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\begin{document}

\title{A Global Agenda for Advancing Freshwater Biodiversity Research}



\author[1]{Alain Maasri}%
\author[2]{Sonja Jähnig}%
\author[3]{Mihai Adamescu}%
\author[4]{Rita Adrian}%
\author[5]{Claudio Baigun}%
\author[6]{Donald Baird}%
\author[7]{Angelica Batista-Morales}%
\author[8]{Nuria Bonada}%
\author[9]{Lee Brown}%
\author[10]{Qinghua Cai}%
\author[11]{Joao Campos-Silva}%
\author[12]{Viola Clausnitzer}%
\author[13]{Topiltzin Contreras-MacBeath}%
\author[14]{Steven Cooke}%
\author[15]{Thibault Datry}%
\author[16]{Gonzalo Delacamara}%
\author[17]{Klaas-Douwe Dijkstra}%
\author[18]{Van Tu Do}%
\author[19]{Sami Domisch}%
\author[8]{David Dudgeon}%
\author[20]{Tibor Eros}%
\author[21]{Hendrik Freitag}%
\author[22]{Joerg Freyhof}%
\author[23]{Jana Friedrich}%
\author[24]{Martin Friedrichs-Manthey}%
\author[25]{Juergen Geist}%
\author[26]{Mark Gessner}%
\author[27]{Peter Goethals}%
\author[28]{Matthew Gollock}%
\author[29]{Christopher Gordon}%
\author[30]{Hans-Peter Grossart}%
\author[31]{Georges Gulemvuga}%
\author[32]{Pablo Gutiérrez-Fonseca}%
\author[33]{Peter Haase}%
\author[34]{Daniel Hering}%
\author[35]{Hans Juergen Hahn}%
\author[36]{Charles Hawkins}%
\author[24]{Fengzhi He}%
\author[37]{Jani Heino}%
\author[38]{Virgilio Hermoso}%
\author[39]{Zeb Hogan}%
\author[40]{Franz Hoelker}%
\author[24]{jonathan Jeschke}%
\author[41]{Meilam Jiang}%
\author[42]{Richard Johnson}%
\author[19]{Gregor Kalinkat}%
\author[43]{Bakhtiyor Karimov}%
\author[44]{Aventino Kasangaki}%
\author[45]{Ismael Kimirei}%
\author[46]{Bert Kohlmann}%
\author[47]{Mathias Kummerlen}%
\author[48]{Jan Kuiper}%
\author[49]{Benjamin Kupilas}%
\author[50]{Simone Langhans}%
\author[51]{Richard Lansdown}%
\author[34]{Florian Leese}%
\author[52]{Luc De Meester}%
\author[53]{Francis Magbanua}%
\author[54]{Shin-ichiro Matsuzaki}%
\author[24]{Michael Monaghan}%
\author[55]{Levan Mumladze}%
\author[56]{Javier Muzon}%
\author[57]{Pierre Mvogo Ndongo}%
\author[24]{Jens Nejstgaard}%
\author[58]{Oxana Nikitina}%
\author[59]{Clifford Ochs}%
\author[60]{Oghenekaro Nelson Odume}%
\author[61]{Jeffrey Opperman}%
\author[62]{Harmony Patricio}%
\author[63]{Steffen Pauls}%
\author[64]{Rajeev Raghavan}%
\author[65]{Alonso Ramirez}%
\author[66]{Bindiya Rashni}%
\author[67]{Vere Ross-Gillespie}%
\author[68]{Michael Samways}%
\author[35]{Ralf Schaefer}%
\author[69]{Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber}%
\author[70]{Ole Seehausen}%
\author[71]{Deep Narayan Shah}%
\author[72]{Subodh Sharma}%
\author[73]{Janne Soininen}%
\author[74]{Nike Sommerwerk}%
\author[75]{Jason Stockwell}%
\author[76]{Frank Suhling}%
\author[72]{Ram Devi Tachamo Shah}%
\author[77]{Rebecca Tharme}%
\author[78]{James Thorp}%
\author[79]{David Tickner}%
\author[12]{Klement Tockner}%
\author[80]{Jonathan Tonkin}%
\author[50]{Mireia Valle}%
\author[81]{Jean Vitule}%
\author[82]{Martin Volk}%
\author[10]{Ding Wang}%
\author[19]{Christian Wolter}%
\author[83]{Susanne Worischka}%
\affil[1]{Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei im Forschungsverbund Berlin eV}%
\affil[2]{Leibniz-Institut fur Gewasserokologie und Binnenfischerei im Forschungsverbund Berlin eV}%
\affil[3]{University of Bucharest}%
\affil[4]{Inst. Gewasserokol. Binnenfischerei}%
\affil[5]{Universidad Nacional de San Martin}%
\affil[6]{Environment Canada}%
\affil[7]{Instituto de Investigacion de Recursos Biologicos Alexander von Humboldt}%
\affil[8]{Affiliation not available}%
\affil[9]{University of Leeds}%
\affil[10]{Chinese Academy of Sciences}%
\affil[11]{Norwegian University of Life Sciences}%
\affil[12]{Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum}%
\affil[13]{Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos}%
\affil[14]{Carleton University}%
\affil[15]{INRAE}%
\affil[16]{IMDEA Water Institute}%
\affil[17]{Naturalis Biodiversity Center}%
\affil[18]{Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology}%
\affil[19]{Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries}%
\affil[20]{Hungarian Academy of Sciences Centre for Ecological Research Balaton Limnological Research Institute}%
\affil[21]{Ateneo de Manila University}%
\affil[22]{Museum fur Naturkunde - Leibniz-Institut fur Evolutions- und Biodiversitatsforschung}%
\affil[23]{Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Zentrum für Materialforschung und Küstenforschung}%
\affil[24]{Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV}%
\affil[25]{Technical University of Munich}%
\affil[26]{Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)}%
\affil[27]{Ghent University}%
\affil[28]{Zoological Society of London Institute of Zoology}%
\affil[29]{University of Ghana}%
\affil[30]{Leibnitz Institute for Freshwater ecology and Inland fisheries}%
\affil[31]{International Commission for Congo-Ubangui-Sangha basin}%
\affil[32]{University of Costa Rica Faculty of Sciences}%
\affil[33]{Senckenberg}%
\affil[34]{University of Duisburg-Essen}%
\affil[35]{University of Koblenz Landau - Campus Landau}%
\affil[36]{Utah State University}%
\affil[37]{Finnish Environment Institute}%
\affil[38]{Griffith University}%
\affil[39]{University of Nevada Reno}%
\affil[40]{IGB-Berlin}%
\affil[41]{Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications}%
\affil[42]{Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences}%
\affil[43]{Tashkent institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers}%
\affil[44]{Busitema University}%
\affil[45]{Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute}%
\affil[46]{EARTH University}%
\affil[47]{The University of Dublin Trinity College}%
\affil[48]{Stockholm University}%
\affil[49]{Norwegian Institute for Water Research}%
\affil[50]{Basque Center for Climate Change}%
\affil[51]{IUCN}%
\affil[52]{Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries}%
\affil[53]{University of the Philippines Diliman}%
\affil[54]{National Institute for Environmental Studies}%
\affil[55]{Ilia State University}%
\affil[56]{Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda}%
\affil[57]{Universite de Douala}%
\affil[58]{World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Russia)}%
\affil[59]{University of Mississippi}%
\affil[60]{Rhodes University}%
\affil[61]{WWF}%
\affil[62]{Global Wildlife Conservation}%
\affil[63]{Senckenberg Research Institute}%
\affil[64]{Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies}%
\affil[65]{North Carolina State University}%
\affil[66]{The University of the South Pacific}%
\affil[67]{NatureMetrics}%
\affil[68]{Stellenbosch University}%
\affil[69]{University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna}%
\affil[70]{University of Bern}%
\affil[71]{Tribhuvan University}%
\affil[72]{Kathmandu University}%
\affil[73]{University of Helsinki}%
\affil[74]{Bibliothek am Museum fur Naturkunde Berlin}%
\affil[75]{University of Vermont}%
\affil[76]{Technische Universitat Braunschweig}%
\affil[77]{Riverfutures}%
\affil[78]{University of Kansas, Kansas Biological Survey}%
\affil[79]{World Wide Fund for Nature UK}%
\affil[80]{University of Canterbury}%
\affil[81]{Universidade Federal do Paraná}%
\affil[82]{Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ}%
\affil[83]{University Koblenz - Landau}%


