Aquatic Conservation Planning at a Landscape Scale

Abstract

Inland surface waters provide vital ecosystem services and support a diverse and important biota. An overriding feature of freshwater ecosystems is ­connectedness, which has been compromised by a wide range of human actions. Strong connections between terrestrial watersheds and receiving waters, and upstream and downstream linkages within river systems, make a large-scale ­perspective essential in conservation planning. In this chapter, we present the essential elements of large-scale aquatic conservation planning, with emphasis on stream and river ecosystems of the Northern Appalachian/Acadian Ecoregion. We review relevant aspects of the structure and function of freshwater ecosystems, discuss ­different approaches to aquatic conservation, and provide a case study of large-scale conservation planning and implementation in the Connecticut River basin.