Freshwater ecology articles within Nature

Featured

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Improvements in European freshwater biodiversity occurred mainly before 2010 but have since plateaued, and communities downstream of dams, urban areas and cropland were less likely to experience recovery.

    • Peter Haase
    • , Diana E. Bowler
    •  & Ellen A. R. Welti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In a 15-year whole-ecosystem, single-factor experiment, stopping experimental mercury loading results in rapid decreases in methylmercury contamination of fish populations and almost complete recovery within the timeframe of the study.

    • Paul J. Blanchfield
    • , John W. M. Rudd
    •  & Michael T. Tate

  • Article |

    A comprehensive assessment of the world’s rivers and their connectivity shows that only 37 per cent of rivers longer than 1,000 kilometres remain free-flowing over their entire length.

    • G. Grill
    • , B. Lehner
    •  & C. Zarfl

  • Outlook |

    Farmers must develop new approaches if they are to keep producing crops as water supplies dwindle.

    • Katherine Bourzac

  • Letter |

    A combination of extensive field surveys and realistic experiments involving an amphibian disease system reveals that biodiversity reduces pathogen transmission due to a predictable link between species richness and the ability of communities to support infection.

    • Pieter T. J. Johnson
    • , Daniel L. Preston
    •  & Katherine L. D. Richgels

  • News |

    Slashed funding threatens Canada’s unique freshwater study site.

    • Hannah Hoag

  • Outlook |

    A freshwater ecologist at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Smol studies lake sediments to understand climatic and environmental change. Nature Outlook asks him to share his experience.

    • John P. Smol

  • News & Views |

    The appearance of new ecological niches propels the evolution of species, but the converse can also occur. A study shows that changing lake habitats have caused extinctions and reduced the genetic differences between species. See Article p.357

    • Jeffrey S. McKinnon
    •  & Eric B. Taylor

  • News & Views |

    The aquatic plant Salvinia molesta is a widespread pest of waterways in the tropics and subtropics. A study of its control by a weevil in Australian billabongs sets a new standard in ecological time-series analysis. See Letter p.86

    • Lewi Stone

  • News & Views |

    Mutualism can be a double-edged sword if the animals concerned also compete for food. This may explain the discovery that catfish mimics in the Amazon rarely engage in mimicry with related species. See Letter p.84

    • James Mallet
    •  & Kanchon Dasmahapatra

  • Article |

    Water security affects human wellbeing both directly and indirectly, through its effects on biodiversity. Here, a global map has been generated that shows threats to both direct and indirect water security from a full range of potential stressors. Technological investments have also been incorporated. The map shows that nearly 80% of the world's population is exposed to high levels of threat to water security. Investment enables rich nations to offset high stressor levels, but less wealthy nations remain vulnerable.

    • C. J. Vörösmarty
    • , P. B. McIntyre
    •  & P. M. Davies

  • News |

    Study shows that stripping mountains for coal has a much greater impact than urban growth.

    • Natasha Gilbert

  • News Feature |

    A once-threatened population of African fish is now providing a view of evolution in action. Laura Spinney asks what Lake Victoria cichlids have revealed about speciation.

    • Laura Spinney

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