Download Fresh Water Fish

Freshwater Fish
An Endangered Group
What are freshwater fish?
• They live in freshwater with a
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salinity of the less than 0.05%
such as rivers, lakes and streams
41% of all known species of fish
are found in freshwater
Their gills are able to diffuse water
while keeping the salts of the
bodily fluids inside
Their scales keep water from
diffusing in through their skin
They have well developed kidneys
that enable a lot of water to pass
through their kidneys
Why are freshwater fish endangered?
• Their freshwater habit is being
polluted
• Their breeding sites are being
cut off by dams
• They are being over-fished
• Human activities such as
construction, water diversion
and waterfront development
are disrupting theirs and other
animals eco-systems
Why are freshwater fish important to
us?
• Freshwater ecosystems
provide the majority of
people’s drinking water
• These ecosystems are home
to more than 40% of the
world’s fish species
• Freshwater fish are essential
to freshwater ecosystems
balance and without them our
freshwater resources will
disappear
Threats to Freshwater Fish
• The creation of dams and water-diversion systems block
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migration routes for fish and disrupt their habitats
Water withdrawal for human use shrinks and degrades
habitats
Runoff from agricultural and urban areas hurts water
quality
Draining of wetlands for development depletes habitats.
Overexploitation and pollution threaten groundwater
supplies
Invasion of exotic species can harm native animals and
plants
Global warming may lead to devastating floods and
droughts
Solutions
• Restrict the construction of
dams
• Provide incentives for farming
business to reduce the use of
pesticides
• Establish protected wetland
areas
• Regulate water withdrawal for
human use
What I think…
Freshwater fish are important to the freshwater
ecosystem. We need to ensure their survival by
acting on the stated solutions. If not, freshwater
fish will move from being endangered to being
extinct.
Bibliography
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_fish
• http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment
/habitats/freshwater-threats.html
• http://www.excellentspirit.com/index.php?option=com_c
ontent&view=article&id=72:endangered-freshwaterfish&catid=23:kaleb-blog&Itemid=66
The End
By Allison Mulock