Solutions for sustaining biodiversity while generating fossil free hydropower

Society is faced with the twin environmental crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Hydropower is a fossil free energy source that provides up to 50% of Sweden’s electricity, but hydropower dams are one of the leading drivers of freshwater biodiversity loss.

Thus, a transformation to a fossil free society will require innovative solutions for sustaining biodiversity while allowing for continued hydroelectric production.

In this project we will build upon our earlier successes with inSALMO, the world’s foremost Individual-Based Model (IBM) for migratory salmonids.

We will collaborate with a project consortium of key national stakeholders and international experts to foster research-driven solutions for a sustainable society.

We will develop the IBM inSALMO-Gen for regulated rivers under hydropeaking flows, focusing on the important case study for endemic salmon and trout in River Gullspång, populations of high conservation value.

We will develop inSALMO-Gen by linking ecophysiology with genomics assays for key heritable traits such as age-at-maturity.

We will apply the model to forecast how river management and future climate may affect these unique and valuable salmonid populations.

Model results will be used to develop a gene bank conservation strategy for endemic salmon populations in regulated rivers.

Development of inSALMO-Gen can contribute to meeting national goals, while positioning Sweden as an international leader in advanced environmental assessments.