Defining Dry Rivers as the Most Extreme Type of Non-Perennial Fluvial Ecosystems

María Rosario Vidal-Abarca, Rosa Gómez, María Mar Sánchez-Montoya, María Isabel Arce, Néstor Nicolás and María Luisa Suárez
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María Rosario Vidal-Abarca: Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology, Campus of International Excellence “Campus mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Rosa Gómez: Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology, Campus of International Excellence “Campus mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
María Mar Sánchez-Montoya: Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology, Campus of International Excellence “Campus mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
María Isabel Arce: Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology, Campus of International Excellence “Campus mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Néstor Nicolás: Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology, Campus of International Excellence “Campus mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
María Luisa Suárez: Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology, Campus of International Excellence “Campus mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 17, 1-30

Abstract: We define Dry Rivers as those whose usual habitat in space and time are dry channels where surface water may interrupt dry conditions for hours or a few days, primarily after heavy rainfall events that are variable in time and that usually lead to flash floods, disconnected from groundwater and thereby unable to harbor aquatic life. Conceptually, Dry Rivers would represent the extreme of the hydrological continuum of increased flow interruption that typically characterizes the non-perennial rivers, thus being preceded by intermittent and ephemeral rivers that usually support longer wet phases, respectively. This paper aims to show that Dry Rivers are ecosystems in their own right given their distinct structural and functional characteristics compared to other non-perennial rivers due to prevalence of terrestrial conditions. We firstly reviewed the variety of definitions used to refer to these non-perennial rivers featured by a predominant dry phase with the aim of contextualizing Dry Rivers. Secondly, we analyzed existing knowledge on distribution, geophysical and hydrological features, biota and biogeochemical attributes that characterize Dry Rivers. We explored the capacity of Dry Rivers to provide ecosystem services and described main aspects of anthropogenic threats, management challenges and the conservation of these ecosystems. We applied an integrative approach that incorporates to the limnological perspective the terrestrial view, useful to gain a better understanding of Dry Rivers. Finally, we drew main conclusions where major knowledge gaps and research needs are also outlined. With this paper, we ultimately expect to put value in Dry Rivers as non-perennial rivers with their own ecological identity with significant roles in the landscape, biodiversity and nutrient cycles, and society; thus worthy to be considered, especially in the face of exacerbated hydrological drying in many rivers across the world.

Keywords: dry rivers; geophysical and hydrological features; Biota; biogeochemical processes; ecosystem services; threats and management (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 (1)

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