“Vanishing Waters: The Urgent Threat to Freshwater Species in Australia”

Dr. Michael Grant from James Cook University was a co-author of the research published in the journal Nature this week, which examined the status of over 23,000 species globally.

“The study encompassed 23,496 fish, decapod crustaceans (such as crabs, crayfish, and shrimp) and odonates (including dragonflies and damselflies).

“In total, 24% of these species face a significant extinction risk, with decapods having the highest proportion of threatened species – 30%, compared to 26% for freshwater fish and 16% for odonates,” remarked Dr. Grant.

He noted that the most severe threats include pollution, dams, water withdrawal, agriculture, and invasive species, with overfishing also contributing to extinctions.

“Among the species examined, 54% of the threatened ones are deemed to be impacted by pollution, 39% by dams and water extraction, 37% by changes in land use and the associated impacts from agriculture, and 28% by invasive species and diseases,” stated Dr. Grant.

He indicated that biodiversity is in a state of decline worldwide, particularly freshwater ecosystems, but evaluations of freshwater fish and invertebrates have received relatively little funding, political commitment, or focus, including from the broader conservation community.

“It appears to be a classic case of out of sight, out of mind,” expressed Dr. Grant.

He mentioned that the results from the analysis could assist in mitigating the loss of freshwater biodiversity if incorporated into conservation strategies and government legislation.

“Since approximately one-quarter of freshwater species are at high risk of extinction, we must act swiftly if we hope to avert further declines and losses of species,” Dr. Grant emphasized.

Access the paper here.