Wetland Of International Importance Research Articles

Challenges and strategies for implementing the Ramsar Convention. Balancing Economic Development and Wetland Conservation

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, particularly focusing on waterfowl habitats, signifies a pivotal shift in global attitudes towards wetland conservation. Historically viewed as hindrances to development, wetlands have suffered from drainage and reclamation efforts, resulting in significant biodiversity loss. However, a growing recognition of their ecological significance has spurred international action. The Convention, established in 1971, serves as a landmark agreement to safeguard wetland ecosystems. It mandates member states to designate and conserve wetlands within their territories, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation due to the transboundary nature of wetland ecosystems. The Convention’s objectives encompass sustainable development goals, including water quality, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation. Implementation relies on national policies and collaboration among stakeholders. Furthermore, the Convention aligns with other environmental agreements, fostering synergies to enhance wetland protection globally. Despite these positive developments, there are significant challenges in ensuring the effective implementation of the Convention, particularly when economic interests conflict with environmental conservation. As highlighted in the case of the Bystroe Canal project in the Danube Delta, balancing development with wetland protection remains a critical issue. This article addresses the question of whether the Ramsar Convention can effectively apply its provisions in such cases, arguing that while it provides a strong framework, its effectiveness is often undermined by competing economic priorities. Without stronger enforcement mechanisms and increased international cooperation, the objectives of the Convention risk being compromised.

Rising temperatures and sinking hopes: An in-depth analysis of the interplay between climate change, land use patterns, and the desiccation of a global biosphere reserve

Global ecosystems and communities are significantly impacted by climate change and extreme events. The rapid desiccation of massive wetlands, which are essential for controlling water cycles, and biodiversity, preventing floods, and supplying essential ecosystem services, is one of the most upsetting effects. The once-largest lake in the Middle East, Lake Urmia, had a significant impact on ecology, economy, and human life contributing to climate regulation, species preservation, habitat conservation, tourism and recreation, and a wide range of other ecosystem services. The Ramsar Convention classified the lake as a Wetland of International Importance, and UNESCO designated it as a Biosphere Reserve. The ecological, agricultural, and societal challenges caused by rising temperatures, improper water resource management and overuse, enhanced salinity, and declining water levels have made Lake Urmia an acute symbol of environmental vulnerability. Using Landsat imagery, this study begins a thorough analysis of changes in the Lake Urmia basin from 1990 to 2020. The endeavor aims to develop effective conservation and restoration strategies by identifying the multiple reasons that led to its vulnerable situation. The study attempts to identify the role of precipitation, temperature trends, agricultural development, population growth, water consumption, evapotranspiration, and atmospheric salt and aerosol concentrations in the desiccation of the lake. This study presents a comprehensive knowledge of the complex interplay between climate change, human activity, and water management and may have implications for the holistic recovery of the lake. The findings have the potential to improve prognostic models and inform targeted mitigation strategies for not only Lake Urmia but also for other globally threatened wetlands.

Organophosphate, carbamate and synthetic pyrethroid pesticide residues in muscle tissues of fish from Loktak Lake, a Ramsar Site in Manipur, India

The muscle tissues of Channa punctatus and Anabas testudineus collected from the Loktak Lake (a Ramsar site) and its three major feeder rivers in Manipur, Northeastern India, were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography for the presence of residues of organophosphorus, carbamate, and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides. Pesticide residues of all the three types were detected in the fish tissues. Pesticide residues in Channa punctatus ranged from 0.002 – 0.043 µg g-1, and from 0.008 –0.027 µg g-1in Anabas testudineus from Loktak lake in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Pesticide residues were detected only in Anabas testudineus (0.002 – 0.078 µg g-1) in Nambul river, while these were detected only in Channa puctatus (0.001 – 0.032 µg g-1) in Moirang river. In Nambol river, pesticide concentrations ranged from 0.002 – 0.026 µg g-1 in Channa punctatus, and from 0.004 – 0.005 µg g-1 in Anabas testudineus. Among the five pesticides detected, concentrations of dichlorvos residues detected in the present study (0.027 and 0.032 µg g-1 wet weight) exceeded the Codex Alimentarius maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.01 mg kg-1 for animal tissues. The rest of the compounds were within the MRL. None of the pesticide residues was detected in the two fish species collected from the control or reference site. The present study indicates that pesticide contamination is emerging as a threat to the water quality and aquatic biodiversity of Loktak Lake, which calls for more detailed studies on the extent and magnitude of these threats.

