-
-
Freshwater Ecoregions of the World divides the world’s freshwater systems into 426 distinct conservation units, many of which are rich in species but under increasing pressure from human population growth, rising water use, and habitat alteration.
-
- This is the first study to compile data on freshwater species — including fish, amphibians, crocodiles and turtles — for nearly all of the world’s inland water habitats
- Almost 18,000 species have been mapped and placed into freshwater ecoregions. This species list includes 13,400 fish, 4,000 amphibians, 300 turtles, and 20 crocodile species and their relatives.
- About half of all freshwater fish are endemic, or found in only one ecoregion.
-
- Excessive water use for agriculture, industry, drinking and livestock are placing freshwater ecosystems in 55 ecoregions under high stress, threatening the species and habitats.
- In another 59 ecoregions more than 50 percent of their area has already been converted from natural habitats to cropland and urban areas.
-
Until now there were no data on global freshwater biodiversity synthesized in a way that was useful to conservation.
-
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific.
-
Known in the United States as World Wildlife Fund and recognized worldwide by its panda logo, WWF leads international efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats and to conserve the diversity of life on Earth. Now in its fifth decade, WWF, the global conservation organization, works in more than 100 countries around the world.
-
Leave a Reply