Sustaining Aquatic

Biodiversity

Sustaining Aquatic

Biodiversity

Ch. 11, part 2Ch. 11, part 2

WetlandsWetlands Very high biodiversity Very important ecological

services: Natural filters

Trap and clean human and animal waste so water stays clean

Very high biodiversity Very important ecological

services: Natural filters

Trap and clean human and animal waste so water stays clean

WetlandsWetlands Disappearing

worldwide We drain, fill in,

and cover these areas for crops, cities, etc.

Vulnerable to global warming - rising sea levels drown them

Disappearing worldwide

We drain, fill in, and cover these areas for crops, cities, etc.

Vulnerable to global warming - rising sea levels drown them

Freshwater ecosystems - HIPPCO

Freshwater ecosystems - HIPPCO

Affected by: Dams Pollution Overfishing Invasives

http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/restoration-of-the-san-joaquin-river Friant Dam in Fresno

Affected by: Dams Pollution Overfishing Invasives

http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/restoration-of-the-san-joaquin-river Friant Dam in Fresno

How do we protect

freshwater ecosystems

How do we protect

freshwater ecosystems

Protect the watershed

Watersheds deliver pollutants, nutrients, leaves, feces, etc to rivers

Protect the watershed

Watersheds deliver pollutants, nutrients, leaves, feces, etc to rivers

Laws and Economic Incentives

1968 - National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act Wild = only accessible by

trail Scenic - pretty,

undeveloped Only 0.2% of all US rivers

protected Only 2% of those

protected as free flowing

Laws and Economic Incentives

1968 - National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act Wild = only accessible by

trail Scenic - pretty,

undeveloped Only 0.2% of all US rivers

protected Only 2% of those

protected as free flowingThe Tuolumne river

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services1. Map all the world’s life

so we know what we have

1. Map all the world’s life so we know what we haveTo keep every cog

and wheel is the first precaution of

intelligent tinkering

Aldo Leopold

Encyclopedia of Life

http://education.eol.org/who/what_is_eol

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services2. Keep/protect all the

remaining old growth forests

2. Keep/protect all the remaining old growth forests

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services3. ID hotspots and areas

where ecosystem services are no longer functioning properly

3. ID hotspots and areas where ecosystem services are no longer functioning properly

The Aral Sea

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services4. Protect/restore all rivers

and lakes - the most threatened of all ecosystems

4. Protect/restore all rivers and lakes - the most threatened of all ecosystems

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services5. Restore damaged

ecosystems to give some back to wildlife

5. Restore damaged ecosystems to give some back to wildlife

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services

Priorities for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem

services6. Make conservation economically attractive

6. Make conservation economically attractive