Bending the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss: An emergency recovery plan
BioScience
By: David Tickner, Jeff Opperman, Robin Abell, Mike Acreman, Angela Arthington, Stuart E. Bunn, Steven J. Cooke, Will Darwall, Gavin Edwards, Ian Harrison, Kathy Hughes, Tim Jones, David Leclere, Abigail J. Lynch, Philip Leonard, Mike McClain, Pete McIntyre, Dean Muruven, Julian D. Olden, Steve Ormerod, James Robinson, Rebecca Tharme, Michele Thieme, Klement Tockner, Mark Wright, and Lucy Young
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Abstract
Despite their limited spatial extent, freshwater ecosystems host remarkable biodiversity, including one-third of all vertebrate species. This biodiversity is declining dramatically: Globally, wetlands are vanishing three times faster than forests, and freshwater vertebrate populations have fallen more than twice as steeply as terrestrial or marine populations. Threats to freshwater biodiversity are well documented but coordinated action to reverse the decline is lacking. We present an Emergency Recovery Plan to bend the curve of freshwater biodiversity loss. Priority actions include accelerating implementation of environmental flows; improving water quality; protecting and restoring critical habitats; managing the exploitation of freshwater ecosystem resources, especially species and riverine aggregates; preventing and controlling nonnative species invasions; and safeguarding and restoring river connectivity. We recommend adjustments to targets and indicators for the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Sustainable Development Goals and roles for national and international state and nonstate actors.
Suggested Citation
Tickner, D., Opperman, J., Abell, R., Acreman, M., Arthington, A., Bunn, S.E., Cooke, S.J., Darwall, W., Edwards, G., Harrison, I., Hughes, K., Jones, T., Leclere, D., Lynch, A., Leonard, P., McClain, M., McIntyre, P., Muruven, D., Olden, J.D., Ormerod, S., Robinson, J., Tharme, R., Thieme, M., Tockner, K., Wright, M., and Young, L., 2020, Bending the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss: An emergency recovery plan: BioScience, v. 4, no. 70, p. 330-342, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa002.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Bending the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss: An emergency recovery plan |
| Series title | BioScience |
| DOI | 10.1093/biosci/biaa002 |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue | 70 |
| Publication Date | February 19, 2020 |
| Year Published | 2020 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Oxford Academic |
| Contributing office(s) | National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center, National Climate Adaptation Science Center |
| Description | 13 p. |
| First page | 330 |
| Last page | 342 |