Dual impacts of hydrology and damming on eutrophication: Comparison of two Ramsar wetlands in the middle Yangtze floodplain

Dam construction for social-economic benefits has raised substantial biological and ecological concerns. However, contrasting findings have been reported regarding the role of hydrological modification in floodplain lake ecosystems. Here, we evaluated the influence of hydrology and dam construction on the eutrophication of floodplain lakes over the last 200 years by studying Zn/Al (an indicator of industrial activities), nutrient influxes (total phosphorus, TP), cyanobacteria production (canthaxanthin) and aquatic invertebrate dynamics (chironomids) in 210Pb dated sediment cores from two Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance in the middle Yangtze floodplain, one dammed (Wanghu) and the other freely connected (Poyang) with the Yangtze River. The results show that Wanghu Lake transitioned to a macrophyte-dominated clear water state (as indicated by the increases in pigment derived ultraviolet radiation index and dominance of macrophyte-related chironomid taxa) after local dam construction when anthropogenic nutrient loadings were relatively low. With increases in nutrient loadings, phytoplankton increased in both lakes, but water clarity declined and macrophyte-related chironomids decreased only in the lake which was locally dammed. Our study reveals that local damming facilitates the response of floodplain lake ecosystems to eutrophication and decouples it from the effects of hydrological variability. This study highlights the potential influence of hydrology and damming on the eutrophication of floodplain lakes by influencing water clarity and macrophyte coverage, implying that evaluating the role of local dam construction on ecosystem states should be based on knowledge of nutrient conditions in floodplain lakes.

Environmental Factors Affecting Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Crop-Exploiting Species: Implications for Coexistence Between Agricultural Production and Avifauna Conservation in Wetlands

Bird communities in agroecosystems bring both ecosystem services (e.g., pollination) and disservices (e.g., crop exploitation) to farmers. However, in the proximity of wetland reserves, farmers disproportionately experience harvest yield loss due to large aggregation of bird species that can utilize various agricultural resources. This often results in negative human–wildlife interactions which lower conservation support among farmers. Knowledge about the distribution of avian species that negatively influence yields, and its environmental drivers is thus fundamental to reconcile crop production and bird conservation. This study aims to examine the spatio-temporal patterns in richness and abundance of bird species known to cause agricultural yield loss as well as species-specific distribution patterns for the six bird species that are most challenging for local farmers. In combination with interview surveys of local farmers (n = 367) and seasonal bird surveys (n = 720), we investigated distribution of crop-exploiting avian species in the Indawgyi wetland ecosystem in Myanmar. Our results showed high richness and abundance of crop-exploiting species in the water habitat across all seasons, with most challenging species exhibiting higher presence closer to these water sources. The crop phenology had positive effect on species richness and abundance during the growing season. The agricultural use of crop-exploiting species was season- and species-specific, where the presence probability in the agricultural habitat was higher in habitat generalists than wetland specialists. Therefore, we suggest improved management of natural wetland habitats (e.g., habitat restoration), sustainable coexistence mechanisms in farms close to water (e.g., bird-friendly rice farming and Ecolabel certification) to reduce avian impacts on the farming communities and, at the same time, to promote bird conservation in wetlands of international importance.

Beyond the selective regulation of wetlands: towards a rights of wetlands

ABSTRACT The importance of wetlands as places worthy of protection has been recognised since at least 1975, with the passage of the global wetland treaty, the Ramsar Convention (officially the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat). However, over the past 50 years wetlands have declined and at least 35% of natural wetlands have been lost with more at risk of extinction. Unfortunately, wetland habitats continue to suffer, despite the existence of protection regimes. In this context, this paper invites us to push the way we think about current wetland regulation and protection. Contemporary conceptions of wetlands that underpin dominant protection and management regimes tend to characterise wetlands in a way that overlooks all essential elements of the ecosystem. Our concern is to illuminate the plight of wetland ecosystems as interconnected waterscapes requiring more than a selective or partial regulative protection effort. We argue for a ‘rights of wetlands’ framing for a more holistic approach to regulate the management of these key ecosystems. We situate our argument using a Ramsar-listed wetland example, the Towra Point Nature Reserve, located in Botany Bay (Kamay), Sydney, Australia. Ultimately, we invite a recalibration of regulatory efforts for wetland conservation.

Exposure of wetlands important for nonbreeding waterbirds to sea-level rise in the Mediterranean.

