Chapter 15 - The Influence of global climate change on freshwater ecosystem

Abstract

Aquatic ecosystems are critical components of the global environment and provide a variety of services for human populations, including water for drinking and irrigation, recreational opportunities, and habitat for economically important fisheries. However, aquatic systems have been increasingly threatened and added stress due to various factors of global climate change. For example, (1) many species within these fragmented habitats have limited abilities to disperse as the environment changes; the metabolic rates of organisms, and the overall productivity of ecosystems are directly regulated by temperature. (2) Projected increase in temperature are expected to disrupt present patterns of plant and animal distribution in aquatic ecosystems. Changes in precipitation and runoff modify the amount and quality of habitat for aquatic organisms, and thus, they indirectly influence ecosystem productivity and diversity. (3) The manner humans adapt to a changing climate will greatly influence the future status of inland freshwater and coastal wetland ecosystems. Minimizing the adverse impacts of human activities, land-use change, environmental pollution, and water diversion through policies that promote more science-based management of aquatic resources is the most successful path to continue health and sustainability of these ecosystems. Management priorities should include providing aquatic resources with adequate water quality and quantity at appropriate times, reducing nutrient loads, and limiting the spread of exotic species.