\vspace{-1em}



  
  \date{June 12, 2024}


\begingroup
\let\center\flushleft
\let\endcenter\endflushleft
\maketitle
\endgroup





\selectlanguage{english}
\begin{abstract}
Freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and the current
biodiversity crisis requires defining bold goals and mobilizing
substantial resources to meet the challenges. While the reasons are
varied, both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag
far behind efforts in the terrestrial and marine realms. We identify
fifteen pressing global needs to support informed global freshwater
biodiversity stewardship. The proposed agenda aims to advance freshwater
biodiversity research globally as a critical step in improving
coordinated action towards its sustainable management and conservation.%
\end{abstract}%



\sloppy


\textbf{Title:} A Global Agenda for Advancing Freshwater Biodiversity
Research

\textbf{Running title:} Freshwater Biodiversity Research

\textbf{Authors:}

Alain Maasri*++\textsuperscript{1,2}, Sonja C.
J\selectlanguage{ngerman}ähnig*\selectlanguage{english}++\textsuperscript{1,3}, Mihai C. Adamescu\textsuperscript{4},
Rita Adrian\textsuperscript{1,5}, Claudio Baigun\textsuperscript{6},
Donald Baird\textsuperscript{7}, Angelica
Batista-Morales\textsuperscript{8}, Nuria Bonada\textsuperscript{9}, Lee
E. Brown\textsuperscript{10}, Qinghua Cai\textsuperscript{11}, Jao V.
Campos-Silva\textsuperscript{12}, Viola Clausnitzer\textsuperscript{13},
Topiltzin Contreras-MacBeath\textsuperscript{14}, Steven J.
Cooke\textsuperscript{15}, Thibault Datry\textsuperscript{16}, Gonzalo
Delacamara\textsuperscript{17}, Klaus-Douwe B.
Dijkstra\textsuperscript{18}, Van Tu Do\textsuperscript{19}, Sami
Domish\textsuperscript{1}, David Dudgeon\textsuperscript{20}, Tibor
Eros\textsuperscript{21}, Hendrik Freitag\textsuperscript{22}, Joerg
Freyhof\textsuperscript{23}, Jana Friedrich\textsuperscript{24}, Martin
Friedrichs-Manthey\textsuperscript{1,5}, Juergen
Geist\textsuperscript{25}, Mark O. Gessner\textsuperscript{1,26}, Peter
Goethals\textsuperscript{27}, Matthew Gollock\textsuperscript{28},
Christopher Gordon\textsuperscript{29}, Hans-Peter
Grossart\textsuperscript{1,30}, Georges Gulemvuga\textsuperscript{31},
Pablo E. Gutierrez-Fonseca\textsuperscript{32}, Peter
Haase\textsuperscript{13,33}, Daniel Hering\textsuperscript{33}, Hans
Jurgen Hahn\textsuperscript{34,35}, Charles P.
Hawkins\textsuperscript{36}, Fengzhi He\textsuperscript{1}, Jani
Heino\textsuperscript{37}, Virgilio Hermoso\textsuperscript{38}, Zeb
Hogan\textsuperscript{39}, Franz Holker\textsuperscript{1}, Jonathan M.
Jeschke\textsuperscript{1,5}, Meilan Jiang\textsuperscript{40}, Richard
K. Johnson\textsuperscript{41}, Gregor Kalinkat\textsuperscript{1},
Bakhtiyor K. Karimov\textsuperscript{42}, Aventino
Kasangaki\textsuperscript{43}, Ismael A. Kimirei\textsuperscript{44},
Bert Kohlmann\textsuperscript{45}, Mathias
Kuemmerlen\textsuperscript{46}, Jan J. Kuiper\textsuperscript{47},
Benjamin Kupilas\textsuperscript{48,49}, Simone
Langhans\textsuperscript{50,51}, Richard Lansdown\textsuperscript{52},
Florian Leese\textsuperscript{33}, Luc De
Meester\textsuperscript{1,5,53}, Francis S.
Magbanua\textsuperscript{54}, Shin-ichiro S.
Matsuzaki\textsuperscript{55}, Michael T. Monaghan\textsuperscript{1,5},
Levan Mumladze\textsuperscript{56}, Javier Muzon\textsuperscript{57},
Pierre A. Mvogo Ndongo\textsuperscript{58}, Jens C.
Nejstgaard\textsuperscript{1}, Oxana Nikitina\textsuperscript{59},
Clifford Ochs\textsuperscript{60}, Oghenekaro Nelson
Odume\textsuperscript{61}, Jeff J. Opperman\textsuperscript{62}, Harmony
Patricio\textsuperscript{63}, Steffen U. Pauls\textsuperscript{13,64},
Rajeev Raghavan\textsuperscript{65}, Alonso Ramirez\textsuperscript{66},
Bindiya Rashni\textsuperscript{67}, Vere
Ross-Gillespie\textsuperscript{68}, Michael J.
Samways\textsuperscript{69}, Ralf Schafer\textsuperscript{34}, Astrid
Schmidt-Kloiber\textsuperscript{70}, Ole Seehausen\textsuperscript{71},
Deep Narayan Shah\textsuperscript{72}, Subodh
Sharma\textsuperscript{73}, Janne Soininen\textsuperscript{74}, Nike
Sommerwerk\textsuperscript{75}, Jason D. Stockwell\textsuperscript{76},
Frank Suhling\textsuperscript{77}, Ram Devi Tachamo
Shah\textsuperscript{78}, Rebecca E. Tharme\textsuperscript{79,80},
James H. Thorp\textsuperscript{81}, David Tickner\textsuperscript{82},
Klement Tockner\textsuperscript{13,83}, Jonathan D.
Tonkin\textsuperscript{84}, Mireia Valle\textsuperscript{50,85}, Jean
Vitule\textsuperscript{86}, Martin Volk\textsuperscript{87}, Ding
Wang\textsuperscript{11}, Christian Wolter\textsuperscript{1}, Susanne
Worischka\textsuperscript{34}.

