People, pollution and pathogens – Global change impacts in mountain freshwater ecosystems

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 622-623; pp. 756 - 763
• Main Authors: Schmeller, Dirk S., Loyau, Adeline, Bao, Kunshan, Brack, Werner, Chatzinotas, Antonis, De Vleeschouwer, Francois, Friesen, Jan, Gandois, Laure, Hansson, Sophia V., Haver, Marilen, Le Roux, Gaël, Shen, Ji, Teisserenc, Roman, Vredenburg, Vance T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.05.2018; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anthropocene; Biodiversity and Ecology; Chemical micro-pollutants; Environmental Sciences; Human impact; Mountain freshwater ecosystems; Pathogens; Pesticides; Pollution legacy; Potential harmful trace elements; Human impact; Pathogens; Anthropocene; Mountain freshwater ecosystems; Potential harmful trace elements; Chemical micro-pollutants; Pesticides; Pollution legacy
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.006

Mountain catchments provide for the livelihood of more than half of humankind, and have become a key destination for tourist and recreation activities globally. Mountain ecosystems are generally considered to be less complex and less species diverse due to the harsh environmental conditions. As such, they are also more sensitive to the various impacts of the Anthropocene. For this reason, mountain regions may serve as sentinels of change and provide ideal ecosystems for studying climate and global change impacts on biodiversity. We here review different facets of anthropogenic impacts on mountain freshwater ecosystems. We put particular focus on micropollutants and their distribution and redistribution due to hydrological extremes, their direct influence on water quality and their indirect influence on ecosystem health via changes of freshwater species and their interactions. We show that those changes may drive pathogen establishment in new environments with harmful consequences for freshwater species, but also for the human population. Based on the reviewed literature, we recommend reconstructing the recent past of anthropogenic impact through sediment analyses, to focus efforts on small, but highly productive waterbodies, and to collect data on the occurrence and variability of microorganisms, biofilms, plankton species and key species, such as amphibians due to their bioindicator value for ecosystem health and water quality. The newly gained knowledge can then be used to develop a comprehensive framework of indicators to robustly inform policy and decision making on current and future risks for ecosystem health and human well-being. Interactions between the abiotic and biotic environment impact on human well-being in mountain freshwater ecosystems. [Display omitted] •Mountain freshwater ecosystems are sensitive to global change.•Microbiome composition indicates water quality.•Dynamics of plankton reflects ecosystem health.•Loss of ecosystem services•Risks for human society through increased pathogen pressure