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© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Simple Summary

In recent decades, the riverine ecosystems have been considered to evaluate the aquatic biological diversity, hydrological variations, and ecosystem services. However, climatic change scenarios and anthropogenic interventions are expected to shift from perennial to intermittent rivers with possible repercussion on aquatic biodiversity and human well-being. Our study identified a significant reduction in the Mediterranean intermittent river streamflow with an increase of zero flow days in the last decades. Furthermore, the aquatic invertebrates showed variations during the transition from drying to rewetting with a significantly changing species adapted to the flowing conditions (rheophilic taxa) to non-flowing water. The importance of the disconnected pools as refuges during the dry condition was recognised to protect some endemic species and contribute to the recolonisation after the rewetting events. Include these important aquatic ecosystems in management and conservancy policies is a challenge that will contribute to preserving the freshwater resources and the biological diversity for our future generations.

Abstract

Intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) are increasingly studied because of their often-unique aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, biogeochemical processes and associated ecosystem services. This study is the first to examine the hydrological, physicochemical and taxonomic variability during the dry-wet transition of an intermittent river in the Chilean Mediterranean Zone. Based on 30-years of river monitoring data and the TREHS tool, the hydrology of the river was characterised. Overall, the river shows a significant reduction in streamflow (−0.031 m3/s per year) and a substantial increase of zero flow days (+3.5 days per year). During the transition of hydrological states, variations were observed in the environmental conditions and invertebrate communities. During the drying phase, abundance, richness, and diversity were highest, while species turn-over was highest during base flow conditions. The disconnected pools and the flow resumption phases were characterised by high proportions of lentic taxa and non-insects, such as the endemic species of bivalves, gastropods, and crustaceans, highlighting the relevance of disconnected pools as refuges. Future climatic change scenarios are expected to impact further the hydrology of IRES, which could result in the loss of biodiversity. Biomonitoring and conservation programmes should acknowledge these important ecosystems.

Details

Title
Hydrological, Environmental and Taxonomical Heterogeneity during the Transition from Drying to Flowing Conditions in a Mediterranean Intermittent River
Author
Banegas-Medina, Andy 1 ; Montes, Isis-Yelena 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Tzoraki, Ourania 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Brendonck, Luc 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Pinceel, Tom 4 ; Diaz, Gustavo 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Arriagada, Pedro 6 ; Jose-Luis Arumi 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Pedreros, Pablo 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Figueroa, Ricardo 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Centre of Environmental Sciences EULA-Chile and CHRIAM Water Research Centre, Department of Aquatic Systems, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C Concepción, Chile; [email protected] (I.-Y.M.); [email protected] (G.D.); [email protected] (P.P.); [email protected] (R.F.); Laboratory of Biology, Department of Sciences, Danlí Technological Campus, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Panamerican Highway km 95, 13201 Danlí, Honduras 
 Marine Sciences Department, School of Environment, University of the Aegean, University Hill, 81100 Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece; [email protected] 
 Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development, KU Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; [email protected] (L.B.); [email protected] (T.P.); Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520 Potchefstroom, South Africa 
 Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development, KU Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; [email protected] (L.B.); [email protected] (T.P.); Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, 9300 Bloemfontein, South Africa 
 Centre of Environmental Sciences EULA-Chile and CHRIAM Water Research Centre, Department of Aquatic Systems, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C Concepción, Chile; [email protected] (I.-Y.M.); [email protected] (G.D.); [email protected] (P.P.); [email protected] (R.F.) 
 Centre of Environmental Sciences EULA-Chile and CHRIAM Water Research Centre, Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C Concepción, Chile; [email protected] 
 Water Resources Department, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and CHRIAM Water Research Centre, Universidad de Concepción, Vicente Mendez 595, 3812120 Chillán, Chile; [email protected] 
First page
316
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20797737
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2528295935
Copyright
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.