Author(s): Xiatong Cai; Colin D. Rennie; Simon Blanchet; Daniel I. Bolnick; Federico C. F. Calboli; Io S. Deflem; Bart Hellemans; Andrew P. Hendry; Joke De Meester; Abdolmajid Mohammadian; Filip A. M. Volckaert; Patrick Willems; Joost A. M. Raeymaekers

Linked Author(s): Patrick Willems, Colin Rennie

Keywords: Fish conservation; Eco-hydraulics; Eco-hydrology; Zoogeomorphology; Hydro-evolutionary feedback; Eco-evo-hydraulics

Abstract: Eco-hydraulics is primarily based on a concept to restore or regulat e river habitat to a semi-natural state, such as through adaptive management on fish passages and habitat suitability (environmental flow and water quality). However, little attention has been given to the evolutionary changes of fish and how these evolutionary changes interact with river management . Recent studies show that rapid evolution can be observed in fish populations in response to river regulation, and this evolutionary response is also expected to feed back on zoogeomorphic engineering processes. Under the exacerbat ed stress of climate change, river regulation and human activities, understanding the interaction between fish evolution and eco-hydraulics in the river system becomes necessary. In this study, we highlight examples of fish evolutionary response to human regulation in river discharge and flow variance, as well as the potential feedback to river morphology, with the aim of raising awareness of piscine evolutionary dynamics in eco-hydraulics and extending eco- hydraulics into eco-evo-hydraulics.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/iahr.proc.ise2026.abs.134

Year: 2026