Linking multi-scale stressors to fish and benthic invertebrates in non-wadable rivers : implications for river management

Knehtl, Miha (avtor), Urbanič, Gorazd (avtor)

Understanding how multiple stressors operating across spatial scales shape riverine biota is essential for advancing sustainable ecosystem management. This study evaluated the relative importance of hydromorphological alterations and land-use changes for benthic invertebrate (n = 77) and fish assemblages (n = 92) in large Slovenian rivers. Multivariate analyses were employed to disentangle unique and shared effects of stressors at reach, segment, and catchment scales while accounting for natural variability. The results revealed a hierarchical structuring of stressors, with regional factors shaping local conditions. Fish assemblages were predominantly associated with local-scale stressors, particularly at the segment scale, whereas benthic invertebrates were more strongly associated with shared stressor effects across multiple spatial scales. Stressors explained substantially more variability in fish (43.5%) than in benthic invertebrates (19.9%). Catchment-scale land use showed higher explanatory power than local riparian land use. Typological variables moderately improved model performance, emphasizing the contribution of natural environmental gradients. Our findings suggest that large river management may benefit from a multi-scale perspective that prioritizes segment-scale habitat conditions for fish and coordinated catchment-to-local strategies for benthic invertebrates, with potential benefits for ecosystem resilience and long-term sustainability.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: hydromorphology, land-use change, aquatic communities, variance partitioning, habitat integrity, ecological status, biomonitoring, river restoration, scale-dependent responses, ecological assessment
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: BF - Biotehniška fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: 23 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 18, iss. 17, art. 8613
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-186081
• UDK: 632
• ISSN pri članku: 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su18178613
• COBISS.SI-ID: 289002243
• Datum objave v RUL: 27.08.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Sustainability
• Skrajšan naslov: Sustainability
• Založnik: MDPI
• ISSN: 2071-1050
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5324897

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: hidromorfologija, sprememba rabe zemljišč, vodne združbe, porazdelitev variance, celovitost habitata, ekološko stanje, biomonitoring, obnova rek

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: V2-24034
• Naslov: Hidromorfološka tipizacija vodotokov v Sloveniji

• Financer: Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning