Abstract:
Freshwater biodiversity is in a state of crisis1 , with populations declining by 76% (twice as terrestrial and marine) over a forty-year period2 , as a result of habitat loss, pollution, alien species and overharvest. Today, one of the most important human-induced stressors on riverine ecosystems is the global boom in construction of hydropower dams, which has resulted in change in water levels and the loss of system connectivity