Global prevalence of non-perennial rivers and streams

Nature Research

Abstract

"Flowing waters have a unique role in supporting global biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles and human societies. Although the importance of permanent watercourses is well recognized, the prevalence, value and fate of non-perennial rivers and streams that periodically cease to flow tend to be overlooked, if not ignored. This oversight contributes to the degradation of the main source of water and livelihood for millions of people5. Here we predict that water ceases to flow for at least one day per year along 51–60 per cent of the world’s rivers by length, demonstrating that non-perennial rivers and streams are the rule rather than the exception on Earth. Leveraging global information on the hydrology, climate, geology and surrounding land cover of the Earth’s river network, we show that non-perennial rivers occur within all climates and biomes, and on every continent. Our findings challenge the assumptions underpinning foundational river concepts across scientific disciplines. To understand and adequately manage the world’s flowing waters, their biodiversity and functional integrity, a paradigm shift is needed towards a new conceptual model of rivers that includes flow intermittence. By mapping the distribution of non-perennial rivers and streams, we provide a stepping-stone towards addressing this grand challenge in freshwater science."

(Messager, M.L., Lehner, B., Cockburn, C. et al. Global prevalence of non-perennial rivers and streams. Nature 594, 391–397 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03565-5)

• Sources
  Messager, M.L., Lehner, B., Cockburn, C. et al. Global prevalence of non-perennial rivers and streams. Nature 594, 391–397 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03565-5
• Author(s)
  Mathis Loïc Messager
  RiverLY Research Unit, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Villeurbanne, France
  Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  
  Bernhard Lehner
  Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  
  Charlotte Cockburn
  Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  Present address: Department of Earth Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
  
  Nicolas Lamouroux
  RiverLY Research Unit, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Villeurbanne, France
  
  Hervé Pella
  RiverLY Research Unit, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Villeurbanne, France
  
  Ton Snelder
  LWP Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
  
  Klement Tockner
  Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  
  Tim Trautmann
  Institute of Physical Geography, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  
  Caitlin Watt
  Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  Present address: Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
  
  Thibault Datry
  RiverLY Research Unit, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Villeurbanne, France