Global characterization factors for quantifying the impacts of increasing water temperature on freshwater fish

Water temperature is an abiotic master variable for the survival of aquatic organisms. Global warming alters thermal regimes rivers and, thus, poses a threat to freshwater biodiversity. To address impacts water changes related global on fish species in life cycle assessment (LCA), we developed spatially explicit characterization factors (CFs) 207 greenhouse gases under four representative concentration pathways. We calculated fate by using output hydrological model fully coupled with dynamic model. six sensitivity distribution curves two effects (i.e., lethal and sub-lethal) derive effect factors, which take differences between climate regions into account. The regional CFs CO2 ranged from 2.91 × 10?22 6.53 10?18 PAF·yr/kg sub-lethal 1.98 4.58 PDF·yr/kg effects, depending river watersheds future scenarios. identify contribution their potential extinction, were converted CFs. largest always occur tropical watersheds. Amazon watershed contribute most extinction. This study contributes assessing biodiversity new cause-effect pathway LCA.