The authors review how river “knots” associated with bifurcations, confluences, and obstructions, which are spatially and temporally heterogeneous reaches in a river network affect reach-scale processes including flow attenuation, enhanced vertical and lateral connectivity, and augmented solute retention and uptake. .

The authors recommend a new genetic approach for the obligatory measurements under the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Currently, the diversity of phytoplankton – i.e. microalgae – is assessed as a key parameter for water quality using an inverse microscope technique that has been in use since 1958.

The authors present the first comprehensive and openly accessible compilation of freshwater species’ thermal tolerance, covering over 900 invertebrates and fish, and including English and non-English studies to expand representation and reduce biases.