A unified model for optimizing riverscape conservation

1.Spatial prioritization tools provide a means of finding efficient trade-offs between biodiversity protection and the delivery of ecosystem services. Although a large number of prioritization approaches have been proposed in the literature, most are specifically designed for terrestrial systems. When applied to river ecosystems, they often fail to adequately account for the essential role that landscape connectivity plays in maintaining both biodiversity and ecosystem services. This is particularly true of longitudinal connectivity, which in many river catchments is highly altered by the presence of dams, stream-road crossings, and other artificial structures. 2.We propose a novel framework for coordinating river conservation and connectivity restoration. As part of this, we formulate an optimization model for deciding which subcatchments to designate for ecosystem services and which to include in a river protected area (RPA) network, while also deciding which existing river barriers t...