It's International Day for Biological Diversity!
Today is International Day for Biological Diversity, an annual event aimed at increasing our understanding and awareness of the world’s biodiversity. This year’s theme is ‘Water and Biodiversity’, coinciding with the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation 2013 and highlighting the role and importance of water to biodiversity and vice versa.
Water is our planet’s most precious natural resource, providing us with food and energy, as well as supporting economies and regulating our climate. To join in with the celebrations we thought we would dive into the ARKive collection in search of our favourite watery images to highlight the astounding diversity and sheer beauty of the world’s aquatic biodiversity.
Marine and coastal biodiversity
Oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface, forming the largest habitat on the planet. From tropical coral reefs to the ice-strewn waters of the Antarctic and Arctic, life in the oceans is incredibly diverse. Current estimates suggest that the total number of known marine species ranges from 250,000 to at least a million, with some scientists believing that the actual figure could be twice as high.
Rainforests of the oceans
Although coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, they are home to an estimated 2 million species, which equates to around 25% of all marine species.
Nature’s watery crossroads
Mangrove forests are among the most productive and complex ecosystems on the planet. As the intersections between land and sea they not only support a wealth of marine biodiversity, but they also have the ability to absorb carbon at rates of up to 50 times those of the same area of tropical rainforest.
The nutrient-rich ocean waters around the Antarctic and Arctic support an amazing variety of marine species, from tiny microscopic plankton to whales, the largest animals to have ever lived.
Only 1% of the Earth’s surface is covered with freshwater, but it provides habitat for over 35% of all vertebrates and 35% of invertebrates. An estimated 126,000 known species rely on freshwater habitats, with some experts believing this number could in fact be well over a million.
Rivers underpin many freshwater ecosystems and play a critical role in sustaining the lives of thousands of different species and habitats worldwide. They provide a stage for some of nature’s most spectacular events, such as the annual migration of salmon from the sea to their spawning grounds upstream.
Peatlands cover about 3-4% of the world’s land area, yet they hold about 25-30% of the carbon contained in terrestrial ecosystems. This is twice the amount of carbon held by the world’s forests.
It is estimated that there are over 2 million lakes in the world, providing humans with drinking water, food, irrigation, power for industrial processes and, of course, recreation. They are also home to a great variety of species, providing essential nesting, hunting and feeding grounds.
Quench your thirst for knowledge
Discover more about the world’s water biodiversity on ARKive:
•Play Team WILD and join in their aquatic mission to survey coral reefs in the Chagos Archipelago. •Dip your toe into over 40 ARKive Education resources covering key water-themed curriculum topics such as food chains and life cycles. •Explore our topic pages and learn more about coral reef conservation, the Antarctic and the Arctic. As a charitable non-profit organisation, we rely on the support of others to help us inspire people to discover, value and protect our natural world. Please help us keep ARKive growing and free to everyone by donating today. We are hugely grateful for any support. DONATE NOW! | 
Filed Under : by Madereira
quarta-feira, 22 de maio de 2013
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