Publisher's Synopsis
A vast variety of organisms, from fish, crustaceans, molluscs, marine mammals, and aquatic plants to microscopic phytoplankton and zooplankton, make up the aquatic biodiversity. These organisms participate in the ecological processes and responsible for keeping life on Earth alive by forming intricate food webs. However, human activity poses a serious threat to aquatic biodiversity. Overfishing, habitat loss, climate change, introduction of exotic plants and animals, pollution from urban areas, industries, and agricultural zones, as well as the loss and alteration of ecological niches are a few of the main issues that aquatic ecosystems are currently facing. Ecosystem services and biodiversity can be lost as a result of habitat destruction, such as damming rivers, draining wetlands, and destroying coral reefs. Numerous fish populations have declined as a result of overfishing and upsetting food chains, behavior, and the health of ecosystems like coral reefs and mangroves, climate change presents a particularly serious threat to aquatic biodiversity. These threats have severe implications for the health and stability of aquatic ecosystems. A multifaceted strategy is needed to conserve aquatic biodiversity, including pollution reduction, climate change mitigation, sustainable fisheries management, and the preservation of important habitats. These efforts are essential for maintaining ecological balance and ensuring the long-term sustainability of aquatic environments. This comprehensive review of biodiversity in aquatic habitats, covering freshwater, marine, and brackish environments, importance and essential services provided by aquatic biodiversity, including nutrient cycling, water purification, habitat provision, food security, and climate regulation through carbon sequestration underscores the integral role of aquatic species play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. The analysis of anthropogenic activities involving pollution, damming, deforestation, overfishing, invasive species and its impact on aquatic ecosystems is necessary in today's context when effects of climate change on aquatic environments, including ocean acidification, rising water temperatures, and sea level rise have become severe. The compilation of resilience strategies for aquatic species in response to these changes, methods for assessing aquatic biodiversity, including bioindicators, ecological surveys, remote sensing, and GIS and ecological restoration principles and techniques for restoring rivers, wetlands, and coral reefs suggests need to undertake sustainable practices and conservation of vital ecosystems. The in-situ and ex-situ conservation methods include Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and freshwater reserves, sustainable fisheries management, and habitat rehabilitation strategies and key international conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Ramsar Convention, national policies and the role of NGOs etc. These participatory methods highlight the necessity of community involvement in preservation of biodiversity. The book has addressed challenges involved in the process and account of effective conservation measures to sustain the wide variety of life in aquatic habitats.
