Interdisciplinary large-scale research to advance the science and management of drying river networks facing climate change

Thibault Datry, Amélie Truchy, Zoltan Csabai, Nuria Bonada, Louise Mimeau, Gabriel Singer, Naiara Lopez-Rojo , Rubén Del Campo, Arnaud Foulquier , Lisette de Senerpont Domis, Balint Pernecker , Petra Döll, Sergi Sabater , Loic Chalmandrier, Margot Sepp, Francisco Jesus Penas, Petr Paril, Annika Vilmi, Daniel Escobar Camacho , Daniela Rosario, Andrea Encalada, Polona Pengal , Flora Branger, Claire Lauvernet, Jean Philippe Vidal , Franck Jabot , Martin Dallimer, Mathis Loic Messager , Ignacio Perez , Jose Carlos Araujo, Maria Soria , Nabor Moya, Monica Lanzas, Mahdi Abbasi, Steven Declerck , Antoni Munne , Ronald Zapata, Hervé Capra , Annika Kuenne, Aericka Albrecht, Heikki Mykra, Carla Ferreira Rezende

Drying River Networks (DRNs) are increasingly widespread due to climate change and human pressures, yet their ecological and societal importance has long been underestimated. This paper synthesizes the interdisciplinary outcomes of the DRYvER (Securing Biodiversity, Functional Integrity and Ecosystem Services in Drying River Networks) project, which developed an innovative framework for understanding and managing DRNs across multiple spatial scales. DRYvER integrated hydrology, biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services, and socio-economic dimensions through a cascading model linking physical drivers, ecological processes, and human well-being. The project applied a dynamic meta-system perspective across nine representative river networks in Europe and South America, encompassing diverse climatic, geological, biogeographical, and socio-cultural contexts. Using coordinated field sampling, modelling, and stakeholder co-construction approaches, DRYvER investigated how river drying affects biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and ecosystem services from local reaches to continental scales.
DRYvER demonstrated that DRNs are not marginal ecosystems but fundamental components of global river networks, requiring recognition in freshwater science, policy, and management. It provided new tools and strategies to support adaptive and cost-effective management of river networks prone to climate change. We identified key priorities for future research, including long-term monitoring programmes, improved assessment of anthropogenic drying, expansion of studies to larger river systems, and the development of predictive mechanistic models linking hydrological changes to ecological responses. Greater integration of DRNs into governance, legal frameworks, and restoration policies is urgently needed. We also advocate stronger adoption of international Nature-based Solutions standards and broader global collaboration. Overall, DRYvER establishes a robust scientific foundation for advancing the understanding, conservation, and management of DRNs worldwide in the face of accelerating environmental change.