*Corresponding authors

\selectlanguage{english}++ Contributed equally to this manuscript

\textbf{Affiliations:}

\begin{enumerate}
\tightlist
\item
  Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin,
  Germany
\item
  The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia,
  United States
\item
  Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
\item
  University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
\item
  Freie Universitat Berlin, Berlin, Germany
\item
  Universidad Nacional de San Martin, San Martin, Argentina
\item
  University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada
\item
  Instituto de Investigacion de Recursos Biologicos Alexander von
  Humboldt, Bogota, Colombia
\item
  Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
\item
  University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
\item
  Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
\item
  Norwegian University of Life Sciences, As, Norway
\item
  Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt,
  Germany
\item
  Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Mexico
\item
  Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
\item
  INRAE, Villeurbanne, France
\item
  IMDEA Water Institute, Madrid, Spain
\item
  Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
\item
  Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Vietnam
\item
  The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
\item
  Balaton Limnological Institute, Tihany, Hungary
\item
  Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines
\item
  Museum fur Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and
  Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
\item
  Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht Centre for Materials and Coastal
  Research, Geesthacht, Germany
\item
  Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
\item
  Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany
\item
  Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
\item
  Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
\item
  University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
\item
  University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
\item
  International Commission for Congo-Ubangui-Sangha basin, Kinshasa,
  D.R. Congo
\item
  University of Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
\item
  University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
\item
  University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
\item
  Institute for Groundwater Ecology IGO GmbH, Landau, Germany
\item
  Utah State University, Logan, United States
\item
  Finnish Environment Institute, Oulu, Finland
\item
  Centre de Ciencia i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya, Solsona, Spain
\item
  University of Nevada, Reno, United States
\item
  Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
\item
  Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
\item
  Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization
  Engineers, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
\item
  Busitema University, Tororo, Uganda
\item
  Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
\item
  EARTH University, San Jose, Costa Rica
\item
  The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
\item
  Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
\item
  Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
\item
  University of Munster, Munster, Germany
\item
  Basque Centre for Climate Change, Leioa, Spain
\item
  University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
\item
  IUCN Species Survival Commission, United Kingdom
\item
  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
\item
  University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
\item
  National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
\item
  Ilia State University, Tiblis, Georgia
\item
  Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda, Avellaneda, Argentina
\item
  Universite de Douala, Douala, Cameroon
\item
  World Wide Fund (WWF-Russia), Moscow, Russia
\item
  University of Mississippi, University, United States
\item
  Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa
\item
  World Wide Fund (WWF), Washington DC, United States
\item
  Global Wildlife Conservation, Austin, United States
\item
  Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
\item
  Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, India
\item
  North Carolina State University, Raleigh, United States
\item
  University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
\item
  NatureMetrics, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
\item
  Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
\item
  University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
\item
  University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
\item
  Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal
\item
  Kathmandu University, Kathmandu, Nepal
\item
  University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
\item
  Museum fur Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and
  Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
\item
  University of Vermont, Burlington, United States
\item
  Technische Universitat Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
\item
  Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal
\item
  Riverfutures, Buxton, United Kingdom
\item
  Universite de Tours, Tours, France
\item
  University of Kansas, Laurence, United States
\item
  World Wide Fund (WWF-UK), Woking, United Kingdom
\item
  Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
\item
  University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
\item
  National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara,
  United States
\item
  Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
\item
  Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
\end{enumerate}

