THREATS to the Freshwater Biome
The Human Enemy
Many of the threats to the freshwater biomes are due to human interference in the natural order of things. Often people do not think about the big picture and the major impact they can have on the environment for the future. Clear examples where people threaten the future of freshwater biomes are listed below.
Fresh water is a renewable but limited natural resource. Fresh water can only be renewed through the process of the water cycle. The water cycle is where water from seas, lakes, rivers, and dams evaporate, forms clouds, and returns to water sources as precipitation (rain). If humans use or consume more fresh water than nature can restore through the water cycle, then there will be less fresh water available in lakes, and rivers. As a result there is also less underground water and that can cause serious damage to the surrounding environment. Animals lose their food and their homes as a result of these problems.
Global warming is a reality that is hard to stop. People depend on their cars for driving and the manufacturing industries produce a lot of pollution. The ozone layer is jeopardized by this type of pollution and this effects the water cycle. Only recently have solutions like recycling and using different kinds of energy become popular and viewed by the public as important.
Many of the threats to the freshwater biomes are due to human interference in the natural order of things. Often people do not think about the big picture and the major impact they can have on the environment for the future. Clear examples where people threaten the future of freshwater biomes are listed below.
- Dam Building: People build dams to secure freshwater for drinking or secure land for other purposes. These dams can barricade certain species of fish that migrate through as part of maintaining their population in the world. If the fish cannot migrate, they cannot reproduce,and certain species could become extinct.
- Over-fishing: People often catch too much of a certain type of fish because either it is in high demand or can make a lot of profit when selling it. If you over fish a particular kind of fish, it will cause a low number and again possible extinction. This kind of loss has a bigger effect because it can break the food chain. The animals that usually depend on this population for their food source would have less food and be in danger themselves. This is why there are fishing limits for many species and why fishing licenses are issued.
- Pollution: This is a major problem that humans cause to the freshwater biome. Things that continue to contribute to this problem are things like dumping garbage or factories that produce pollution or chemicals that go into the water in the rain. Also the runoff from farms and factories and even recreational boating and fast food packaging can contribute to the pollution of our freshwater.
- Global Warming: Because water is evaporating faster and the plants living around or in the water are dying because of it. Animals also slowly lose their food and their homes. Global warming would be hard to stop but because people are driving a lot and the smoke that comes out of factories go up into the air and ruin the Ozone Layer. People should stop using cars as much and stop depending on gas as much as they do now. Factories should stop expelling out so much smoke that it can ruin the atmosphere.
Fresh water is a renewable but limited natural resource. Fresh water can only be renewed through the process of the water cycle. The water cycle is where water from seas, lakes, rivers, and dams evaporate, forms clouds, and returns to water sources as precipitation (rain). If humans use or consume more fresh water than nature can restore through the water cycle, then there will be less fresh water available in lakes, and rivers. As a result there is also less underground water and that can cause serious damage to the surrounding environment. Animals lose their food and their homes as a result of these problems.
Global warming is a reality that is hard to stop. People depend on their cars for driving and the manufacturing industries produce a lot of pollution. The ozone layer is jeopardized by this type of pollution and this effects the water cycle. Only recently have solutions like recycling and using different kinds of energy become popular and viewed by the public as important.
SAVE THE SNAIL KITE!
There are several endangered species who make their home in the freshwater biome. Examples of some of these animals are shown below.
American Alligator
He looks ferocious.