Biodiversity of Freshwater Ecosystems : Threats, Protection, and Management

This new volume examines the ecological importance, threats, protection, and management of the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems, such as lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, reservoirs, pools, and wetlands. As populations have been increasing exponentially, humans are using freshwater ecosystems severely, resulting in habitat destruction and breakdown. Environmental contamination, climate change, the introduction of harmful and invasive organisms, unplanned dredging and de-weeding processes, disposal of sewer systems in freshwater bodies, and badly planned water diversions are the leading causes of habitat loss in freshwaters. These impacts have led to significant decreases in the numbers and productivity of many freshwater species and decreased biodiversity in freshwater.

This book presents a selection of primary research and review papers on several freshwater aquatic biodiversity studies, which involve evaluating plants, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, benthic zones, and fish diversity in freshwater ecosystems. It provides an abundance of new information on freshwater biodiversity distribution, status, and patterns.

Key features:

• Discusses the importance, threats, and management of biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems
• Provides detailed coverage of modern and updated techniques used in the evaluation and conservation of freshwater biodiversity
• Looks at the impact of pesticides pollution on freshwater environs, and on aquatic and terrestrial life
• Reviews how global climate change affects freshwater biodiversity

promotes the enhancement and strengthening of freshwater protection and its unique biodiversity for scientists, policymakers, scholars, researchers, NGOs, and the public, providing necessary background knowledge and practical tools to help manage aquatic ecosystems and their biodiversity in a holistic manner.

Suhaib A. Bandh, PhD, is Assistant Professor (Environmental Science) at Government Degree College DH Pora Kulgam, J&K, India. He teaches courses on environmental science and disaster management at the graduate level. He is the President of the Academy of EcoScience in addition to being a life member of the Academy of Plant Sciences India and the National Environmental Science Academy. He is a recipient of many awards and has participated in a number of national and international conferences organized by different reputed scientific bodies in India and abroad. He has a number of scientific publications to his credit, and he has recently edited and authored a number of books, including Freshwater Microbiology: Perspectives of Bacterial Dynamics in Lake Ecosystem, Environmental Management, and Perspectives of Environmental Science. Dr. Bandh is currently editing a special issue on Ecology and Biotechnological Applications of Biofilm in BioMed Research International with Hindawi.

, is Assistant Professor (Environmental Science) in the P. G. Department of Environmental Science, S. P. College Campus, at Cluster University Srinagar, India. He was formerly an Associate Functional Area Expert on an environmental impact assessment (EIA) project at the University of Kashmir, where he focused on air and soil quality. He has published many research articles in reputed, referred international and national journals. His doctorate was on Environmental Science (Aquatic Ecology) on the topic "Variations in macrozoobenthos communities in various basins of Dal lake Srinagar, Kashmir." He has a strong interest in aquatic ecology and studying the water and sediment chemistry and different aspects of studying macrozoobenthic communities.

, is Professor and Principal at Government Degree College, DH Pora Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is also Coordinator of the Hydrobiology Research Laboratory located at Sri Pratap College Campus of Cluster University Srinagar, India. Prof. Mir has worked in different capacities in the Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department since its inception. He has published number of research articles in international and national journals. His doctorate in Zoology was on "Macrozoobenthos fauna in different freshwater ecosystems of Kashmir." He has handled a number of major and minor research projects from different funding agencies of India. Presently his focus of study is the cold-water fisheries and the trophic status of freshwater bodies of Kashmir. He has a strong interest in aquatic ecology and as such has guided many research students in this field.

is Head of the P.G. Department of Environmental Science, S. P. College Campus, Cluster University Srinagar, India. He has cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) in Environmental Science conducted by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi. He is pursuing his PhD at Lovely Professional University, Chandigarh Punjab, in the area of aquatic ecology. He has a strong interest in aquatic ecology and, as such, has guided a number of postgraduate students in the same area. Mr. Wani has also worked as in-charge controller of examination at the Cluster University Srinagar in addition to working in different capacities in the Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department. He has published many research articles in international and national journals.