Biodiversity in rivers Homework Help

Biodiversity in rivers

Biodiversity describes the different types of living things found in a particular region, ecosystem or across the world. Biodiversity in water is the variety of living things as well as the ecosystems making up the freshwater, marine water and tidal regions globally together with their interactions. Freshwater ecosystems such as ponds, rivers, and lakes are encompassed by aquatic biodiversity. In addition, banks of streams and marine ecosystems such as estuaries and oceans are encompassed by aquatic biodiversity. This paper will focus on biodiversity in rivers.
River systems constitute the highest biological diversity in the universe. Rivers create a conducive place for different living things to form a habitat. The trees, medium sized shrubs together with the thick healthy plants found along the river have varying importance in the earth. Fish, turtles, and crustaceans benefit from the safe hiding places created by the different water features such as riffles (Rocky areas that are shallow) and runs (flat areas found in the water). Enormous economic and aesthetic value can be realized from aquatic biodiversity. Aquatic biodiversity plays a major responsibility in maintaining and supporting environmental health generally. Fresh water resources provide humans with medicines, foods, and materials to be used for recreation or commercial purposes. In addition aquatic biodiversity provide aquatic habitats and resources to aquatic organisms.
However, there are several factors including human and climatic factors that pose a threat to the biodiversity in rivers. Overexploitation of species and introduction of exotic species are examples of activities contributing to the declining levels of freshwater biodiversity. Human exploitation of rivers with pollution, water diversions, and dams has created a crisis for biodiversity in rivers. It is puzzling that human activities have put freshwater species in more danger compared to those on land. Biological diversity in rivers are affected by dams because of the flooding on land, fragmentation of the habitats, interruption of the natural exchange of nutrients in the ecosystems and migration routes get are cut-off. When the biodiversity diminishes in rivers, humans face the danger of losing life forms that are able to nourish them, keep the water clean, produce air that is fresh to breath, soil that is fertile and in the end make the planet an amazing place.
Human activities such as agriculture, mining, and release of industrial waste into rivers lead to loss of biodiversity in the waters. Consequentially, valuable freshwater resources are continually being exposed to threats posed by both natural and artificial environmental changes. Conservation strategies need to be formulated and implemented with the aim of protecting and conserving biodiversity in rivers so that balance of nature can be maintained and the availability of resources for future generations can be supported.
Recommended actions that would ensure that biodiversity in rivers is conserved include formulation of legislation prohibiting release of industrial waste into rivers, protection of the various species from overexploitation and discouragement of use exotic species. In addition, programs focusing on conservation of biological diversity in rivers should be started such the Great Lakes National Program aimed at addressing matters relating to lakes including biological diversity in lakes.
In conclusion, biological diversity in rivers is very important as humans depend on freshwater resources for medicine, food and other needs such as tourism and fishing for recreation. However, freshwater biological diversity faces threats from both natural and artificial environmental changes. Human activities such as pollution and construction of large dams continue to cause freshwater biodiversity to diminish. Conservation of biodiversity in rivers is very important if the species and resources in freshwater are to be preserved for use in the present and for future generations.