Alpine aquatic biodiversity

Whereas research on terrestrial mountain ecosystems and their biodiversity is steadily growing, life in alpine waters remains to date comparatively understudied. This is the case even though the importance of mountain aquatic habitats is undisputed and despite evidence for growing effects of global change on mountain freshwater species, ecosystems, and the functions they fulfil. This session aims at bringing together mountain aquatic biodiversity scientists to discuss the state-of-knowledge on the status of, trends in, and drivers of change in aquatic mountain biodiversity, from microbes to vertebrates, and share recent research on the three priority themes of the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment working group on aquatic mountain biodiversity, namely (i) changes in and threats to, (2) long-term monitoring of, and (3) conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of mountain aquatic ecosystems and their biodiversity. We further welcome contributions on paleolimnology as a tool for understanding long-term biodiversity dynamics in mountain freshwaters.