Publisher : Springer India
Place of publication :
Publication year : 2015
Thematic : Ecological Economics
Language : English
Note
The total water resources of the earth equal to 326 million cubic mile; only
2–5 % of water is fresh water, 97.5 % is salt water. Almost 69 % of fresh
water resources are tied in glaciers and ice caps, about 30 % is ground water
and a mere 0.27 % is surface water. Water resources are important for the
survival of the planet. Aquatic biodiversity is one of the most essential characteristic
of the aquatic ecosystem for maintaining its stability and means of
coping with any environmental changes.
India is one of the 17 “megadiverse” countries and is composed of a diversity
of ecological habitats like forests, grasslands, wetlands, deserts, and
coastal and marine ecosystems. From the biodiversity point of view, India is
regarded as a mega diversity country. Out of the total estimated species of the
world, about 8.4 million species are reported from India. India has a wealth
of wetland ecosystems distributed in different geographical regions. Most of
the wetlands in India are directly or indirectly linked with major river systems
such as the Ganges, Cauvery, Krishna, Godavari and Tapti. India has
total of 27,403 wetlands, of which 23,444 are inland wetlands and 3,959 are
coastal wetlands. Wetland systems directly and indirectly support lakhs of
people, providing goods and services to them. They help check fl oods, prevent
coastal erosion and mitigate the effects of natural disasters like cyclones
and tidal waves. They store water for long periods.
Biodiversity and conservation are the key concepts in ecology during the
past decades and are considered important elements in elucidating the dynamics
of ecosystems disturbed by human activities. Our aquatic ecosystem comprises
a major regime due to its diversity, thus needs special attention and
conservation approaches. The lakes, marshes, river systems and other wetlands
in the country are under threat mainly due to domestic pollution from
untreated sewage, industrial pollutant and toxic effl uents. India is facing an
alarming danger to the loss of aquatic biodiversity, and about 55 % of aquatic
species are threatened.
This book is a result of detailed observation by reputed researchers working
in the fi eld of aquatic biodiversity in India. There are 19 chapters, and
each effort has been made by an expert or professional in their respective fi elds. The book offers novel information on aquatic biodiversity of India. We sincerely hope that this book will provide the much needed information in the field of aquatic biodiversity conservation.
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Keywords : Bactrocera invadens
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
