River habitat fragmentation in Malta : a danger needing investigation

Abstract

The Mediterranean island of Malta exhibits extreme human impact. The river valley communities have been badly fragmented by, in the stream bed, drying, pollution, impoundments and dams, and both in and beside the stream bed, disturbance, farming and constructions. Malta would be an excellent choice for the study of the effects of fragmentation (viable areas, isolation distances, size of gene pools, environmental requirements, etc.). Since Malta shows, in extremes, impacts found over a much wider area, management guidelines could be developed for this wider area.