Sea-level rise (SLR) is expected to cause major changes to coastal wetlands, which are among the world's most vulnerable ecosystems and are critical for nonbreeding waterbirds. Because strategies for adaptation to SLR, such as nature-based solutions and designation of protected areas, can locally reduce the negative effects of coastal flooding under SLR on coastal wetlands, it is crucial to prioritize adaptation efforts, especially for wetlands of international importance for biodiversity. We assessed the exposure of coastal wetlands important for nonbreeding waterbirds to projected SLR along the Mediterranean coasts of 8 countries by modeling future coastal flooding under 7 scenarios of SLR by 2100 (from 44- to 161-cm rise) with a static inundation approach. Exposure to coastal flooding under future SLR was assessed for 938 Mediterranean coastal sites (≤30km from the coastline) where 145 species of nonbreeding birds were monitored as part of the International Waterbird Census and for which the monitoring area was delineated by a polygon (64.3% of the coastal sites monitored in the Mediterranean region). Thirty-four percent of sites were threatened by future SLR, even under the most optimistic scenarios. Protected study sites and study sites of international importance for waterbirds were, respectively, 1.5 and 2 times more exposed to SLR than the other sites under the most optimistic scenario. Accordingly, we advocate for the development of a prioritization scheme to be applied to these wetlands for the implementation of strategies for adaptation to SLR to anticipate the effects of coastal flooding. Our study provides major guidance for conservation planning under global change in several countries of the Mediterranean region.

Understanding filamentous cyanobacteria and their adaptive niches in Lake Honghu, a shallow eutrophic lake

Freshwater lakes globally are witnessing an escalation in the frequency and intensity of cyanobacterial harmful blooms. However, underlying factors influencing the succession or coexistence of cyanobacteria, especially filamentous ones, remain poorly understood. Lake Honghu, a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance with degrading aquatic ecological quality, served as a case study to elucidate the intricate relationship between environmental changes and cyanobacterial dynamics. Our analysis revealed a significant increase in the dominance of filamentous cyanobacteria, marked by high spatiotemporal variability in community structure. This dominance of filamentous diazotrophic cyanobacteria is attributed to a decrease in the ratio of dissolved inorganic nitrogen to total phosphorus and their capacity to utilize organic phosphorus in phosphorus-deficient conditions. Species-specific density variations were linked to diverse environmental factors, with total nitrogen or total phosphorus concentration remaining as a crucial factor influencing dominant cyanobacterial density fluctuations. The dominance of low-temperature-tolerant Aphanizomenon and Pseudanabaena was evident in spring and winter, whereas Dolichospermum and Cylindrospermopsis, which prefer higher temperatures, thrived in summer and autumn. Additionally, non-algal turbidity and heterogeneity can potentially alter the competitive outcome among filamentous cyanobacteria or foster coexistence under conditions of elevated temperatures and nutrient limitation. This study predicts that filamentous cyanobacteria may spread and persist in lakes spanning a wide trophic range. Current findings enhance our comprehension of the dynamic responses exhibited by filamentous bloom-forming cyanobacteria in the face of environmental changes within shallow eutrophic lakes and provide valuable insights for lake managers involved in the remediation of degraded shallow lakes.

Artificial Neural Networks for Mapping Coastal Lagoon of Chilika Lake, India, Using Earth Observation Data

This study presents the environmental mapping of the Chilika Lake coastal lagoon, India, using satellite images Landsat 8-9 OLI/TIRS processed using machine learning (ML) methods. The largest brackish water coastal lagoon in Asia, Chilika Lake, is a wetland of international importance included in the Ramsar site due to its rich biodiversity, productivity, and precious habitat for migrating birds and rare species. The vulnerable ecosystems of the Chilika Lagoon are subject to climate effects (monsoon effects) and anthropogenic activities (overexploitation through fishing and pollution by microplastics). Such environmental pressure results in the eutrophication of the lake, coastal erosion, fluctuations in size, and changes in land cover types in the surrounding landscapes. The habitat monitoring of the coastal lagoons is complex and difficult to implement with conventional Geographic Information System (GIS) methods. In particular, landscape variability, patch fragmentation, and landscape dynamics play a crucial role in environmental dynamics along the eastern coasts of the Bay of Bengal, which is strongly affected by the Indian monsoon system, which controls the precipitation pattern and ecosystem structure. To improve methods of environmental monitoring of coastal areas, this study employs the methods of ML and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), which present a powerful tool for computer vision, image classification, and analysis of Earth Observation (EO) data. Multispectral satellite data were processed by several ML image classification methods, including Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and the ANN-based MultiLayer Perceptron (MLP) Classifier. The results are compared and discussed. The ANN-based approach outperformed the other methods in terms of accuracy and precision of mapping. Ten land cover classes around the Chilika coastal lagoon were identified via spatio-temporal variations in land cover types from 2019 until 2024. This study provides ML-based maps implemented using Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) GIS image analysis software and aims to support ML-based mapping approach of environmental processes over the Chilika Lake coastal lagoon, India.

