Are Non-Perennial Rivers Considered as Valuable and Worthy of Conservation as Perennial Rivers?

Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano, Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, Michael T. Bogan and Stephanie M. Carlson
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Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano: Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Cleo Woelfle-Erskine: School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Michael T. Bogan: School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Stephanie M. Carlson: Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-13

Abstract: Non-perennial rivers, watercourses that cease to flow at some point in time and space, are widespread globally but often lack effective protections. Although it is thought that these ecosystems are undervalued by society, empirical studies exploring people’s perceptions of non-perennial rivers are uncommon. We carried out an image-based survey at three U.S. universities to measure students’ perception of riverscapes according to seven characteristics: aesthetics, naturalness, habitat for biodiversity, habitat for fish, need of human intervention, importance for human well-being, and conservation value. Our results showed that non-perennial rivers are generally considered less valuable and worthy of conservation than their perennial counterparts. Furthermore, several factors influenced peoples’ perception of non-perennial rivers, including where they live, their educational history, how often they visit rivers, their leisure activities, and whether they live close to a river. Our findings suggested the need to improve people’s perceptions of non-perennial rivers as a step toward increased protection for these ecosystems. This current challenge demands combined actions by researchers from diverse disciplines and professionals working from different perspectives, including policymakers and educators.

Keywords: conservation; dry riverbeds; education for sustainability; environmental perception; freshwater ecosystems; human dimensions; isolated pools; non-perennial rivers; socio-ecological systems; transdisciplinary research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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