Hydropower and the future of Amazonian biodiversity

Lees, Alexander, Peres, Carlos ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1588-8765, Fearnside, Philip M., Schneider, Mauricio and Zuanon, Jansen A. S. (2016) Hydropower and the future of Amazonian biodiversity. Biodiversity and Conservation, 25 (3). pp. 451-466. ISSN 0960-3115

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Abstract

In an effort to ensure energy independence and exploit mineral resources, the governments of Amazonian countries are embarking on a major dam building drive on the basin’s rivers, with 191 dams finished and a further 246 planned or under construction. This rush to harvest the basin’s vast renewable energy capacity has come without proper consideration of the likely negative environmental externalities on the world’s most speciose freshwater and terrestrial biotas. Here we highlight the economic drivers for hydropower development and review the literature to summarise the impacts of dam building on Amazonian biodiversity. We identify both direct and indirect impacts through the anticipated loss, fragmentation and degradation of riparian habitats. We then propose a series of measures to assess, curb and mitigate the impacts of destructive dams on Amazonian biodiversity.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: sdg 7 - affordable and clean energy,sdg 15 - life on land ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Biology
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Resources, Sustainability and Governance (former - to 2018)
Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 21 Apr 2016 15:00
Last Modified: 20 Mar 2023 14:40
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/58332
DOI: 10.1007/s10531-016-1072-3

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