TY  - JOUR
A1  - Darwall, William
A1  - Bremerich, Vanessa
A1  - De Wever, Aaike
A1  - Dell, Anthony I.
A1  - Freyhof, Joerg
A1  - Gessner, Mark O.
A1  - Grossart, Hans-Peter
A1  - Harrison, Ian
A1  - Irvine, Ken
A1  - Jähnig, Sonja C.
A1  - Jeschke, Jonathan M.
A1  - Lee, Jessica J.
A1  - Lu, Cai
A1  - Lewandowska, Aleksandra M.
A1  - Monaghan, Michael T.
A1  - Nejstgaard, Jens C.
A1  - Patricio, Harmony
A1  - Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid
A1  - Stuart, Simon N.
A1  - Thieme, Michele
A1  - Tockner, Klement
A1  - Turak, Eren
A1  - Weyl, Olaf
T1  - The alliance for freshwater life
BT  - a global call to unite efforts for freshwater biodiversity science and conservation
JF  - Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
N2  - 1. Global pressures on freshwater ecosystems are high and rising. Viewed primarily as a resource for humans, current practices of water use have led to catastrophic declines in freshwater species and the degradation of freshwater ecosystems, including their genetic and functional diversity. Approximately three-quarters of the world's inland wetlands have been lost, one-third of the 28 000 freshwater species assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List are threatened with extinction, and freshwater vertebrate populations are undergoing declines that are more rapid than those of terrestrial and marine species. This global loss continues unchecked, despite the importance of freshwater ecosystems as a source of clean water, food, livelihoods, recreation, and inspiration.

2.  The causes of these declines include hydrological alterations, habitat degradation and loss, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, and the multiple impacts of climate change. Although there are policy initiatives that aim to protect freshwater life, these are rarely implemented with sufficient conviction and enforcement. Policies that focus on the development and management of fresh waters as a resource for people almost universally neglect the biodiversity that they contain.

3. Here we introduce the Alliance for Freshwater Life, a global initiative, uniting specialists in research, data synthesis, conservation, education and outreach, and policymaking. This expert network aims to provide the critical mass required for the effective representation of freshwater biodiversity at policy meetings, to develop solutions balancing the needs of development and conservation, and to better convey the important role freshwater ecosystems play in human well-being. Through this united effort we hope to reverse this tide of loss and decline in freshwater biodiversity. We introduce several short- and medium-term actions as examples for making positive change, and invite individuals, organizations, authorities, and governments to join the Alliance for Freshwater Life.
KW  - biodiversity
KW  - conservation evaluation
KW  - endangered species
KW  - fish
KW  - invertebrates
KW  - macrophytes
Y1  - 2018
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2958
SN  - 1052-7613
SN  - 1099-0755
VL  - 28
IS  - 4
SP  - 1015
EP  - 1022
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - van Rees, Charles B.
A1  - Waylen, Kerry A.
A1  - Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid
A1  - Thackeray, Stephen J.
A1  - Kalinkat, Gregor
A1  - Martens, Koen
A1  - Domisch, Sami
A1  - Lillebo, Ana
A1  - Hermoso, Virgilio
A1  - Grossart, Hans-Peter
A1  - Schinegger, Rafaela
A1  - Decleer, Kris
A1  - Adriaens, Tim
A1  - Denys, Luc
A1  - Jaric, Ivan
A1  - Janse, Jan H.
A1  - Monaghan, Michael T.
A1  - De Wever, Aaike
A1  - Geijzendorffer, Ilse
A1  - Adamescu, Mihai C.
A1  - Jähnig, Sonja C.
T1  - Safeguarding freshwater life beyond 2020
BT  - recommendations for the new global biodiversity framework from the European experience
JF  - Conservation letters
N2  - Plans are currently being drafted for the next decade of action on biodiversity-both the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Biodiversity Strategy of the European Union (EU). Freshwater biodiversity is disproportionately threatened and underprioritized relative to the marine and terrestrial biota, despite supporting a richness of species and ecosystems with their own intrinsic value and providing multiple essential ecosystem services. Future policies and strategies must have a greater focus on the unique ecology of freshwater life and its multiple threats, and now is a critical time to reflect on how this may be achieved. We identify priority topics including environmental flows, water quality, invasive species, integrated water resources management, strategic conservation planning, and emerging technologies for freshwater ecosystem monitoring. We synthesize these topics with decades of first-hand experience and recent literature into 14 special recommendations for global freshwater biodiversity conservation based on the successes and setbacks of European policy, management, and research. Applying and following these recommendations will inform and enhance the ability of global and European post-2020 biodiversity agreements to halt and reverse the rapid global decline of freshwater biodiversity.
KW  - climate change
KW  - conservation
KW  - ecosystem services
KW  - rivers
KW  - sustainable
KW  - development goals
KW  - water resources
KW  - wetlands
Y1  - 2020
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12771
SN  - 1755-263X
VL  - 14
IS  - 1
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken
ER  -