\textbf{Emails:}

Alain Maasri (alainmaasri@gmail.com); Sonja Jaehnig
(sonja.jaehnig@igb-berlin.de); Mihai Adamescu
(mihaicristian.adamescu@g.unibuc.ro); Rita Adrian
(adrian@igb-berlin.de); Claudio Baigun (cbaigun@gmail.com); Donald Baird
(djbaird@unb.ca); Angelica Batista; Morales (abatista@humboldt.org.co);
Nuria Bonada (bonada@ub.edu); Lee Brown (l.brown@leeds.ac.uk); Qinghua
Cai (qhcai@ihb.ac.cn); Joao Campos-Silva (jvpiedade@gmail.com); Viola
Clausnitzer (viola.clausnitzer@senckenberg.de); Topiltzin
Contreras-MacBeath (topis@uaem.mx); Steven Cooke
(steven\_cooke@carleton.ca); Thibault Datry (thibault.datry@inrae.fr);
Gonzalo Delacamara (gonzalo.delacamara@imdea.org); Klaas-Douwe Dijkstra
(african.dragonflies@gmail.com); Van Tu Do (dovantu.iebr@gmail.com);
Sami Domisch (domisch@igb-berlin.de); David Dudgeon (ddudgeon@hku.hk);
Tibor Eros (eros.tibor@ecolres.hu); Hendrik Freitag
(hfreitag@ateneo.edu); Joerg Freyhof (joerg.freyhof@mfn-berlin.de); Jana
Friedrich (Jana.Friedrich@hzg.de); Martin Friedrichs-Manthey
(martinfriedrichsmanthey@posteo.de); Juergen Geist (geist@wzw.tum.de);
Mark Gessner (gessner@igb-berlin.de); Peter Goethals
(peter.goethals@ugent.be); Matthew Gollock (matthew.gollock@zsl.org);
Christopher Gordon (cgordon@ug.edu.gh); Hans-Peter Grossart
(hgrossart@igb-berlin.de); Georges Gulemvuga (georges\_gul@yahoo.fr);
Pablo Gutierrez-Fonseca (pabloe.gutierrezfonseca@gmail.com); Peter Haase
(peter.haase@senckenberg.de); Daniel Hering (Daniel.Hering@uni-due.de);
Hans Juergen Hahn (hjhahn@uni-landau.de); Charles Hawkins
(chuck.hawkins@usu.edu); Fengzhi He (fengzhi.he@igb-berlin.de); Jani
Heino (jani.heino@syke.fi); Virgilio Hermoso
(virgilio.hermoso@gmail.com); Zeb Hogan (zhogan@unr.edu); Franz Hoelker
(hoelker@igb-berlin.de); Jonathan Jeschke (jonathan.jeschke@gmx.net);
Meilan Jiang (jiangml@cqupt.edu.cn); Richard Johnson
(richard.johnson@slu.se); Gregor Kalinkat (kalinkat@igb-berlin.de);
Bakhtiyor Karimov (b.karimov@gmx.de); Aventino Kasangaki
(aventinok@gmail.com); Ismael Kimirei (ismaelkimirei@tafiri.go.tz); Bert
Kohlmann (bkohlman@earth.ac.cr); Mathias Kuemmerlen
(m.kuemmerlen@tcd.ie); Jan Kuiper (jan.kuiper@su.se); Benjamin Kupilas
(benjamin.kupilas@niva.no); Simone Langhans (simone.langhans@gmail.com);
Richard Lansdown (rvlansdown@gmail.com); Florian Leese
(florian.leese@uni-due.de); Luc De Meester
(Luc.DeMeester@igb-berlin.de); Francis Magbanua (fsmagbanua@up.edu.ph);
Shin-ichiro Matsuzaki (matsuzakiss@nies.go.jp); Michael Monaghan
(monaghan@igb-berlin.de); Levan Mumladze (lmumladze@gmail.com); Javier
Muzon (jmuzon@gmail.com); Pierre Mvogo Ndongo (mpierrearmand@yahoo.fr);
Jens Nejstgaard (nejstgaard@igb-berlin.de); Oxana Nikitina
(onikitina@wwf.ru); Clifford Ochs (byochs@olemiss.edu); Oghenekaro
Nelson Odume (n.odume@ru.ac.za); Jeffrey Opperman
(jeff.opperman@wwf.org); Harmony Patricio
(hpatricio@globalwildlife.org); Steffen Pauls
(steffen.pauls@senckenberg.de); Rajeev Raghavan (rajeev@kufos.ac.in);
Alonso Ramirez (alonso.ramirez@ncsu.edu); Bindiya Rashni
(diyarash@gmail.com); Vere Ross-Gillespie (vere@naturemetrics.co.uk);
Michael Samways (samways@sun.ac.za); Ralf Schaefer
(schaefer-ralf@uni-landau.de); Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber (ask@boku.ac.at);
Ole Seehausen (ole.seehausen@iee.unibe.ch); Deep Narayan Shah
(dnshah@cdes.edu.np); Subodh Sharma (subodh.sharma@ku.edu.np); Janne
Soininen (janne.soininen@helsinki.fi); Nike Sommerwerk
(Nike.Sommerwerk@mfn-berlin.de); Jason Stockwell
(jason.stockwell@uvm.edu); Frank Suhling (f.suhling@tu-braunschweig.de);
Ram Devi Tachamo Shah (ramdevi.shah@ku.edu.np); Rebecca Tharme
(rebeccatharme@riverfutures.com); James Thorp (thorp@ku.edu); David
Tickner (dtickner@wwf.org.uk); Klement Tockner
(klement.tockner@senckenberg.de); Jonathan Tonkin
(jonathan.tonkin@canterbury.ac.nz); Mireia Valle
(mireia.valle@bc3research.org); Jean Vitule (biovitule@gmail.com);
Martin Volk (martin.volk@ufz.de); Ding Wang (wangd@ihb.ac.cn); Christian
Wolter (wolter@igb-berlin.de); Susanne Worischka
(sworischka@uni-koblenz.de)

