Publications des scientifiques de l'IRD

Dias M. S., Tedesco Pablo, Hugueny Bernard, Jézéquel Céline, Beauchard O., Brosse S., Oberdorff Thierry. (2017). Anthropogenic stressors and riverine fish extinctions. Ecological Indicators, 79, p. 37-46. ISSN 1470-160X.

Titre du document
Anthropogenic stressors and riverine fish extinctions
Année de publication
2017
Type de document
Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:000406436000005
Auteurs
Dias M. S., Tedesco Pablo, Hugueny Bernard, Jézéquel Céline, Beauchard O., Brosse S., Oberdorff Thierry
Source
Ecological Indicators, 2017, 79, p. 37-46 ISSN 1470-160X
Human activities are often implicated in the contemporary extinction of contemporary species. Concerning riverine fishes, the major biotic and abiotic threats widely cited include introduction of non-native species, habitat fragmentation and homogenization in stream flow dynamics due to the damming of rivers, dumping of organic loadings, degradation of the riverine habitat by agricultural practices and water abstraction for human and agricultural consumption. However, few studies have evaluated the role of each of these threats on fish extinction at large spatial scales. Focusing on Western Europe and the USA, two of the most heavily impacted regions on Earth, we quantify fish species loss per river basin and evaluate for the first time to what extent, if any, these threats have been promoting fish extinctions. We show that mean fish extinction rates during the last 110 years in both continents is similar to 112 times higher than calculated natural extinction rates. However, we identified only weak effects of our selected anthropogenic stressors on fish extinctions. Only river fragmentation by dams and percentage of non-native species seem to be significant, although weak, drivers of fish species extinction. In our opinion, the most probable explanation for the weak effects found here comes from limitations of both biological and threats datasets currently available. Obtaining realistic estimates on both extinctions and anthropogenic threats in individual river basins is thus urgently needed.
Plan de classement
Ecologie, systèmes aquatiques [036]
Description Géographique
EUROPE DE L'OUEST ; ETATS UNIS
Localisation
Fonds IRD [F B010070832]
Identifiant IRD
fdi:010070832
Contact