The effects of run-of-river hydroelectric power schemes on invertebrate community composition in temperate streams and rivers.
Run-of-river (ROR) hydroelectric power (HEP) schemes are often presumed to be less ecologically damaging than large-scale storage HEP schemes. However, there is currently limited scientific evidence on their ecological impact. The aim of this article is to investigate the effects of ROR HEP schemes on communities of invertebrates in temperate streams and rivers, using a multi-site Before-After, Control-Impact (BACI) study design. The study makes use of routine environmental surveillance data collected as part of long-term national and international monitoring programmes at 22 systematically-selected ROR HEP schemes and 22 systematically-selected paired control sites. Five widely-used family-level invertebrate metrics (richness, evenness, LIFE, E-PSI, WHPT) were analysed using a linear mixed effects model. The analyses showed that there was a statistically significant effect (p<0.05) of ROR HEP construction and operation on the evenness of the invertebrate community. However, no statistically significant effects were detected on the four other metrics of community composition. The implications of these findings are discussed in this article and recommendations are made for best-practice study design for future invertebrate community impact studies.
Aquatic Research Centre, School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom.
Gary S
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1935-9040
GS
Bilotta
Aquatic Research Centre, School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom.
Niall G
NG
Burnside
Aquatic Research Centre, School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom.
Matthew D
MD
Turley
Precima Inc., Toronto, Canada.
Jeremy C
JC
Gray
Environment Agency, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Harriet G
HG
Orr
D000818:Animals; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000502:physiology*; D011210:Power Plants; D045483:Rivers