Impact of land-based activities on inland ecosystems and habitats

All food producing sectors, including inland fisheries and aquaculture, are facing problems of environmental degradation and increasing land and water scarcity. Recent global assessments of freshwater resource availability confirmed that some regions are or will be facing serious water shortages. Demand by, and competition among, various sectors for water - in terms of quantity and quality - will increase significantly in the future. Degradation of aquatic habitat in many areas is on increase, resulting from expansion of industries, mining, agriculture, and from deforestation.

Ever increasing pollution in many regions represents major threat to inland aquatic ecosystems and habitats. Further disturbances result from impoundment and channelization of water bodies, excessive abstraction or diversion of water, soil erosion and manipulation of hydrological characteristics of rivers, lakes and floodplains. Environmental stresses are particularly severe in those watersheds that are already substantially modified or degraded.

Deterioration of catchment soils by inappropriate agricultural practices, deforestation and pollution inputs are reducing water quality in rivers and streams in both the tropical and the temperate zones of Asia. A number of lakes in Asia are being reduced in size due to abstraction of water for agriculture and other uses. Other lakes undergo eutrophication, increased sedimentation and intensified aquatic plant growth, as well as encroachment of agriculture into their margins, with consequent changes in their ecosystem. While much attention has been devoted to the problems faced in tropical and subtropical water bodies, concerns have been raised for more attention to be paid to the preservation of cold water habitats in developing countries.

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