Dams in the upper Mekong River modify nutrient bioavailability downstream
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 - 10:10
in Earth & Climate
The number of hydropower dams has increased dramatically in the last 100 years for energy supply, climate change mitigation, and economic development. However, recent studies have overwhelmingly stressed the negative consequences of dam construction. Notably, it is commonly assumed that reservoirs retain nutrients, and this nutrient reduction significantly reduces primary productivity, fishery catches and food security downstream. Such perception largely hampers electricity supply and even sustainable socio-economic development in many developing regions such as the Congo and lower Mekong basins.