Large-scale and long-term decrease in fish growth following the construction of hydroelectric reservoirs

Hydroelectric reservoirs retain large volumes of water and have a global impact on sea level, elemental cycles, and biodiversity. Using data from a total of 90 historical and recent surveys in nine regulated and eight unregulated alpine and subalpine lakes, we show an additional large effect of reservoirs, i.e., that impoundment causes drastically decreased fish growth and thereby great negative consequences for inland fisheries in Scandinavia. Following a long period (40-65 years) after impoundment, the length and mass of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) of the single age class 4+ years was, on average, 35% and 72% lower, respectively, in impounded versus natural lakes in northern Scandinavia. The effect was stronger at higher altitudes and can be mitigated by addition of inorganic nutrients. We suggest that the decreased fish growth is a consequence of lowered ecosystem productivity, oligotrophication, caused by impoundment, resulting in erosion and loss of the littoral ecosystem as well as delayed flooding and leakage of nutrients from the riparian zone until after the growing season.

Vrede, TobiasSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Institutionen för vatten och miljö,Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment(Swepub:slu)48902 (författare)
Tranvik, Lars J.Uppsala universitet,Limnologi(Swepub:uu)larstran (författare)
Rydin, EmilUppsala universitet,Limnologi(Swepub:uu)emilrydi (författare)
Uppsala universitetZooekologi (creator_code:org_t)
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet

Ingår i:Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences68:12, s. 2167-21730706-652X1205-7533

Av författaren/redakt...: Milbrink, Göran; Vrede, Tobias; Tranvik, Lars J.; Rydin, Emil

Om ämnet

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER: LANTBRUKSVETENSK ...; och Lantbruksvetensk ...; och Fisk och akvakul ...

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER: LANTBRUKSVETENSK ...; och Annan lantbruksv ...; och Miljö och naturv ...

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.