According to a new study, Amazon's freshwater ecosystem is undergoing constant degradation owing to pollution, deforestation and construction of waterways and dams.
Amazon's freshwater ecosystem makes up for one third of the forest's basin area. Recently, a new study conducted by researchers from the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC) along with professions from institutes in USA and Brazil has found that Amazon Freshwater Ecosystem is under the threat of degradation owing to pollution, deforestation and construction of waterways and dams.
This has a diect impact on the habitats of the land as they depend on this freshwater ecosystem for means of livelihood. While policies and rules have been put in place to protect the forest and carbon stocks, very little attention has been paid to the freshwaters in the area over the last three decades which has lead to them degrading drastically.
"Despite some terrestrial protections that are high by global standards, this paper shows key gaps in protection for the Amazon's freshwater systems and species," said Robin Abell, senior freshwater conservation biologist at World Wildlife Fund. The Madeira River basin, for example, is threatened by oil exploration, deforestation and dams in its headwaters, even though protected areas cover 26 percent of the catchment area.
"The pressures that the authors detail need to be addressed now, before conservation opportunities are lost. Restoration can be far costlier than proactive protection," Abell said.
One of the major threats affecting the freshwater ecosystem of the area is the alteration of the natural hydrology.
"There are a total of 154 hydroelectric dams in operation, 21 in construction, and plans to construct 277 additional dams in the future. There are also thousands of small dams located in small streams to provide water for cattle," c-oauthor of WHRC, Marcia Macedo, said. "These infrastructure projects, together with deforestation-induced changes to regional rainfall, could fundamentally change the hydrology of Amazon freshwater systems."
