A rich biodiversity is harboured in the Planet's freshwaters that are affected by many impacts because water is a fundamental and heavily-exploited resource. Among the elements weighted when deciding on freshwater-habitat exploitation, biodiversity conservation is always (if at all) the least considered. Spring habitats possess very peculiar features, and include a variety of types. However, they are still somewhat neglected by limnologists, and affected by many impacts, first of all water diversion and habitat destruction (tapping). Basing on several studies in the Alps (in particular the CRENODAT project, Autonomous Province of Trento), the aim of the present contribution is to discuss the specific features of springs, and to highlight how, and at which conditions, they might contribute to freshwater biodiversity conservation beyond the water crisis. Some urgently-needed research directions, such as reducing the gap of knowledge on spring-habitat biodiversity, defining reference conditions, refining integrity and quality assessment methods, establishing more sustainable ways of spring-habitat water exploitation will be outlined. Two special blocks of papers devoted to springs (one published, J. Limnol., and one in prep., J-NABS) will be briefly presented.
Water crisis: spring habitats as hotspots of freshwater biodiversity, and their potential role for its conservation
2011
Abstract
A rich biodiversity is harboured in the Planet's freshwaters that are affected by many impacts because water is a fundamental and heavily-exploited resource. Among the elements weighted when deciding on freshwater-habitat exploitation, biodiversity conservation is always (if at all) the least considered. Spring habitats possess very peculiar features, and include a variety of types. However, they are still somewhat neglected by limnologists, and affected by many impacts, first of all water diversion and habitat destruction (tapping). Basing on several studies in the Alps (in particular the CRENODAT project, Autonomous Province of Trento), the aim of the present contribution is to discuss the specific features of springs, and to highlight how, and at which conditions, they might contribute to freshwater biodiversity conservation beyond the water crisis. Some urgently-needed research directions, such as reducing the gap of knowledge on spring-habitat biodiversity, defining reference conditions, refining integrity and quality assessment methods, establishing more sustainable ways of spring-habitat water exploitation will be outlined. Two special blocks of papers devoted to springs (one published, J. Limnol., and one in prep., J-NABS) will be briefly presented.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
