US cities can manage national hydrology and biodiversity using local infrastructure policy

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1706201114
• Publication Date: 2017-08-22T00:40:20Z
• Authors: Ryan A. McManamay; Sujithkumar Suren...; Christopher R. De...; Benjamin L. Ruddell; April M. Morton; Robert N. Stewart; Matthew J. Troia; Liem Tran; Hyun Kim; Budhendra L. Bhaduri
• Keywords: Aquatic Organisms; Conservation of Natural Resources; Biodiversity; Environment; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences; United States; 6. Clean water; Environmental Policy; Rivers; 13. Climate action; 11. Sustainability; Animals; Humans; 14. Life underwater; Cities; Hydrology; Ecosystem; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Cities are concentrations of sociopolitical power and prime architects land transformation, while also serving as consumption hubs "hard" water energy infrastructures. These infrastructures extend well outside metropolitan boundaries impact distal river ecosystems. We used a comprehensive model to quantify the roles anthropogenic stressors on hydrologic alteration biodiversity in US streams isolate impacts stemming from hard infrastructure developments cities. Across contiguous United States, cities' have significantly altered at least 7% streams, which influence habitats for over 60% North America's fish, mussel, crayfish species. Additionally, city contributed local extinctions 260 species currently 970 indigenous species, 27% jeopardy. find that ecosystem do not scale with size but instead proportionate decisions. For example, Atlanta's by across four major basins, 12,500 stream km, contribute 100 aquatic In contrast, Las Vegas, similar city, <1,000 leading only seven extinctions. So, cities policy choices can reduce future regional ecosystems they grow. By coordinating communication between sectors, governments utilities directly improve environmental quality significant fraction nation's reaching far beyond their boundaries.