Gaps in gender reporting in National Reports of Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (2021–2022)

Context The Ramsar Convention is the world’s premier environmental treaty for wetlands. This perspective evaluates gender reporting in Ramsar Convention National Reports and compliance with Gender and Wetlands Resolution XIII.18. A total of 71.8% (n = 42) of the sampled nation reports (n = 133) did not submit National Reports. Zero nations provided statistics on equitable pay or pay gaps by gender. In the sampled reports, only 10 nations submitted sex-disaggregated data. Further, only 7.5% (n = 123) of the sampled National Reports (n = 133) provided sex-disaggregated gender data relevant to the Ramsar Convention. Fifteen National Reports deleted the question on gender (Section H) on from their report entirely, including Denmark and Germany. With evidence drawn from the submitted National Reports, this perspective provides concrete empirical suggestions for improving gender reporting in the future. Gender initiatives, including Resolution XIII.18 and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have improved transparent gender reporting in the Ramsar Convention National Reports to a degree. However, on the basis of this review, there is room for improvement in national reporting. Methods National Reports from 2021 to 2022 were reviewed for all instances of ‘gender’ and then evaluated for national replies to Section H, focused on gender. Key results Five years after Resolution XIII.18, there is still a need for system-wide improvements in gender reporting, including sex-disaggregated data, and equity for women (cis and trans) for the Ramsar Convention to become compliant with Resolution XIII.18. Complying with Resolution XIII.18 is one concrete, global and measurable way for wetland science and policy to mainstream gender. Conclusions No nation has prepared a comprehensive answer to Section H on gender and wetland policy and science, as defined below; instead, nations have submitted discrete elements. The analysis of each nation’s answers showed essential elements for a comprehensive answer. In the next 5 years of gender reporting, nations have the option to learn from the past and strive to comply with Resolution XIII.18 and provide transparent sex-disaggregated data on National Heads, community stakeholders, site interpreters, site managers and equitable salary data.

Value of long-term isotope monitoring of an index lake for tracking changes in lake water balances across a northern freshwater landscape

Study regionThe Peace-Athabasca Delta, northeastern Alberta, a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. Study focusTo explore the cause of change in water isotope composition at an ‘index lake’ (δSSL; ‘PAD 18’), a terminal basin where inflow equals evaporation, and the consequences for characterizing lake water balance across a region subject to the same atmospheric conditions. For two decades, water isotope composition at PAD 18 provided a relatively constant, reliable estimate of δSSL, but experienced a pronounced shift in 2020–2021 when average flux-weighted ice-free season relative humidity increased by 4.6% from 66.2% (2015–2019) to 70.8% (2020–2021). Using flux-weighted air temperature and relative humidity data from 2020–2021, an independent calculation of δSSL was determined to be equivalent to the average isotope composition of PAD 18 during 2020–2021. New hydrological insightsResults reveal re-equilibration of the lake water with the atmosphere following the rise of relative humidity readily provides an explanation for the change in isotope composition of PAD 18. We demonstrate the importance of accurate characterization of δSSL, via the index lake method, for isotope-mass balance calculations using evaporation-to-inflow ratios from measurement of water isotope compositions of 61 lakes across the PAD in July 2021. Findings highlight the value of an index lake and appropriate parameterization of isotope-mass balance models for assessment and ongoing monitoring of water balances of nearby lakes, especially amidst future climatic variability.

Editorial Wetlands for human well-being

Editorial Wetlands for human well-being

Water Reserves for the Environment: A Strategic and Temporal Analysis (2012–2022) for the Implementation of Environmental Flows in Mexico