\textbf{Type of article:} Viewpoint

\textbf{Number of words in the abstract:} 81

\textbf{Number of words in the article:} 1313

\textbf{Number of references:} 21

\textbf{Number of figures:} 1

\textbf{Data accessibility statement:} The article provides no data

\textbf{Authorship Statement:} AM led the writing and development of the
manuscript with significant contributions from H-PG, JMJ, MTM, MOG, SD,
and SCJ. SCJ led the consultation that resulted in this agenda with
significant contributions from JMJ, MTM, SD, RS, FL, and DH. All authors
contributed to writing and editing the manuscript.

\textbf{Correspondence should be sent to:}

Dr. Alain Maasri

Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Department
of Ecosystem Research Justus-von-Liebig-Str. 7 12489 Berlin Email:
alainmaasri@gmail.com Phone: +49 (0) 176 84207294

AND

Dr. Sonja Jahnig

Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Department
of Ecosystem Research Justus-von-Liebig-Str. 7 12489 Berlin Email:
sonja.jaehnig@igb-berlin.de Phone: +49 (0) 30 6392 4085

\textbf{Abstract:} Freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically,
and the current biodiversity crisis requires defining bold goals and
mobilizing substantial resources to meet the challenges. While the
reasons are varied, both research and conservation of freshwater
biodiversity lag far behind efforts in the terrestrial and marine
realms. We identify fifteen pressing global needs to support informed
global freshwater biodiversity stewardship. The proposed agenda aims to
advance freshwater biodiversity research globally as a critical step in
improving coordinated action towards its sustainable management and
conservation.

\textbf{Keywords:} Freshwater biodiversity, Global biodiversity crisis,
Research priority, Data infrastructure, Monitoring, Ecology, Management,
Socio-ecology

\textbf{Viewpoint:}

Freshwater biodiversity encompasses genes, populations, species,
communities, and ecosystems, and provides essential ecosystem services
that are fundamental for human livelihoods and well-being. Freshwater
biodiversity, however, is disproportionately threatened at unprecedented
rates. The most recent Living Planet Report documents on average 84\%
decline of abundances of 3,741 monitored populations -- representing 944
vertebrate species --in freshwater habitats since 1970, the steepest
decline of any of the major realms: land, oceans, and fresh waters (WWF
2020). Yet, research on and conservation of freshwater biodiversity have
been insufficiently prioritized. Freshwater biodiversity remains
underappreciated relative to marine and terrestrial biodiversity
(Dudgeon \emph{et al.} 2006; Reid \emph{et al.} 2019; van Rees \emph{et
al.} 2020). International and intergovernmental science-policy platforms
and funding agencies continue to fall short of giving freshwater
biodiversity its rightful place in global biodiversity, climate, and
socio-economic forums (Darwall \emph{et al.} 2018; Tickner \emph{et
al.}2020; Heino \emph{et al.} 2021), often including freshwater
biodiversity in the terrestrial realm or simply overlooking it.

