MOT4Rivers
Monitoring, modelling and mitigating pollution impacts in a changing world: Science and tools for tomorrow’s rivers
For centuries, human activities have had an impact on our rivers due to a combination of physical, biological and chemical drivers and pressures. However, our understanding of their impact on ecosystems has been limited by viewing each in isolation and not considering their combined effects.
Significant reductions in some regulated pollutants (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) have been achieved in recent decades. However, even with these improvements, we are witnessing declining water quality of our rivers, and the resulting loss of freshwater species and plant and animal life.
Increasing numbers of new contaminants are causing concern (e.g. pharmaceuticals, pesticides, illicit drugs, micro plastics). This mixture of pollutants is having a detrimental effect on freshwater species and their effects are poorly understood. At the same time, climate change is causing more frequent floods, drought and warmer waters are affecting how toxic these chemicals can be. Our wastewater systems and overflowing sewers transport pollutants from towns and cities into our freshwater environment. Increasing urbanisation and changes in rainfall intensity have the potential to increase the amount of contamination in the environment.
This project, awarded around £1.6 million is the first of its kind to investigate the effect of contaminants and their mixtures on biological communities, from catchment to national scale, looking at current conditions and those in the future.
It will use new knowledge on how changes in climate, land use and emerging contaminants affect river ecosystems. The project will address knowledge gaps around the effects of hydro-climatic and land use changes, in combination with the different mixtures of chemicals on freshwater species. A risk model and tool will be produced to support decisions on mitigation and adaptation to improve water quality and improve biodiversity.
MOT4Rivers will inform priorities for policy regulation and investment to design cost effective programme of measures to improve sustainable freshwater ecosystems under a changing climate.
Field sites: River Almond, Lothian.
Led by: Professor Andrew Tyler, University of Stirling including partners University of Glasgow, The James Hutton Institute, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
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