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River-Lake Ecology and Biodiversity
Limnology is the technical term for the study of inland, freshwater lakes, rivers, and other water bodies. Inland waters, although a tiny fraction of liquid water on the planet, support 40 percent of all known fish species and almost all the 5,000 known amphibians (e.g. frogs, salamanders). Two predominantly aquatic reptile orders (turtles and crocodilians), and over 150 duck and swan species are uniquely adapted to ponds and lakes. A large number of "waders" (e.g. cranes, screamers, coots, egrets, ibises) require freshwater habitats. A few mammals are wholly confined to inland waters (the river dolphins and two manatee species). A few must require aquatic habitats but use the land (e.g. hippopotami, beaver, capybara, Nile lechwe). Because of competing demands, inland water ecology has received exceptional attention. Duck hunters have sponsored perhaps the best population monitoring of wildlife in the world. Nevertheless, nearly 20 percent of inland water species appear to be threatened, especially freshwater turtles (60 percent).
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Keywords conservation, education, aquaculture, freshwater, seawater, brine, limnology, habitat, aquatic ecosystems, fish, aquatic species, lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, water, biodiversity, inland waters, fish, amphibians, birds, ducks, stream restoration |