We propose an agenda to advance freshwater biodiversity research as a
critical step in supporting and improving coordinated action towards its
sustainable management and conservation. Our agenda informs funding
provision, provides guidance to civil society and governmental agencies,
and spurs scientists and policymakers to engage with each other to
support informed global freshwater biodiversity stewardship. Our agenda
does not constitute an exhaustive assessment of all priority needs, nor
does it aim to rank them. Instead we identify fifteen pressing global
needs, grouped into five major research areas to support conservation
and management actions (Fig. 1). The global needs reflect the collective
opinion of the coauthors based on responses to a consultation conducted
in 2020 and described in the supplementary document.

\textbf{Data} \textbf{infrastructure --} Establish and empower
information hubs for the acquisition, mobilization, integration, and
provision of data across all areas of freshwater biodiversity research.
Concrete action steps include:

\begin{itemize}
\tightlist
\item
  Establish a comprehensive compilation of data sources on freshwater
  biodiversity that documents their interrelationships. This step is
  essential to select a tractable number of efficient outlets and
  prioritize the use of existing platforms where metadata are available,
  such that robust and verifiable protocols for data processing,
  handling, and validation can be implemented.
\item
  Mobilize and make available existing data for the wider research
  community by digitizing data from regional and national monitoring
  agencies, museum collections, nature conservation associations, and
  research institutions, among others. Special attention must be given
  to non-English-language sources, which tend to be neglected in global
  meta-analyses.
\item
  Develop accessible databases according to the FAIR principles of
  Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability
  (Wilkinson \emph{et al.} 2016), in addition to the Nagoya Protocol on
  access to genetic resources (Buck \& Hamilton 2011).
\end{itemize}

\textbf{Monitoring --} Strategic programs that efficiently and
comprehensively document the status and trends of development of
freshwater biodiversity are key to research, management, and
conservation. Necessary steps include:

\begin{itemize}
\tightlist
\item
  Coordinate existing freshwater biodiversity monitoring programs to
  increase the efficiency of ongoing monitoring activities, develop
  probabilistic survey designs to infer the global status of freshwater
  biodiversity (Hawkins \& Yuan 2016), and enhance integration across
  locations (e.g., LTER, GLEON sites).
\item
  Enhance the taxonomy and ecological knowledge of freshwater organisms
  to increase coverage of organismal groups and geographical areas.
  Special attention to fungi, protists, and other neglected taxa often
  described as ``hidden biodiversity'' (Mlot 2004) is required.
\item
  Develop and improve methodologies to overcome the taxonomic
  limitations and inefficiencies of monitoring programs. Such
  methodologies include (i) omics, which use DNA, RNA, proteins, and the
  full suite of metabolites; (ii) optics, ranging from automated image
  analysis or artificial intelligence supported video, to remote-sensing
  technologies such as drones and satellites; and (iii) biodiversity
  informatics, citizen science, and other emerging approaches to gather
  and processing information. Additionally, new developments need to
  capture dimensions of freshwater biodiversity beyond taxa diversity,
  notably interspecific genetic diversity, species interactions that
  modulate biogeographic patterns of species in freshwater communities,
  ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services, and habitat diversity.
\end{itemize}

\textbf{Ecology --} Ecological context is key to conservation and
management, as are the interactions among organisms and the environment
that determine the responses to global change. We advocated developing
research to identify major local, regional, and global drivers affecting
patterns of change in freshwater biodiversity. Required steps includes:

\begin{itemize}
\tightlist
\item
  Further identify relationships among biodiversity, ecosystem
  functioning, and nature's contributions to people. This requires
  developing a mechanistic understanding of these relationships,
  integrating the multidimensionality of the role of biodiversity in
  ecosystem processes, and improving process-based models for freshwater
  biodiversity and their contribution to human well-being.
\item
  Establish cause-and-effect relationships to understand and predict the
  responses of biodiversity to multiple stressors and the release from
  such stressors. Field and system-wide experimentation will be
  necessary to achieve this step, coupled with modeling to develop
  current and future scenarios and identifying general principals.
\item
  Explore the acclimation, evolutionary, and evasion potentials of
  organisms, and the associated ecosystem responses to global change.
  Targeted field surveys, combined with coordinated multi-site
  experiments through global research networks, will be required. Such
  and effort should include large-scale enclosures, exclosures, and
  experimental lakes, streams, wetlands, and entire catchments. However,
  new and creative funding mechanisms will be crucial to establish and
  maintain long-term and large-scale experimental platforms to advance
  this research (e.g., AQUACOSM).
\end{itemize}

