Freshwater Biological Association

Physical habitat and hydromorphological processes are fundamental to river ecosystem functioning and essential for restoring rivers subjected to multiple stressors. Extensive loss and damage to river and floodplain habitats caused by centuries of industrial, agricultural and urban development are preventing many rivers from achieving good ecological status even in places where water quality has improved. Restoration of river health and long-term resilience cannot be achieved without the foundation of good hydromorphological condition. Despite this, assessment of river health continues to be dominated by water quality monitoring. This imbalance has been exacerbated by increased public anger about serious pollution incidents, prompting an upsurge in environmentalist democracy, often led by activists participating as ‘citizen scientists’ (CS) at a local scale. Compared to chemical and biological water quality monitoring, assessment of physical habitat and hydromorphological quality is difficult and complex and the legal basis for monitoring is weak, resulting in low public awareness. Moreover, hydromorphology is not widely promoted in education, and professional expertise is scarce. We consider how CS volunteers might contribute to survey and assessment of physical habitat, proposing credibility and fitness-for-purpose tests for this activity. Reliable field data collection and valid interpretation are dependent on purpose and end use, deployed through appropriate survey design, sampling strategy, training and quality control protocols. Flexibility in the level of technical competence required for different types of field survey, allows carefully focused CS participation, although substantial professional input is required to ensure scientific and legal credibility. We recognise the invaluable advocacy role that CS volunteers can provide in raising public awareness and habitat restoration work at local level. A technical forum to address methodological validity, harmonisation of sampling effort, compatibility of data platforms and uptake of results would provide scientific credibility and build trust between professional river scientists and volunteers necessary for the effective deployment and uptake of CS surveys. Managed interaction would help to maximise efforts to restore rivers to full health in the context of building resilience for humans and biota under future rapid environmental change.

Oil palm cultivation and the conversion of tropical forests to pastures are impacting freshwater tropical systems. This study examines periphyton biomass, richness, diversity, and community composition in streams affected by forests, pastures, and oil palm plantations, with and without forest buffer strips. Streams shaded by forests or riparian buffers exhibited more canopy cover, lower water temperatures, and reduced light, while those in pastures and unbuffered plantations had higher periphyton biomass, indicated by elevated chlorophyll-a levels. Periphyton richness and diversity were higher in pasture streams compared to forested ones and streams through oil palm areas. Common periphyton taxa differed among stream depending of land cover. Streams in buffered and unbuffered palm plantations featured taxa such as Navicula and Gyrosigma, whereas pasture streams commonly included were characterized by genera such as Cymbella, and Gonatozygon, and forest stream communities featured Phormidium and Eunotia. Pasture streams displayed altered taxa richness and diversity compared to the other land uses. There were no significant differences in periphyton communities between the two oil palm cultivation types, indicating that conservation buffers may not effectively protect periphyton communities in these settings. This research highlights the need for further studies on the impacts of agricultural practices on aquatic primary producers.

La academia es un órgano técnico-pedagógico de análisis y asesoría formado por los profesores que imparten una o más asignaturas pertenecientes a uno o más programas académicos de la licenciatura en Biología de la UAEH, siempre que los contenidos programáticos guarden una relación afín o secuencial entre ellos. En la licenciatura en Biología de la UAEH existen cuatro academias: Biología experimental, Biología comparada, Ecología y recursos naturales, y Biología de organismos. En este caso particular, la academia de Biología de organismos fue establecida desde el año de 1999, y está conformada por 16 profesores-investigadores de tiempo completo y más de ocho profesores por asignatura; todos ellos especialistas en diferentes grupos de plantas, hongos y animales.

Abstract In fast‐flowing streams, caddisfly larvae are responsible for processes that collectively determine the efficiency with which the detritivore community is able to decompose autochthonous and allochthonous detritus. This ecosystem function ensures high water quality and represents a precious service for resident rural communities. The analysis of δ13C and δ15N in eight caddisfly taxa from a mid‐mountain stream evidenced a remarkable complementarity in their feeding preferences. An aquatic moth mimicking the caddis mode of life was also included in the survey and its feeding niche appeared to be in between the one of caddis taxa. Moderate niche overlap was interpreted in terms of low functional redundancy, implying that in case of a reduction in diversity, no taxon could be a perfect substitute for another, with a loss of functional efficiency. Low redundancy could be caused by niche segregation due to avoidance of competition/interference between taxa. The broad range of δ13C and δ15N described in this study warns against attributing single δ13C and δ15N to Trichoptera as a group, or even to single families. These results contribute to the still poorly known distribution of East African caddisflies and to the characterisation of feeding preferences of Afrotropical trichopteran larvae.

Abstract Sustainable management of lakes requires us to overcome ecological, economic, and social challenges. These challenges can be addressed by focusing on achieving ecological improvement within a multifaceted, co‐beneficial context. In‐lake restoration measures may promote more rapid ecosystem responses than is feasible with catchment measures alone, even if multiple interventions are needed. In particular, we identify restoration methods that support the overarching societal target of a circular economy through the use of nutrients, sediments, or biomass that are removed from a lake, in agriculture, as food, or for biogas production. In this emerging field of sustainable restoration techniques, we show examples, discuss benefits and pitfalls, and flag areas for further research and development. Each lake should be assessed individually to ensure that restoration approaches will effectively address lake‐specific problems, do not harm the target lake or downstream ecosystems, are cost‐effective, promote delivery of valuable ecosystem services, minimize conflicts in public interests, and eliminate the necessity for repeated interventions. Achieving optimal, sustainable results from lake restoration relies on multidisciplinary research and close interactions between environmental, social, political, and economic sectors.This article is categorized under: Science of Water > Water Quality Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness

ABSTRACT Integrated river science provides decision-making life-skills for individuals and communities facing environmental change; it is a variant of critical physical geography through its socio-political dimensions. As an example, the frequency and magnitude of river flooding are amplified by climate change: society needs to understand how to cope through learning, adaptative behaviour and planning. Choices should be informed by trusted science that can only be delivered by education, to avoid “knee jerk” post-hazard reactions. We examine curricula and resources in physical geography for England to judge if they make river science more pervasive and persuasive. Scales of causation and impact remain a central geographical focus. The concept of “place” is revitalized: environmental processes harnessed to improve resilience. Literacy and numeracy skills to communicate and predict need improving, to ensure that students understand problems sufficiently well to identify the best long-term, rigorously assessed options. Higher education has a hub role for empowering lay individuals, communities and professionals but the core learning principles need to be set at school. We conclude the current physical geography river science content is not fit for future needs, notably at A-Level. Weaknesses include naivety about river processes (water and sediment movement), arcane jargon, absence of a catchment-wide approach to river management, and inadequate links between disciplined fieldwork and databases. Contemporary community dimensions of social learning, argument and countering myths are also weakly developed.