Biodiversity Management Issues for Freshwater Ecosystems

Freshwater ecosystems - rivers and streams and wetlands - are complex and dynamic. They are in a continual process of change and adjustment. They support a rich variety of animals and plants which require specific environmental conditions for their survival. The effects of human activities on these systems are equally complex and often interrelated.

The series of ten brochures below describes major biodiversity management issues for rivers and streams. Each brochure outlines the source of the issue, its effect on the ecosystem and what can be done to reverse the impact.

The issues

Overview - The Top Ten Issues [PDF File - 274.8 KB]

Issue 1 - Changes to natural flow patterns [PDF File - 331.8 KB]

Issue 2 - Changes to temperature patterns [PDF File - 215.3 KB]

Issue 3 - Changes to riparian vegetation [PDF File - 333.3 KB]

Issue 4 - Sedimentation of rivers and streams [PDF File - 240.0 KB]

Issue 5 - Toxic materials [PDF File - 237.1 KB]

Issue 6 - Increased salinity [PDF File - 235.4 KB]

Issue 7 - Removal of woody debris [PDF File - 325.5 KB]

Issue 8 - Changes to river channels [PDF File - 367.8 KB]

Issue 9 - Instream barriers [PDF File - 311.8 KB]

Issue 10 - Introducing fish outside their natural range [PDF File - 238.6 KB]