The thames: Arresting ecosystem decline and building back better

Abstract

The Thames is an iconic river of cultural and historical importance. A cyclical process of deterioration during the last two centuries, followed by technology-driven restorations, including two major sanitation projects with a third currently underway, has produced detrimental effects on the Thames ecosystem. This paper overviews the river ecology, pollution and other anthropogenic pressures, which lead to biodiversity loss and the proliferation of non-native, pollution-tolerant species. This article further reviews past and current management, sampling and assessments trends and provides an objective overview of remediation, restoration and monitoring needs, practices and research gaps. Here, we argue that restoration work, if maladapted, can be ineffective in improving resilience or have unexpected side effects that make matters worse rather than better. We explain the need for a broader view of river restoration and management including consideration of species transplants in achieving overall sustainability against a backdrop of accelerating change in the Anthropocene.