para cada humedal Ram-sar, se presenta una ficha donde ademas del listado de coleopteros acuaticos, aparece la informacion biologica y ambiental ...
Running waters in Mediterranean regions are strongly regulated by dams, which produce significant... more Running waters in Mediterranean regions are strongly regulated by dams, which produce significant alterations to natural flow regimes. Climate change will reduce discharge and increase flow intermittence in Mediterranean streams, which will lead to an intensified flow regulation to meet water demands. Very little is known about how the functional features of aquatic communities vary along combined anthropogenic flow alteration and natural intermittence gradients. As intermittent streams are subjected to natural stress (droughts and flash floods), the flow regime alteration effect may differ from that observed in perennial rivers. Consequently, studies that aim to determine the effects of flow regulation on the functioning of aquatic communities in a global change context are crucial. By applying linear mixed‐effect models and null models to the macroinvertebrate communities from 65 stream sites in the Segura River Basin (south‐east Spain), we assessed the separate effects of natural...
Riparian zones are the paragon of transitional ecosystems, providing critical habitat and ecosyst... more Riparian zones are the paragon of transitional ecosystems, providing critical habitat and ecosystem services that are especially threatened by global change. Following consultation with experts, 10 key challenges were identified to be addressed for riparian vegetation science and management improvement: (1) Create a distinct scientific community by establishing stronger bridges between disciplines; (2) Make riparian vegetation more visible and appreciated in society and policies; (3) Improve knowledge regarding biodiversity—ecosystem functioning links; (4) Manage spatial scale and context‐based issues; (5) Improve knowledge on social dimensions of riparian vegetation; (6) Anticipate responses to emergent issues and future trajectories; (7) Enhance tools to quantify and prioritize ecosystem services; (8) Improve numerical modeling and simulation tools; (9) Calibrate methods and increase data availability for better indicators and monitoring practices and transferability; and (10) Und...
Fluvial riparian vegetation (RV) links fluvial and terrestrial ecosystems. It is under significan... more Fluvial riparian vegetation (RV) links fluvial and terrestrial ecosystems. It is under significant pressure from anthropogenic activities, and, therefore, the management and restoration of RV are increasingly important worldwide. RV has been investigated from different perspectives, so knowledge on its structure and function is widely distributed. An important step forward is to convert existing knowledge into an overview easily accessible—for example, for use in decision-making and management. We aim to provide an overview of ecosystem services provided by RV by adopting a structured approach to identify the ecosystem services, describe their characteristics, and rank the importance of each service. We evaluate each service within four main riparian vegetation types adopting a global perspective to derive a broad concept. Subsequently, we introduce a guided framework for use in RV management based on our structured approach. We also identify knowledge gaps and evaluate the opportun...
Invasive species are among the top five causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Arundo donax has p... more Invasive species are among the top five causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Arundo donax has progressively colonized the riparian zones of Mediterranean rivers with detrimental effects on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, being catalogued as one of the 100 worst invasive species. In order to control this invasive species and restore native riparian vegetation, different methods have been traditionally used, depending on the environmental, economic and social context. Here, the effect of repeated above-ground removal of A. donax on aquatic and terrestrial communities was assessed by testing two different frequencies of mowing (monthly-intensive and quarterly-extensive), combined with the plantation of native species. Specifically, it was evaluated if riparian vegetation, birds and aquatic macroinvertebrates showed significant responses throughout time and between restoration treatments based on 4-year annual biomonitoring data (2015–2018). Changes in taxonomic diversity and ec...
"The Segura River Basin is one of the most arid and regulated zones in the Mediterranean as well ... more "The Segura River Basin is one of the most arid and regulated zones in the Mediterranean as well as Europe that includes four hydrologic river types, according to their natural flow regime: main stem rivers, stable streams, seasonal streams and temporary streams. The relationships between flow regime and fluvial and
riparian habitats were studied at reference and hydrologically altered sites for each of the four types. Flow regime alteration was assessed using two procedures: (1) an indirect index, derived from variables associated with the main hydrologic pressures in the basin, and (2) reference and altered flow series analyses
using the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) and the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration in Rivers (IAHRIS). Habitats were characterized using the River Habitat Survey (RHS) and its derived Habitat Quality Assessment (HQA) score, whereas riparian condition was assessed using the Riparian Quality Index
(RQI) and an inventory of riparian native/exotic species. Flow stability and magnitude were identified as the main hydrologic drivers of the stream habitats in the Segura Basin. Hydrologic alterations were similar to those described in other Mediterranean arid and semiarid areas where dams have reduced flow magnitude and variability and produced the inversion of seasonal patterns. Additionally, the Segura Basin presented two general trends: an increase in flow torrentiality in main stems and an increase in
temporality in seasonal and temporary streams. With the indirect alteration index, main stems presented the highest degree of hydrologic alteration, which resulted in larger channel dimensions and less macrophytes and mesohabitats. However, according to the hydrologic analyses, the seasonal streams presented the greatest alteration, which was supported by the numerous changes in habitat features. These changes were associated with a larger proportion of uniform banktop vegetation as well as reduced riparian native plant richness and mesohabitat density. Both stream types presented consequent reductions in habitat
and riparian quality as the degree of alteration increased. However, stable streams, those least impacted in the basin, and temporary streams, which are subject to great hydrologic stress in reference conditions, showed fewer changes in physical habitat due to hydrologic alteration. This study clarifies the relationships between hydrologic regime and physical habitat in Mediterranean basins. The hydrologic and habitat indicators that respond to human pressures and the thresholds that imply relevant changes in habitat and riparian quality presented here will play a fundamental role in the use of holistic frameworks when developing environmental flows on a regional scale."
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riparian habitats were studied at reference and hydrologically altered sites for each of the four types. Flow regime alteration was assessed using two procedures: (1) an indirect index, derived from variables associated with the main hydrologic pressures in the basin, and (2) reference and altered flow series analyses
using the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) and the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration in Rivers (IAHRIS). Habitats were characterized using the River Habitat Survey (RHS) and its derived Habitat Quality Assessment (HQA) score, whereas riparian condition was assessed using the Riparian Quality Index
(RQI) and an inventory of riparian native/exotic species. Flow stability and magnitude were identified as the main hydrologic drivers of the stream habitats in the Segura Basin. Hydrologic alterations were similar to those described in other Mediterranean arid and semiarid areas where dams have reduced flow magnitude and variability and produced the inversion of seasonal patterns. Additionally, the Segura Basin presented two general trends: an increase in flow torrentiality in main stems and an increase in
temporality in seasonal and temporary streams. With the indirect alteration index, main stems presented the highest degree of hydrologic alteration, which resulted in larger channel dimensions and less macrophytes and mesohabitats. However, according to the hydrologic analyses, the seasonal streams presented the greatest alteration, which was supported by the numerous changes in habitat features. These changes were associated with a larger proportion of uniform banktop vegetation as well as reduced riparian native plant richness and mesohabitat density. Both stream types presented consequent reductions in habitat
and riparian quality as the degree of alteration increased. However, stable streams, those least impacted in the basin, and temporary streams, which are subject to great hydrologic stress in reference conditions, showed fewer changes in physical habitat due to hydrologic alteration. This study clarifies the relationships between hydrologic regime and physical habitat in Mediterranean basins. The hydrologic and habitat indicators that respond to human pressures and the thresholds that imply relevant changes in habitat and riparian quality presented here will play a fundamental role in the use of holistic frameworks when developing environmental flows on a regional scale."