Ecosystem change in regulated lakes - importance for a future sustainable hydropower

Environmental work aimed at reducing the environmental impacts from hydropower is currently highly focused on restoring connectivity for migrating fish and there is a need to find complementary methods for conservation in regulated rivers.

New research suggests that both large piscivororus fish and many bird species are declining in regulated rivers, because the dwarf ecotypes of whitefish and arctic char that they utilize as prey are disappearing.

We suggest a new research program based on two work packages, where the first one is aimed at improving current knowledge by collecting basic information about the ongoing ecosystem changes.

In the second work package, we apply the field’s latest ideas in a whole lake experiment where we test if the dwarf life history strategy can be induced. These efforts may bring a new powerful and cost effective tool for conservation in regulated river systems.