Jonathan Tonkin

7. When events combine they have disproportionate impacts
8. Underlying pressures amplify impacts
9. Impacts propagate through entire river networks

Dig in for the full explanation 👇

4. Heatwaves can push species beyond physiological limits
5. Floods and droughts reorganise ecological communities, with impacts that can last for years
6. Extremes open invasion windows for non-native species and can exacerbate their impacts

Nine ways extreme events reshape river biodiversity How floods, droughts, heatwaves, and compound events are impacting life in rivers

Nine ways extreme events reshape #river #biodiversity

1. They cause selective mortality that erodes genetic diversity
2. Droughts fragment rivers and refuges can become ecological traps
3. Long‑lasting physical legacies reshape habitats

After a lovely morning in the water yesterday, we were greeted by the news that the Naval frigate in the Akaroa Harbour had been leaking oil. Thankfully the response was quick but these aren’t the sorts of further stresses our Navy should be inflicting on our beautiful ecosystems.

I’d love to see where NZ sits

Yeah I reckon there’d be a difference for sure

A newly published global review featuring @jdtonkin.bsky.social & Julia Talbot-Jones finds these events are pushing ecosystems beyond their limits and eroding biodiversity and core functions.

This is shocking!

That's quite shocking!

Nine ways extreme events reshape river biodiversity How floods, droughts, heatwaves, and compound events are impacting life in rivers

What do floods, droughts, heatwaves and compound events actually do to river ecosystems?

My latest post walks through nine real-world impact pathways — from reaching physiological limits to cascading network‑wide effects.

A guided tour of a rapidly changing reality.

That's the move!

Great work!

Nine ways extreme events reshape river biodiversity How floods, droughts, heatwaves, and compound events are impacting life in rivers

What do floods, droughts, heatwaves and compound events actually do to river ecosystems?

My latest post walks through nine real-world impact pathways — from reaching physiological limits to cascading network‑wide effects.

A guided tour of a rapidly changing reality.

Extreme weather is transforming the world’s rivers. We need new ways to protect them Rivers support billions of people but are among the least protected parts of nature. A major review shows what needs to be done as climate change accelerates.

When extreme events happen together or in sequence, their impacts can be catastrophic for people and river biodiversity. Whether that’s a flood following a drought, a drought and heatwave operating in unison, or a flood falling on saturated ground, the impacts of these compound events can multiply.

Netflix Backs Out of Bid for Warner Bros., Paving Way for an Ellison Takeover

The richest man owns X.

The second and third richest men control Google.

The fourth richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The fifth richest man owns The Washington Post.

And now the sixth richest could soon take over both Paramount and Warner Bros.

See the problem here?

Extreme events and river biodiversity under climate change - Nature Reviews Biodiversity Extreme events — such as floods, droughts and heatwaves — are escalating in frequency, magnitude and duration. This Review discusses the implications of these global changes for biodiversity in rivers...

Rivers aren’t just warming: they’re being reshaped by extreme events
Our new paper in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com shows how floods, droughts & heatwaves are pushing ecosystems past their limits, with recovery no longer guaranteed
We can build resilience, but it requires a shift in how we manage rivers

Extreme weather is transforming the world’s rivers. We need new ways to protect them Rivers support billions of people but are among the least protected parts of nature. A major review shows what needs to be done as climate change accelerates.

A piece we wrote for The Conversation that associated with our recent paper "Extreme events and river biodiversity
under climate change" in Nature Reviews Biodiversity @jdtonkin.bsky.social @tdatry.bsky.social and others

Read-only link: rdcu.be/e4Dkv

doi.org/10.64628/AA....

MDPI may be utter trash, but at least they’re world class at spamming you on a daily basis asking you to lead a special issue.

This 👇👇👇
And read the full thread.

Biodiversity on the Brink: Ecological Rhythms & Human Urgency - Jonathan Tonkin | Rapid Response #20 Biodiversity underpins life on Earth as we know it—ecologist Jonthan Tonkin lays it all out, including his research on freshwater biodiversity and climate extremes.

Or check out the Substack post here: www.realitystudies.co/p/jonathan-t...

Biodiversity on the Brink: Ecological Rhythms & Human Urgency - Jonathan Tonkin | Rapid Response #20 Biodiversity underpins life on Earth as we know it—ecologist Jonthan Tonkin lays it all out, including his research on freshwater biodiversity and climate extremes.

I had the chance to join @jessedamiani.bsky.social for a Substack Live conversation last week. We covered a lot of ground — from ecological rhythms to extreme events. We talked rivers, a bit about my back story, and even the importance of finding joy.

YouTube link: youtu.be/sTv7L4xfeVY?...

Thanks for sharing, Alex!

Footnotes from the Margins

I love footnotes, so I'm sharing my favs

@jdtonkin.bsky.social writes a much-needed piece on disagreement. Sharing a lovely abstract by @ecoevoevoeco.bsky.social & @bio-diverse.bsky.social showing how disagreement -> agreement

predirections.substack.com/p/disagree-w...

Extreme events and river biodiversity under climate change Nature Reviews Biodiversity, Published online: 19 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s44358-026-00131-7Extreme events — such as floods, droughts and heatwaves — are escalating in frequency, magnitude and duration. This Review discusses the implications of these global changes for biodiversity in rivers, across population, community and ecosystem scales.

New online! Extreme events and river biodiversity under climate change

Read-only link: rdcu.be/e4Dkv
Press release: www.canterbury.ac.nz/news-and-eve...

Grateful for an excellent team of co-authors: @oldenfish.bsky.social, @tdatry.bsky.social, Tadeu Siqueira, Julian Merder, Julia Talbot-Jones, and LeRoy Poff.

Extreme events and river biodiversity under climate change - Nature Reviews Biodiversity Extreme events — such as floods, droughts and heatwaves — are escalating in frequency, magnitude and duration. This Review discusses the implications of these global changes for biodiversity in rivers...

Rivers aren’t just warming: they’re being reshaped by extreme events
Our new paper in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com shows how floods, droughts & heatwaves are pushing ecosystems past their limits, with recovery no longer guaranteed
We can build resilience, but it requires a shift in how we manage rivers

Really happy to see this paper led by awesome former PhD student Holly Harris out in Ecology.
If we simplify and channelise braided rivers, we begin to cut out key habitats, which means species like banded dotterels will no longer be able to reside there. Simple as that!