Africa’s Changing Rivers: Hydro-Morphological Alterations, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Resilience

Africa’s great rivers sustain diverse ecosystems, thriving fisheries, and millions of livelihoods. However, changing river flows and hydro-morphological alterations—driven by water abstraction and infrastructure development—are transforming these river systems, with profound consequences for biodiversity, fish productivity, and human well-being. This project investigates how anthropogenic changes impact aquatic ecosystems, fisheries, and food security across major river basins. We track spatial and temporal changes in large African rivers, combining remote sensing, ecological monitoring, and hydrological modeling to assess the effects of flow alterations and land use change on river-floodplain connectivity, fish production, and water quality. Additionally, we conduct basin- and floodplain-level hydro-morphological assessments to evaluate how modifications in river structure, sediment transport, and habitat availability influence biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Our research integrates large-scale biodiversity and fisheries assessments, using extensive datasets on fish presence, distribution patterns, and key threats to evaluate biodiversity status and conservation priorities at the regional level. Furthermore, we map hydropower and renewable energy infrastructure, and study how river flow alterations affect aquatic ecosystems. This project focuses on multiple lines of evidence to provide a comprehensive understanding of the changing dynamics of African rivers. Our findings will support sustainable water and fisheries management, conservation strategies, and policy decisions, ensuring that Africa’s rivers remain vital lifelines for biodiversity and human well-being in a rapidly changing environment.