Habitat Awareness Fresh Water Ecosystem Page

Inch in a Pinch
"Hi there! Inch in a Pinch here,

once again. This time we're going to take a look at the Freshwater Ecosystem. This ecosystem contains three different types of habitats:"

Flowing Water Habitats		Still Water Habitats
	Freshwater Wetlands Habitats

"Flowing water includes rivers and streams. Still water includes lakes and ponds. Wetlands are those areas where warter is near, at, or above the level of the ground. All habitats are important. This one, however, is of special interest to people. Without fresh water, people, plants and animals cannot survive! Notice that I said 'people'. So wake up those sleepyheads sitting next to you and tell them to pay attention!"

"The Freshwater Ecosystem needs the most immediate help. Most of the pollution on this planet goes into these habitat areas. The plants and animals that live in these habitats need help and they need it fast! Here are some things you should know about this wonderfully wet place."

Things To Know

These habitats range in size from the great big Amazon River to that tiny little pond of water in the woods near your home.

Water quality in the freshwater ecosystem (ponds, lakes, streams, wetlands and rivers) is made up of many different factors. For example the water can be clear or cloudy, it can be acid or alkaline, can have high or low levels of dissolved oxygen and can contain a wide range of other chemicals.

Both Old World and New World cultures have been centered on freshwater habitats - Babylon between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, Egypt on the Nile, Rome on the Tiber, the Aztec capital built on man-made islands in Lake Tenochtitlan, Paris on the Seine, and Kinshasa on the Zaire River, to name a few.

The world's Freshwater ecosystem provides most of the world's water for drinking, agriculture, sanitation, and industry, as well as huge quantities of fish and shellfish. The Great Lakes, located on the border between the United States and Canada, contain 20% of all the fresh surface water resources on Earth!

Freshwaters are also home to a tremendous diversity of fish, amphibians, aquatic plants, invertebrates, and microorganisms. The Amazon River alone contains an estimated 3000 species of fish!

The biodiversity of the Freshwater ecosystem is among the most poorly known on Earth. Scientists believe that Thailand may have as many as 1000 species of freshwater fish, but only some 475 have actually been recorded!

The Freshwater ecosystem habitats are relatively discontinuous, and many aquatic freshwater species do not move easily across the land barriers that separate river drainages. This has three important consequences:

1.	Freshwater species must survive climatic and ecological changes in place. They are unable to go to areas with better conditions.
2.	Freshwater biodiversity is usually highly localized, and even small lake or stream systems often harbor unique, locally evolved forms of life.
3.	The number of different species in any given freshwater habitat can be high even if the population numbers of the individual species are low, since species differ between one site and the next.

The Freshwater ecosystem offers important cultural, economic and recreational resources for human populations around the world.

"Even though the Freshwater Inch in a Pinch Caterpillar

ecosystem habitats are some of the most important on Earth, they are facing enormous threats! I want you to understand what these are, so you can help protect them for our future! So, listen up! This stuff is important!"

Threats to the Freshwater Ecosystem

The introduction of non-native species, regrettably still often sanctioned or promoted by governments, is associated with the depletion of biodiversity and the collapse of major fisheries.

Chemical pollution introduced into freshwater systems through agricultural runoff, the over-use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, the improper disposal of waste and industrial by-products.

River Pollution

Thermal pollution (the unnatural heating or cooling of freshwater habitats), caused by the release of heated water, used in industrial processes, back into streams, rivers and lakes; the diversion of our waterways by means of concrete embankments; and dams built to create manmade lakes.

The over-harvcesting of fish and edible aquatic species for man's consumption.

Acid rain, resulting from the huge amount of car exhaust belched from the incredible number of cars driven on a daily basis.

Deforestation of the Earth's forests, which can adversely affect both the sedimentation rate and temperatue of the Freshwater ecosystem.

Mining operations that result in the introduction of toxic chemicals and heavy metals into our fresh water habitat areas..

Seepage from unmaintained septic tanks and sewage drain fields. Some countries do not have facilities to process raw sewage and dump it directly into rivers and streams! It is estimated that each year 10 million people die worldwide from drinking contaminated water!

"Okay, now that I've got your attention, let's look at some things you can do to help ease the pressures on the Freshwater ecosystem. I can't tell you how important these ideas are. They may mean the difference between everything on Earth living or dying!"

Ways to Help the Freshwater Ecosystem

Never release into your local rivers, ponds, or streams, non-native fish, frogs, turtles, or salamanders, kept as pets, when you no longer want them!

Do not buy or use toxic pesticides or herbicides for your lawns, gardens, or weed and pest control. Read the labels! Make it your business to know what you are using! Dispose of harmful chemicals carefully. DO NOT JUST POUR THEM OUT ON THE GROUND OR DUMP THEM DOWN THE DRAIN!!

Use organic fertilizers and use them sparingly! Over-fertilizing can be as harmful to plants as under-fertilizing.

Make yourself aware of what is happening in your local area. Attend town meetings. Read your local newspaper. Watch the local news. Find out if there are any proposals to divert local waterways or to build dams. Learn about proposed mining operations. Oppose any proposals that might result in damage to wildlife habitat. Let your voice be heard!

Take the time to walk around the city in which you live. Watch for any illegal dumping of waste into the freshwater habitats. If you see something you find to be suspect, notify the proper authorities - local environmental agency, wildlife department or health department.

Use your voice in government - your vote - to elect into office officials who are "pro environment". Help put into office people who will support the enforcement of fishing quotas.

Leave your car at home whenever possible. Join a carpool or ride the bus. Better yet, bicycle or walk to work.

Buy and use less products that come from forests! Instead of buying new furniture, recover or refinish what you have.

If you have a septic tank, set up a maintenance schedule and stick to it!.

Support organizations that are involved in teaching third world nations to work toward a better, environmentally friendly lifestyle.

"Gosh! It looks like we need to make Inch in a Pinch Caterpillar

some changes! These suggestions look do-able to me. How about you? I know it would be very difficult to start doing them all at once, but I am going to pick two and get started today. Won't you please do the same thing? All I'm asking is for you to begin by changing one thing in your life that is harming the Freshwater ecosystem. Thanks!! Oh, here are some links to other places where you might learn more about these great habitats. We'll talk more when you get back!"

Links

What's It Like Where You Live? - Freshwater Ecosystem
WWF - Press Release - Freshwater Ecosystems

"All done? Great! Now you're ready to continue. You can either choose to look at another type of ecosystem or choose to continue on to the different habitat areas.

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