Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Career Basics

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 15 April 2005:
Vol. 308. no. 5720, pp. 405 - 408
DOI: 10.1126/science.1107887
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World's Large River Systems

Christer Nilsson,1*{dagger} Catherine A. Reidy,1* Mats Dynesius,1 Carmen Revenga2

A global overview of dam-based impacts on large river systems shows that over half (172 out of 292) are affected by dams, including the eight most biogeographically diverse. Dam-impacted catchments experience higher irrigation pressure and about 25 times more economic activity per unit of water than do unaffected catchments. In view of projected changes in climate and water resource use, these findings can be used to identify ecological risks associated with further impacts on large river systems.

1 Landscape Ecology Group, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
2 Global Priorities Group, Nature Conservancy, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203, USA.

* These authors contributed equally to this work.

{dagger} To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: christer.nilsson{at}emg.umu.se

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
From the Cover: Homogenization of regional river dynamics by dams and global biodiversity implications.
N. L. Poff, J. D. Olden, D. M. Merritt, and D. M. Pepin (2007)
PNAS 104, 5732-5737
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Fish extinctions and ecosystem functioning in tropical ecosystems.
D. E. Schindler (2007)
PNAS 104, 5707-5708
   Full Text »    PDF »
The impact of humans on continental erosion and sedimentation.
B. H. Wilkinson and B. J. McElroy (2007)
GSA Bulletin 119, 140-156
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Global hydrological cycles and world water resources..
T. Oki and S. Kanae (2006)
Science 313, 1068-1072
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Inaugural Article: An impending water crisis in Canada's western prairie provinces.
D. W. Schindler and W. F. Donahue (2006)
PNAS 103, 7210-7216
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »

E-Letters:

Read all E-Letters

Large dams are only part of the truth
Christian Wolter
Science Online, 24 May 2005 [Full text]

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)