How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocol
Abstract Background Natural flow regimes are an essential component of healthy fluvial systems, but hydropower production alters flow components, disrupting natural processes and impacting species reliant on them. Establishing improved management of flow regimes requires a better understanding of ho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2020-06-01
|
| Series: | Environmental Evidence |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13750-020-00198-5 |
| _version_ | 1828445992485126144 |
|---|---|
| author | Meagan Harper Trina Rytwinski Jessica J. Taylor Joseph R. Bennett Karen E. Smokorowski Steven J. Cooke |
| author_facet | Meagan Harper Trina Rytwinski Jessica J. Taylor Joseph R. Bennett Karen E. Smokorowski Steven J. Cooke |
| author_sort | Meagan Harper |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Natural flow regimes are an essential component of healthy fluvial systems, but hydropower production alters flow components, disrupting natural processes and impacting species reliant on them. Establishing improved management of flow regimes requires a better understanding of how fish respond to altered flow components, such as flow magnitude. We recently conducted a systematic map to provide a summary of the existing literature base on the impacts of flow regime changes on direct outcomes of freshwater or estuarine fish productivity. Of those studies considering the impacts of flow magnitude changes due to hydropower, studies on fish abundance, biomass and diversity responses were identified as subtopics (i.e., knowledge clusters) that had sufficient coverage for further review. This systematic review proposes to estimate how fish abundance, biomass and diversity are affected by alterations in flow magnitude due to hydropower production. Methods This systematic review will use evidence identified during a systematic map process. An updated English language search will be performed using six bibliographic databases, Google Scholar, and networking tools to include academic and grey literature published after 2016. Eligibility screening will be conducted at two stages: (1) title and abstract, and (2) full-text. We will include all studies that evaluate the impact of changes to (or manipulations of) flow magnitude due to hydropower on fish abundance, density, biomass, yield, species richness, composition or diversity indices. The focus of this review will be on the downstream fluvial effects of flow magnitude changes and include hydroelectric facilities where water moves via gravity or by active pumping. Any freshwater or estuarine fish species or species group in temperate regions will be considered. Included eligible studies will undergo a critical appraisal that will assess the internal study validity. We will extract information on study characteristics, intervention/exposure and comparator details, measured outcomes, and effect modifiers. A narrative synthesis will describe the quantity and characteristics of available evidence, and where sufficient numbers of similar studies are available, meta-analysis will be conducted to estimate an overall mean and variance of effect. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:05:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-374fb7b5321646e8a98f9569b4c6026d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2047-2382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:05:41Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Evidence |
| spelling | doaj.art-374fb7b5321646e8a98f9569b4c6026d2022-12-22T01:31:45ZengBMCEnvironmental Evidence2047-23822020-06-019111110.1186/s13750-020-00198-5How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocolMeagan Harper0Trina Rytwinski1Jessica J. Taylor2Joseph R. Bennett3Karen E. Smokorowski4Steven J. Cooke5Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton UniversityFish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton UniversityFish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton UniversityCanadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation, Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton UniversityGreat Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans CanadaFish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton UniversityAbstract Background Natural flow regimes are an essential component of healthy fluvial systems, but hydropower production alters flow components, disrupting natural processes and impacting species reliant on them. Establishing improved management of flow regimes requires a better understanding of how fish respond to altered flow components, such as flow magnitude. We recently conducted a systematic map to provide a summary of the existing literature base on the impacts of flow regime changes on direct outcomes of freshwater or estuarine fish productivity. Of those studies considering the impacts of flow magnitude changes due to hydropower, studies on fish abundance, biomass and diversity responses were identified as subtopics (i.e., knowledge clusters) that had sufficient coverage for further review. This systematic review proposes to estimate how fish abundance, biomass and diversity are affected by alterations in flow magnitude due to hydropower production. Methods This systematic review will use evidence identified during a systematic map process. An updated English language search will be performed using six bibliographic databases, Google Scholar, and networking tools to include academic and grey literature published after 2016. Eligibility screening will be conducted at two stages: (1) title and abstract, and (2) full-text. We will include all studies that evaluate the impact of changes to (or manipulations of) flow magnitude due to hydropower on fish abundance, density, biomass, yield, species richness, composition or diversity indices. The focus of this review will be on the downstream fluvial effects of flow magnitude changes and include hydroelectric facilities where water moves via gravity or by active pumping. Any freshwater or estuarine fish species or species group in temperate regions will be considered. Included eligible studies will undergo a critical appraisal that will assess the internal study validity. We will extract information on study characteristics, intervention/exposure and comparator details, measured outcomes, and effect modifiers. A narrative synthesis will describe the quantity and characteristics of available evidence, and where sufficient numbers of similar studies are available, meta-analysis will be conducted to estimate an overall mean and variance of effect.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13750-020-00198-5DamDischargeEvidence synthesisFish biomassFish densityFish richness |
| spellingShingle | Meagan Harper Trina Rytwinski Jessica J. Taylor Joseph R. Bennett Karen E. Smokorowski Steven J. Cooke How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocol Environmental Evidence Dam Discharge Evidence synthesis Fish biomass Fish density Fish richness |
| title | How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocol |
| title_full | How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocol |
| title_fullStr | How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocol |
| title_full_unstemmed | How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocol |
| title_short | How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocol |
| title_sort | how do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions a systematic review protocol |
| topic | Dam Discharge Evidence synthesis Fish biomass Fish density Fish richness |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13750-020-00198-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT meaganharper howdochangesinflowmagnitudeduetohydroelectricpowerproductionaffectfishabundanceanddiversityintemperateregionsasystematicreviewprotocol AT trinarytwinski howdochangesinflowmagnitudeduetohydroelectricpowerproductionaffectfishabundanceanddiversityintemperateregionsasystematicreviewprotocol AT jessicajtaylor howdochangesinflowmagnitudeduetohydroelectricpowerproductionaffectfishabundanceanddiversityintemperateregionsasystematicreviewprotocol AT josephrbennett howdochangesinflowmagnitudeduetohydroelectricpowerproductionaffectfishabundanceanddiversityintemperateregionsasystematicreviewprotocol AT karenesmokorowski howdochangesinflowmagnitudeduetohydroelectricpowerproductionaffectfishabundanceanddiversityintemperateregionsasystematicreviewprotocol AT stevenjcooke howdochangesinflowmagnitudeduetohydroelectricpowerproductionaffectfishabundanceanddiversityintemperateregionsasystematicreviewprotocol |