In Mexico, the evaluations of environmental flows are regulated by the Mexican Norm NMX-AA-159-SCFI-2012, and they warrant the establishment of water reserves for the environment. However, the pressure or demand for water use limits the establishment of said reserves because their implementation is generally conditioned to water availability. This research aimed to evaluate the changes through time of the variables that serve as a basis for the implementation strategy by the Mexican government. A geographical information system was built with updated information on water availability, conservation values, and pressures for all basins nationwide. Their desired conservation status was analyzed, and the potential reserves were estimated based on the reference values. The results were examined according to the ranking changes in environmental water reserves enactment feasibility and desired conservation status of Mexican basins, the progress achieved to date, and the potential contribution to the conservation of protected areas and their connectivity if the gaps of reserves were implemented. The outcomes point towards an administrative implementation strategy with positive results despite the growing demand for water use, with a change rate higher than the one for the creation of new protected areas. Currently, basins with low demand and high conservation value have the potential to meet people’s and the environment’s water needs, and contribute to 86% of the goal set by the present administration without affecting water availability. Finally, reserving water in the priority basins would guarantee the legal protection of the flow regime in 48–50% of the hydrographic network (63,760–66,900 km) in a desired conservation status, 43–49% of wetlands of international importance (48,650–49,600 km2) and other protected areas (128,700–136,500 km2) in 85–89% of the global ecoregions represented in Mexico (780,500–852,200 km2).

Temporal dynamics of inundation area, hydrochemistry and brine in Bakhtegan Lake, South-Central Iran

Study regionBakhtegan Lake, southern Iran, is a “Wetland of International Importance” (Ramsar Site). Study focusThis study focuses on analyzing the time series of the lake's inundation area, identifying factors contributing to its shrinkage, and studying its hydrochemical characteristics. To map the inundation area, Landsat images from 1972 to 2019 were used and 64 water samples were collected from the lake during 2017–2019 for geochemical modeling. New hydrological insights for the regionThe study reveals that the Bakhtegan Lake has become a seasonal lake with a long-term dry state since 2007. The lake's inundation area shows a significant correlation with the Kor River discharge, and the main reason for the lake's shrinkage is a decrease in river inflow due to over-exploitation in the basin and construction of two new dams since 2007. The lake water and brine below the lake bed have TDS concentrations varying between 70000 and 451000 mg/L and 118000–373000 mg/L, respectively. The Gibbs, Na-normalized ratio end-member diagrams show that the lake water chemistry is mainly controlled by evaporation. The saturation index indicates that brine samples were in an equilibrium state with gypsum, halite, and glauberite. The Spencer diagram and evolutionary pathway model suggest that water samples shifted toward natural sulfate-rich minerals during evaporation. The lake water evolution model predicts precipitation of halite, kieserite, and carnallite minerals during progressive evaporation.

Celerity of Ice Breakup Front in the Regulated Peace River, Canada, and Implications for the Recharge of the Peace–Athabasca Delta

Timely release of flow from upstream hydropower generation facilities on the Peace River can enhance potential ice-jam flooding near the drying Peace–Athabasca Delta (PAD), a Ramsar wetland of international importance and homeland to Indigenous Peoples. An important consideration in deciding whether and when to commence a release is the celerity of the breakup front as it advances along the Peace River. Relevant historical data for a key stretch of the river are analyzed to determine average celerities, which can vary by an order of magnitude from year to year. Seven breakup events are identified that might have been candidates for a release, and the predictability of associated celerities is explored in terms of antecedent hydroclimatic variables, including cumulative winter snowfall, snow water equivalent on 1 April, ice cover thickness, coldness of the winter, and freezeup level. It is shown that celerity can be predicted to within a factor of two or less, with the freezeup level giving the best results. Three of the seven “promising” events culminated in PAD floods and were associated with the three highest celerities. The empirical findings are shown to generally align with physical understanding of breakup driving and resisting factors.

БОЛЕЕ ПОЛУВЕКА СЛУЖЕНИЯ НАУКЕ (К ЮБИЛЕЮ ДОКТОРА БИОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ НАУК, ПРОФЕССОРА Т. М. БРАГИНОЙ)

On February 26, 2024, Tatyana M. Bragina, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor of the Akhmet Baitursynuly Kostanay Regional University, Chief Researcher of the Azov-Black Sea Branch of the Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed scientific journal “Aquatic Bioresources and Environment” celebrated her anniversary. Tatyana M. Bragina started her career at the Naurzum State Nature Reserve, where she was working as a Deputy Director for Science for more than 17 years. T.M. Bragina has made an invaluable contribution to the study and preservation of the biological diversity of Kazakhstan. She initiated numerous environmental concervation and research projects and was in charge of many multidisciplinary scientific expeditions. Based on the results of these studies, the certification of the primary lake systems of a major part of Northern Kazakhstan has been carried out, several specially protected natural areas have been created, and five out of ten Ramsar sites of the Republic of Kazakhstan have been recognized as wetlands of international importance. A special role in the professor’s work was played by educational activities and by the development of a network of specially protected natural areas. Tatyana M. Bragina and her colleagues have also made a crucial contribution to creation and development of the scientific journal “Aquatic Bioresources & Environment”.

