Hydrology and the ecological quality of Scottish river ecosystems

Hydrology is a primary control on the ecological quality of river systems, through its influence on flow, channel geomorphology, water quality and habitat availability. Scottish rivers are widely perceived to be of high ecological quality, with abundant flow volumes and high water quality. However,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science of the total environment 2002-07, Vol.294 (1), p.131-159
Main Authors: Gilvear, D.J, Heal, K.V, Stephen, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
British Isles, Scotland
Conservation of Natural Resources
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Ecosystem
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Environment
Environmental Monitoring
Exact sciences and technology
Fisheries - economics
Floods
Forecasting
Fresh water ecosystems
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hydrology
Hydrology. Hydrogeology
Land use
Management
Policy
Pollution, environment geology
River habitat
River regulation
Salmo salar
Salmo trutta
Salmonidae
Salmonids
Scotland
Scottish rivers
Synecology
Water Movements
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Summary:Hydrology is a primary control on the ecological quality of river systems, through its influence on flow, channel geomorphology, water quality and habitat availability. Scottish rivers are widely perceived to be of high ecological quality, with abundant flow volumes and high water quality. However, historical and current river flow regulations, and land use change have altered the physical and chemical characteristics of Scottish rivers, with adverse consequences for aquatic biota. Baseline hydrological, geomorphological and water quality conditions in Scottish rivers are thus summarised. The impacts of river regulation and land use change on the hydrology, geomorphology and water quality of Scottish rivers are then discussed. Consequences of these changes for aquatic habitat are examined, with particular reference to the economically significant salmonid species ( Salmo salar and Salmo trutta). Policy and management issues relating to the future ecological quality of Scottish rivers are reviewed. These include the impacts of climate change on ecological quality, the calculation and implementation of ecologically acceptable flows, and river restoration and best management practices within integrated catchment planning.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/S0048-9697(02)00060-8