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CONSERVATION
Freshwater biodiversity is highly threatened today - a fact that should
be on the mind of every serious aquariast. The natural habitats of
tropical freshwater fish are increasingly threatened by human
activities, and while at times the hobby has been been at odds with
conservation, the role of aquariasts in preserving species is growing in
importance.
As their natural habitats are lost, freshwater fish species are
disappearing. A Malaysian study found fewer than half of the 266
resident fish species, while more than 30% of Singapore's fish species
are thought to be extinct. Freshwater biodiversity is highly
vulnerable. Habitats tend to be largely discontinuous meaning species
cannot easily cross land barriers that separate lakes and watersheds.
Thus freshwater fauna is generally localized, static, and subject
changing conditions. Whereas terrestrial species simply migrate in
response to habitat changes, freshwater species must cope with
ecological and climatic changes in order to persist.
Freshwater habitats are facing an onslaught of threats from
deforestation, waterway modification and dam construction, the
introduction exotic species, pollution, and over exploitation.
Deforestation in particular has major consequences for species popular
in the hobby. Erosion and the loss of habitat can severely affect fish
populations. Similarly damaging, the introduction of non-native species
(exotics) can devastate the local fauna as in the case of the Nile Perch
in Lake Victoria which has caused the extinction of endemic
Haplochromines.
Collection for the hobby has had a direct impact on some species to the
extent that they have become locally extinct over parts of their
ranges. For example the Bala shark is highly threatened in its native
Sumatra and Borneo due to its popularity as an aquarium fish. In the
past the Bala Shark (Balantiocheilus melanopterus) was heavily collected
since it did not readily reproduce in captivity (this has changed as
Balas are now captivity bred in fish farms). To optimize exploitation,
collectors targeted breeding grounds where Balas congregate for mass
spawning. The removal of breeding adults coupled with loss of habitat
from deforestation significantly impacted local populations. Similar
over harvesting has been documented among characins and the Arowana.
Today the role of aquariasts in conservation is changing. As habitat
loss continues -- especially the destruction of tropical forests -- the
importance of aquariasts in conservation is expanding. Aquariasts are
helping to maintain species (such as Cherry barbs and certain Killifish)
that are essentially extinct in the wild. By keeping these species and
populations viable, the fish-keeping community is protecting against
extinction. When and if reintroduction to natural habitats becomes
possible, it will be in part thanks to aquariasts.
Time has effectively run out for many species. Aquariasts can do their
part in preventing the further extinction of some freshwater fish.
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Recent news
Charting a new environmental course in China
(05/21/2012)
Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) works in more than 30 countries and
has projects in all 50 of the United States. The Conservancy has over one million
members, and has protected more than 119 million acres of wild-lands and 5,000 miles
of rivers worldwide. TNC has taken an active interest in China, the world's most
populated nation, and in many important ways, a critical center of global development.
The following is an interview with multiple directors of The Nature Conservancy's China
Program.
New 'bony-tongue' fish discovered in Myanmar
(05/18/2012)
A new species of arowana, a highly valued aquarium fish, has been described from southern Myanmar (Burma). The description is published in last month's issue of the journal Aqua.
Wildlife in the tropics plummets by over 60 percent
(05/15/2012)
In 48 years wildlife populations in the tropics, the region that holds the bulk of the world's biodiversity, have fallen by an alarming 61 percent, according to the most recent update to the Living Planet Index. Produced by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the index currently tracks almost 10,000 populations of 2,688 vertebrate species (including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish) in both the tropics and temperate regions.
Educating the next generation of conservation leaders in Colombia
(05/14/2012)
Colombia's northern departments of Cordoba and Bolivar are home to an abundance of coral reefs, estuaries, mangroves forests, and forests. Rich in both marine and terrestrial wildlife, local communities depend on the sea and land for survival, yet these ecosystems are imperiled by booming populations, overexploitation, and unsustainable management. Since 2007, an innovative education program in the region, the Guardians of Nature, has worked to teach local children about the ecology of the region, hoping to instill a conservation ethic that will aid both the present and the future.
Manta rays tracked by satellite
(05/11/2012)
Satellite tracking technology has revealed new insights into the behavior of manta rays, reports the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The findings are published in this week's issue of the journal PLoS.
Featured video: the oceans and Rio+20
(05/10/2012)
A new video by Pew Environment Group and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) hopes to convince policy-makers attending the Rio+20 Summit on Sustainable Development this summer that urgent action is needed to save the ocean's from an environmental crisis.
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