Fresh Water Ecosystem, Research Paper Example

Introduction

While the earth’s surface is composed of at least 70% water resource, only 20% of it could be considered fresh (Leathwick, et al, 2007). This is the reason why freshwater resource is considered only a subset of the overall aquatic ecosystem that the earth nourishes within its territories. The said ecosystem includes water forms like ponds, lakes, rivers, springs, wetlands and streams. Some other forms of this particular ecosystem are notably frozen in far end regions of the earth. Relatively, it is believed that the freshwater resources are contrasted from the general forms of water source on earth due to the salt-content ratio. Marine ecosystems have higher salt content compared to freshwater ecosystems making these areas more capable of hosting special kinds of living creatures that could only survive in areas where water has high oxygen content.

Temperature also is one factor that makes this particular ecosystem different from the general status of the earth’s water resources. Due to this particular point of difference, the vegetation that could be found on the said areas also largely differs from that of the marine aquatic resource. Light penetration in the said ecosystem is also considered to have a great impact on how life within this type of habitat is supported by the environment. True to its sense, the freshwater ecosystem is considered to be among the most important food resources on earth. However, given that the said resource is limited, it is currently facing the danger of slowly being destroyed due to destructive massive interventions what include industrialization of the locally maintained areas (Friberg, et al, 2011). In the discussion that follows, a distinct presentation on what freshwater ecosystem is, how it supports the balance of life on earth and how specifically it is able to provide economic stability among areas where it is found shall be given specific attention to. A relative consideration on how it should be given specific care for shall also be give cue so as to impose on how to save freshwater ecosystems that are still existing.

Importance Of Ecosystem

Freshwater ecosystems could be noted to be divided into to specific types which include lentic systems which are still freshwater ecosystems and the lotic ecosystem which is characterized by being still in form (Ricciardi, et al, 1999). Though hydrobiology, the nature of these forms of hydro ecosystems are being studied upon. Relatively, being able to support specific specialized creatures and vegetation, freshwater ecosystems are noted to have a great impact on the balance of life on earth. However, because of the nature of the said ecosystem, it is also noted to be affected by particular problems. Because of the stagnation of water in the said form, cholera often comes off from the said network of ecosystem. Most of the time, it could be analyzed that such occurrences often occur because of the human injected situations that contribute to the matter; relatively, upon investigation, it has been noted that sewage contamination and overflow on residential areas established close within particular freshwater ecosystems. This particular form of human intervention on the said areas affect the living condition of the creatures residing within this form of ecosystem thus calling out for particular attention on the part by which the societies surrounding freshwater resources to take note on how they handle waste management in their areas.

It could be understood that the condition of health that the freshwater ecosystems are noted for have a great impact on how the capacity of the current systems on earth are notably able to support life as required. Through time, it has been recognized that the existence of freshwater resources are able to provide support on the aim of developing flood control operations, provision of short-time water transportation, provision of recreation for community residents, and provision of resources that are taken from this particular form of water body. Due to the high rate of diversity of creatures living in the said area, it could be noticed that the high sense of distinction on how life is supported within the ecosystem instantiates a high balance on the constant cycle occurring within the system’s environment.

The incapability to protect the life and the system of cycles occurring in this ecosystem implies the failure on how life on earth is supported in an overall context. Due to the increasing condition of destruction that comes from the intervention of humans because of the activities they engage with, it could not be denied that the condition of freshwater ecosystems is specifically in peril. Because of this, the need to create programs that would specifically protect the life that exists in the said habitat should be a serious concern for all especially those who are in the position to make some changes.

Impacts Of Ecosystem

An ecosystem is understood as a particular environment that hosts the living condition of a particular community of different species coexisting with each other. The status of the environment’s capacity to provide what the living creatures need specifically depend on the current cycles sustained within the said ecosystem. The productivity rate of these environments depends on how healthy the area is. For freshwater ecosystems, it is important that the temperature is controlled, the vegetation is managed well hence making the cycle of photosynthesis occur accordingly in the area thus suggesting the balance of substances and elements existing within the said environment (Lek, 2005). The more contained the environment is, the more efficient the production will become. Most likely, it is because of this that governments at present are hoping to create programs that would specifically protect freshwater resources within their territories.

The rich provisions that this ecosystem provides the humans with specifically insist on the capacity of humans living around it to survive as well. This is the reason why protecting freshwater ecosystems within the territories of particular governments is being given specific attention to. Given that the said resources have become few and are still reducing in number at present, the attention on the maintenance on their integrity is always kept in mind by legislators dedicated to protecting such resources. Relatively, maintaining such system is costly (Ouboter, 1993). The disturbance that human activities cause on the integral development of the capacity of freshwater ecosystems to support life has made such maintenance operation costly instead of being free as naturally designed. Hence, it is assumed that with the development of programs that would specifically direct human individuals and agencies towards the responsible use of resources taken from freshwater ecosystems, the life and the condition of development in the said areas could be maintained accordingly.

Research For Fresh Water Ecosystem

Habitat development and maintenance is what most government programs dedicated to protecting environmental resources are aiming to accomplish. In relation to freshwater ecosystems, such maintenance includes constant checking of the surroundings of the areas where freshwater resources are found. Residential zones are expected to be placed elsewhere where the said ecosystems could not be damaged. This process is expected to maintain the current integrity that the freshwater resources have and hopefully return the balance it has to be able to allow it to support life on its own like it is intended to.

Research Against Fresh Water Ecosystem

Dams and water reservoirs are supposed to store useful water viable for human consumption. However, the process of purifying contaminated water from freshwater ecosystems specifically make this process almost impossible to control when it comes to the height of expenses used to keep the operations going. Hence, the solution to the matter is considered to be strongly related to how the main source of freshwater is protected and maintained thus lessening the cost of purification used to make the water potable for human consumption.

Conclusion

Considering the presentation of data noted in this discussion, it could be analyzed how important freshwater ecosystems are in supporting the overall integrity of human development and human living. Being able to protect these sources of freshwater means being able to protect the lives of the human generations today and the others that are still to come. Preserving the said resource of freshwater would also preserve the lives of other resources [living things] that are sustained by the ecosystem that freshwater environment protects. This way, the richer the freshwater ecosystems stay, the richer and more sustainable societies are expected to become. With this in mind, it could be realized that the only way to serve whatever freshwater ecosystems are still existing today would strongly depend on how the societies tend to work in collaboration and cooperation between each other.

References

Lek, S. (2005). Modelling community structure in freshwater ecosystems. Berlin: Springer.

Ouboter, P. (1993). The Freshwater ecosystems of Suriname. Dordrecht Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Leathwick J.R.; Collier K.; Chadderton L. (2007) “Identifying freshwater ecosystems with nationally important natural heritage values: development of a biogeographic framework”. Science for Conservation 274. p. 30. Department of Conservation (New Zealand).

Friberg, N, Bonada, N., Bradley, D.C., Dunbar, M.J., Edwards, F.K., Grey, J., Hayes, R.B., Hildrew, A.G., Lamouroux, N., Trimmer, M., Woodward G., (2011). Biomonitoring of Human Impacts in Freshwater Ecosystems: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Advances in Ecological Research, 1-68.

Ricciardi, A., & Rasmussen, J. B. (1999). Extinction Rates of North American Freshwater Fauna. Conservation Biology, 13 (5), 1220-1222.