The consequences of the planet’s climate changes are likely to affect most ecosystems significantly. At the regional level, climatic modifications will have a deep impact on the structure and functioning of aquatic and riparian ecosystems.

The objective of our research programme is to analyse whether and to what degree the climate changes expected in France are likely to:

• i) Boost the propagation of exotic plant species in aquatic and riparian habitats, potentially at the expense of local taxa;
• ii) Alter the fish and macro-invertebrate communities of French rivers;
• iii) Raise multiple socio-economic issues related to the fish market by influencing the fishing community’s choices and activities, and, indirectly, through the way this risk will be perceived and taken into account in the strategies developed by institutional actors.

The outputs are:

• i) Identification of the habitat types and/or the geographical areas in which the biological consequences of climate warming will be particularly acute;
• ii) Assessment of the potential sensitivity of species or taxa to climate changes in their distribution areas in France;
• iii) Analysis of the consequences arising from the loss of favourable habitats in test hydrographic networks;
• iv) Assessment of the risk of exotic plant species expanding their range, deduction therefrom of sustainable management strategiesregarding the spread of exotic species, and preparation of a framework for a consistent reflection on halieutic and related issues.