Editor’s Note: We recently shared a link to a paper about global freshwater biodiversity loss and a proposed recovery plan. Published in the peer-reviewed journal BioScience, the article is written for an audience of researchers and policymakers - meaning that it’s not super-accessible to the rest of us. In this blog, we have summarized the main points of the paper and added some commentary relating these global ideas to Alberta.
Freshwater ecosystems host one-third of the world’s vertebrate species and 10% of all species, even though they cover less than 1% of earth’s surface. Alarmingly, freshwater biodiversity loss is disproportionately higher than in oceans or on land—current wetland loss is three times that of forests; populations of freshwater vertebrate species have fallen at more than double the rate of land or ocean vertebrates; and 27% of all freshwater species are threatened with extinction.
Rather than just “flatten the curve” of freshwater biodiversity loss, the authors propose a global plan to “bend the curve” back up in the hopes that freshwater biodiversity will recover. Their Emergency Recovery Plan consists of six priority actions based on six freshwater issues.
Fig. 2 from Tickner et al. (2020) “The Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity: Six priority actions for global action to bend the curve of freshwater biodiversity loss that should be reflected in the post-2020 biodiversity framework”
Six Actions to “Bend the Curve”
Action 1: Accelerate implementation of environmental flows
Issue: Societies change the flow of freshwater ecosystems by building dams, reservoirs, berms, irrigation canals, and pipelines to move, store, and use water. This can alter natural water levels, affecting conditions like temperature, transport of sediment, and connectivity between habitats.
Solution: Include environmental flows as a consideration when designing policies, to maintain or restore environmental flows. Sophisticated tools already exist to assess environmental flows, and many of these assessment tools can include human as well as biodiversity objectives.
Here in Alberta…
Water Act regulates the diversion of surface and ground water through a limited number of water licenses. Some basins, including the Oldman, are closed to new licenses. With rare exceptions, water may not be diverted across watersheds.
Master Agreement on Apportionment states that Alberta must manage its water so that at least half the natural flow of each watercourse reaches Saskatchewan.
Read more about Environmental Flows Programs across Alberta.
Action 2: Improve water quality to sustain aquatic life
Issue: Pollution from nutrients, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, sediment, and even heat can be toxic to organisms and disrupt natural processes in freshwater ecosystems.
Solutions: Better wastewater treatment, pollution regulations, best management practices, and nature-based solutions like floodplain restoration or riparian buffer zones. The authors also point out the need for improved water quality monitoring.
Here in Alberta…
Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act covers a wide range of activities relevant to Alberta’s freshwater systems, including environmental assessment, reclamation, wastewater, and substance release.
Action 3: Protect and restore critical habitats
Issue: Freshwater habitats are being drained, altered, and/or degraded by agriculture, construction, forestry, mining, dams, recreation, and urban development. These changes reduce habitat (and water) quality and availability, impacting threatened species and those downstream.
Solutions: Watershed-scale land-use planning, designation of protected areas, habitat conservation for priority species, and restoration programs.
Here in Alberta…
Land Use Framework “sets out an approach to managing our province's land and natural resources” and includes the development of watershed-level plans like the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan.
Critical Habitat Orders under the federal Species at Risk Act protects habitats of threatened species like the westslope cutthroat trout.
Non-governmental organizations like WPACs, Cows and Fish, Trout Unlimited Canada, and ALUS work with land managers to implement best practices and restore stream banks.
Action 4: Manage exploitation of freshwater species and riverine aggregates
Issue: The removal of living organisms and sand/gravel can affect populations, food chains, reproduction, and the shape and movement of stream channels.
Solutions: Sustainable freshwater fisheries / harvesting, as well as reducing demand for sand and gravel by substituting recycled materials for new concrete and ensuring the system minimizes waste. Both require better monitoring and science-based management policies.
Here in Alberta…
Fish Conservation and Management Strategy sets priorities and indicators to sustainably manage the province’s fish resources.
Sand and gravel pits are also regulated by Alberta Environment and Parks. In addition to The Water Act, there are numerous acts, codes of practice, and regulations with which pits must comply.
The sand and gravel program was reviewed in 2017; stakeholders expressed strong concerns about the 2011 Surface Water Body Aggregate Policy, which allows extraction in floodplains.
Action 5: Prevent and control nonnative species invasions in freshwater habitats
Issue: The invasion of nonnative species can wreak havoc on native freshwater species and ecosystems, not to mention local economies. Climate change and globalization increase the risks of nonnative species invading sensitive habitats.
Solution: Prevention is much easier and less expensive than attempting to control or eradicate invasive species once they have established.
Here in Alberta…
Aquatic Invasive Species program works to educate and prevent the spread of invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels, carp, flowering rush, and pathogens like whirling disease.
Alberta Aquatic Invasive Species Early Detection Rapid Response Plan guides actions following detection.
Mandatory watercraft inspection stations at main entries to the province, educational campaigns, and an invasive species hotline 1-855-336-BOAT (2628) to report invasive species.
Action 6: Safeguard and restore freshwater connectivity
Issue: Connectivity between water bodies (and their floodplains) is essential for migration and reproduction of freshwater species, as well as the circulation of water, nutrients, and sediment - not to mention water security for downstream users. This connectivity has been fragmented by dams, weirs, levees, hanging culverts, and water withdrawal for human uses.
Solution: Planning and system design. Infrastructure can be strategically placed to balance water connectivity with energy generation, flood protection, and water storage. Obsolete infrastructure should be removed to restore connectivity.
Here in Alberta…
Barriers like hanging culverts can prevent fish movement. This can cause problems for fish that need to migrate upstream to spawn; it can also isolate populations - for good (e.g. maintaining genetically-pure populations of westslope cutthroat trout) or ill (e.g. poor genetic diversity puts the population at risk).
Poor maintenance of infrastructure, like the recent collapse of a drop structure along the St. Mary Canal in Montana, threatens the water supply of Milk River and surrounding producers.
In order for the plan to succeed, the authors see a role for everyone. They acknowledge that international agreements will be critical. They call for freshwater experts to be involved in maintaining or expanding targets and indicators so that they include specific reference to freshwater ecosystems and fill in any gaps. When it comes to implementation, local governments and organizations “must play the central roles” in setting specific targets and regulations. The authors declare that leadership by people who are “most affected by management of freshwater habitats and biodiversity will be essential, including local communities, women, young people, and indigenous groups.” Other “champions” include business leaders, NGOs, media, educators, and school children. Finally, researchers must develop better models and indicators for freshwater biodiversity that are relevant, affordable, and robust.
To conclude, the authors remind us that freshwater ecosystems (and their threats) are unique and worthy of inclusion in a post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