An analysis of policy and legal framework on wetland conservation and management in South Africa

South Africa has a wealth of wetlands that provide a range of environmental, cultural and economic goods and services. In recognition of the importance of wetlands, South Africa has been a member of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (also referred to as the Ramsar Convention) since 1975. Apart from this international commitment, South Africa has developed an array of environmental laws and policies that serve as instruments for protecting and managing wetlands. The study aimed to analyse the strengths and limitations of South Africa’s environmental policies and legislative framework that promotes wetland protection and management. The Constitution and nine environmental national laws with provisions relating to wetland conservation and management were thus purposefully selected and analysed qualitatively. The study found that there is no stand-alone wetland policy that protects wetlands; rather, several sectoral policies integrate objectives relating to wetland conservation in the country including those that cover agriculture, the environment, biodiversity and water. This multiplicity means there are no unified management objectives for wetlands protection and conservation. The study also found that there is a lack of harmonisation of policies and legislation, inadequate intergovernmental coordination and no integrated monitoring among the government departments involved. The study concludes that this disjointed and incoherent approach to wetlands conservation and management has weakened the effectiveness of the legal framework and this has obstructed their effectiveness in protecting this sensitive ecosystem.

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF THE NORTH-WESTERN BLACK SEA WETLANDS

A significant part of wetlands of international importance in Ukraine is located on the North-Western Black Sea region territory. Wetlands are integral components of a natural reserve fund and ecological network; they perform very important functions in maintaining biological and landscape-biological diversity, as well as stabilizing climatic conditions. Ecosystem services of wetlands are of great importance, but their quality is subject to the negative influence of natural spontaneous processes and various forms of anthropogenic activity. An assessment of wetlands ecosystem services is necessary to understand how important is their role for the normal life of the population, as well as for the conservation of biological diversity and the maintenance of balanced natural processes. Therefore, the problems of rational use, conservation and restoration of the North-Western Black Sea region wetlands, as well as their ecosystem services assessment are important in environmental and socio-economic aspects.

Environmental Consequences of the Explosion of the Kahovsky Hydroelectric Plant on Biodiversity

The purpose of this article is to determine the ecological consequences of the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant (southern Ukraine) on the biological diversity of the region. The main research methods were: theoretical generalization and system-functional approach, analysis, synthesis, expedition method. The ecological consequences of the destruction of a hydroelectric dam are divided into two types: drainage and flooding. As a result of the flooding, 48 objects of the nature reserve fund, with a total area of 120 thousand hectares, were affected. Aquatic biotopes and biotopes characteristic of overmoistened areas were the most affected by drainage. 38 rare types of biotopes, which are under the protection of the Bern Convention, were affected by the ecological disaster; wetlands of international importance (so-called Ramsar) with an area of 33,000 hectares in the Dnipro delta and seven objects of the Emerald network. Prospects for further research are related to the study of biotope restoration after an ecological disaster.

Unveiling bacterial consortium for xenobiotic biodegradation from Pichavaram mangrove forest soil: a metagenomic approach.

Pichavaram mangrove forest was established as a wetland of International Importance by Article 2.1 in April 2022 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India. Even though it is a conserved site, xenobiotic agrochemical leaching on the forest land during monsoon is inevitable. These threaten the microbial diversity in the environment. Xenobiotic degradation is achieved using bacterial consortia already acclimatised to this environment. This study aims to identify the indigenous microbial consortia able to degrade xenobiotic compounds such as fluorobenzoate, furfural, and steroids. Pichavaram mangrove metagenomic dataset was obtained by shotgun sequencing of soil DNA and processed using the automated tool SqueezeMeta. Further, the DIAMOND database provided the taxonomical classification of the microbes in each contig. With reference to the KEGG database, the selected xenobiotic degradation pathways were confirmed in the dataset. Of 1,253,029 total contigs, 1332, 72 and 1262 were involved in fluorobenzoate, furfural and steroid degradation, respectively. This study identified that microbial consortia comprising Marinobacter, Methyloceanibacter and Vibrio natriegens/Gramella sp. can degrade fluorobenzoate. While Afipia, Nitrosopumilus sp., and Phototrophicus methaneseepsis favour the degradation of furfural compound. The steroid degradation pathway possessed a plethora of bacteria belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria.