In European countries, hydromorphological (HyMo) pressures are the second most commonly occurring types of pressures on aquatic ecosystems (after eutrophication). HyMo pressures (i.e., man-made alterations to the hydrology and morphometry of aquatic ecosystems) impact the functioning of lakes and rivers in multiple ways. Initially, they have profound effects on littoral communities, such as macrophytes, benthic invertebrates, and fish. Ultimately, they result in pervasive alteration of whole-lake ecosystems. Extensive efforts have been devoted to the development of ecological assessment methods and management measures focusing mainly on eutrophication, whereas HyMo alterations are less understood and not properly addressed. We attempted to clarify the conceptual background, to highlight achievements in method development, including pressure–response relationships and metrics used in assessment, and to underscore issues requiring urgent attention. We concluded that the currently used biological methods do not reliably address HyMo alterations. The need to develop specifically responding biological and HyMo assessment methods and to measure the necessary variables in routine monitoring programs is urgent. This review paper also serves as an introductory article to a small special series of papers on the ecological impacts of water level fluctuations. Papers in this series include an updated literature review on the ecological effects of water level fluctuations on lake macroinvertebrates, a review article specifically devoted to water level fluctuations indicators in the littoral of natural and artificial lakes, and a paper addressing the relationships between water level fluctuation alteration and spatial and temporal patterns of cladoceran communities in a dammed lake.

在欧洲国家中，水形态（HyMo）压力是对水生生态系统（富营养化之后）第二大最常见的压力类型。HyMo压力（即人为改变水生生态系统的水文学和形态）会以多种方式影响湖泊和河流的功能。最初，它们对沿海植物（如大型植物，底栖无脊椎动物和鱼类）产生深远影响。最终，它们导致整个湖泊生态系统的普遍改变。人们一直致力于开发生态评估方法和管理措施，主要侧重于富营养化，而对HyMo的改变知之甚少，没有得到适当解决。我们试图澄清概念背景，强调方法开发的成就，包括压力-反应关系和评估中使用的指标，以及强调需要紧急关注的问题。我们得出的结论是，当前使用的生物学方法不能可靠地解决HyMo的改变。迫切需要开发对生物和HyMo作出特别反应的评估方法，并在常规监测计划中测量必要的变量。这篇评论文章还作为有关水位波动的生态影响的一系列特殊论文的介绍性文章。本系列的论文包括有关水位波动对大型无脊椎动物的生态影响的最新文献综述，专门针对天然和人工湖沿岸水位波动指标的评价文章，