Ahonen, Jani
- Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
Sammanfattning
Climate change is projected to significantly alter hydrological conditions across the Northern Hemisphere, with increased precipitation variability, more intense rainfall events, and earlier, rain-driven spring floods in regions like northern Sweden. These changes will affect both natural ecosystems and hydropower-regulated rivers, particularly during ecologically sensitive periods such as the grayling spawning season in late spring. This study examines the impact of extreme spring flow conditions on grayling spawning habitats by analyzing historical runoff data and simulating high-flow events using a 2D hydraulic model in Delft3D FM. Results show that previously suitable spawning areas became too deep or experienced flow velocities beyond ecological thresholds, rendering them unsuitable. These hydrodynamic shifts could have cascading effects on aquatic vegetation and food availability, ultimately threatening the survival and reproductive success of grayling populations. The findings underscore the importance of integrating ecological considerations into future water management and hydropower operation strategies in the face of climate-driven flow variability.
Nyckelord
2D hydraulic modeling; ecohydraulics; grayling; spawning habitat; regulated river; climate change
Publicerad i
Water
2025, volym: 17, nummer: 15, artikelnummer: 2230
Utgivare: MDPI
SLU författare
UKÄ forskningsämne
Oceanografi, hydrologi, vattenresurser
Publikationens identifierare
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152230
Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/143470