\textbf{Management} \textbf{--} Enhance science-based strategies and
methods for sustainable freshwater biodiversity management. Necessary
steps include:

\begin{itemize}
\tightlist
\item
  Improve outcome assessment of restoration measures using large-scale
  replication of before-after-control-impact (BACI) designs, including
  long-term post-monitoring phases. Meta-analyses of results from
  post-monitoring phases will be essential to explain restoration
  success and failures and to provide the foundations for a fundamental
  rethinking of restoration programs to recover freshwater biodiversity.
\item
  Develop models and projections in line with the scenarios for Nature
  Futures (IPBES 2016; Rosa \emph{et al.} 2017) and promote research
  that expands and evaluates nature-based solutions (e.g., constructed
  wetlands and riparian buffer strips) for management strategies.
\item
  Develop and test landscape- and catchment-based restoration programs
  including lakes, ponds and wetlands, and develop and test
  environmentally and ecologically compatible dam schemes to minimize
  ecological impacts. Given the current global surge in hydropower dam
  construction and planning (Zarfl \emph{et al.} 2019), biodiversity
  research on the impacts of such dams must improve to support
  regulatory instruments, preserve the longitudinal connectivity and
  migratory corridors, and accompany the sustainable management of
  freshwater biodiversity. More broadly, strategies are needed to
  enhance blue infrastructures and the associated ecosystem services
  provided by both large and small, lentic and lotic freshwater
  ecosystems.
\end{itemize}

\textbf{Socio-ecology --} Considering freshwater biodiversity in its
socio-economic context and societal responses to biodiversity change and
conservation are essential to design conservation implementation
strategies. Proposed steps include:

\begin{itemize}
\tightlist
\item
  Develop solutions for conflicts between biodiversity conservation and
  the human use of freshwater ecosystems and their catchments.
  Socio-ecological approaches that integrate cultural and societal
  practices in knowledge co-production are needed (Norstrom \emph{et
  al.} 2020). The shifting baseline syndrome (Humphries \& Winemiller
  2009; Soga \& Gaston 2018) needs to be acknowledged when examining how
  humans value freshwater biodiversity at present while ensuring its
  preservation and restoration for the future.
\item
  Address trade-offs among ecological, economic, and societal targets by
  concurrently engaging local communities, scientists and policymakers
  to develop adaptive management strategies and measures to protect
  freshwater biodiversity. This includes embracing traditional and
  indigenous ecological knowledge (Heino \emph{et al.} 2020).
\item
  Systematically develop citizen science (McKinley \emph{et al.} 2017;
  Fritz \emph{et al.} 2019) and participatory research to harness the
  societal competencies and workforce that extend beyond academia and
  government. Developing and sharing methods and designing new
  experimental approaches that can be scaled at low cost are critical
  aspects for consideration. Additionally, we should place greater
  emphasis on engaging dedicated citizen experts (Eitzel \emph{et
  al.}2017), a tremendously valuable yet often overlooked resource to
  advance freshwater biodiversity research.
\end{itemize}

In conclusion, we propose an ambitious agenda to initiate and further
support the strategic development of freshwater biodiversity research to
document patterns, processes and changes, and to improve management and
conservation. Our agenda provides a framework for the pressing needs to
counter the unprecedented global challenges faced by freshwater
biodiversity. The proposed steps underscore major research priorities to
cultivate informed global action to protect and sustainably manage
freshwater biodiversity. Research needs and priorities vary regionally,
and the development of regional agendas and priorities are an essential
next step. Clearly, the current freshwater biodiversity crisis requires
defining bold goals and mobilizing substantial resources to meet the
challenges. We call upon scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to
provide the necessary support for a powerful agenda to protect our fresh
waters, which provide the key resources for the sustainable development
and functioning of our societies.

\textbf{ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS}

This manuscript is a contribution of the Alliance for Freshwater Life
(www.allianceforfreshwaterlife.org). The authors would like to thank
Nick Bond, Lisa Bossenbroek, Lekima Copeland, Ian Harrison, Dean
Jacobsen, Maria Cecilia Londono, David Lopez, Jaime Ricardo Garcia
Marquez, Ketlhatlogile Mosepele, Marlene Paetzig, Nunia Thomas-Moko,
Qiwei Wei, and the authors of the Living Waters: A Research Agenda for
the Biodiversity of Inland and Coastal Waters for their contribution.

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