Sulliván S Mažeika Patricio, Hughes Robert M, Vadas Robert L, Davies Gillian T, Shirey Patrick D, Colvin Susan A R, Infante Dana M, Danehy Robert J, Sanchez Nayeli K, Keast Robert B
Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, Clemson University, Georgetown, South Carolina, United States.
Amnis Opes Institute and with the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States.
Bioscience. 2025 Feb 4;75(1):68-91. doi: 10.1093/biosci/biae117. eCollection 2025 Jan.
Connectivity-the flows and exchanges of organisms, materials, and energy within and among watersheds-is a central paradigm in ecosystem science. Changes in those connections have consequences for ecosystem functioning and water quality downstream and upstream. Therefore, connectivity is a cornerstone for federal water protection under the United States Clean Water Act (CWA). In the present article, we review the science of connectivity, explain the history of changes in CWA jurisdiction defining waters of the United States, discuss implications for US water policy, and highlight key steps to align that policy with science. The Sackett v. EPA (2023) Supreme Court decision significantly reduced federal water protection for wetlands and headwaters, disregarding their connectivity with larger, protected waterbodies. To fulfill the goals of the CWA to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of U.S. waters, Congress must amend the act, fully recognizing the multidimensional connectivity of aquatic ecosystems and ultimately incorporating these connections into ecosystem-level policy.
连通性——生物体、物质和能量在流域内部及之间的流动与交换——是生态系统科学的核心范式。这些连接的变化会对上下游生态系统功能和水质产生影响。因此，连通性是美国《清洁水法》（CWA）下联邦水保护的基石。在本文中，我们回顾连通性科学，解释CWA管辖范围内界定美国水域的变化历史，讨论对美国水政策的影响，并强调使该政策与科学保持一致的关键步骤。萨基特诉美国环境保护局（2023年）最高法院判决大幅减少了对湿地和源头水域的联邦水保护，忽视了它们与更大的受保护水体的连通性。为实现CWA恢复和维护美国水域化学、物理和生物完整性的目标，国会必须修订该法案，充分认识水生生态系统的多维连通性，并最终将这些连接纳入生态系统层面的政策。
