Theme - River Connectivity

River Connectivity

Rivers are dependent on unencumbered movement from headwaters to river mouths by many different organisms. The construction of barriers such as dams not only hinders free movement within rivers but also modifies riverine habitats and their associated biological communities. Measures to improve river connectivity and restore habitat are thus key challenges for river managers.

The river connectivity group conducts research on the following areas:

• Understanding how riverine ecosystems respond to dam removal through studies of river food webs, river metabolism and altered migratory behavior.
• Migratory behavior and the ecological consequences of impaired connectivity as well as develop solutions to improve upstream and downstream passage in regulated rivers.
• Habitat improvements in regulated rivers, such as restoring riffles and spawning habitats as well as linking habitats in tributaries with main stem rivers.
• Swedish public perspectives of dams