The population abundance of large freshwater animals such as sturgeons, giant catfish, river dolphins, hippos, crocodylians and large turtles has declined sharply worldwide, as has the size of their distribution areas. While the causes of the declines of these megafauna have been frequently investigated, our knowledge of the impacts of megafaunal loss in freshwater ecosystems remains limited. Researchers demonstrate that native megafauna shape habitat structure and can promote biodiversity in freshwaters. Protecting and reinstating these species can therefore contribute to ecosystem restoration of inland waters.
"Les chercheurs ont découvert que 55 % des principaux habitats occupés par les poissons migrateurs amphihalins se trouvent dans des aires marines protégées, destinées à protéger ces espèces migratrices." Gaspard Dubost, Sophie A M Elliott, Noémie Deleys, Elodie Réveillac, Etienne Rivot, et al.. Rapport du projet « MigrenMer » : Synthèse et valorisation des connaissances disponibles sur les migrateurs amphihalins en mer Rapport final. Office Français de la Biodiversité. 2024, 81 p. + annexes. ⟨hal-04449323⟩