I am Hrithu S Lakshmi from 5B, Treamis International School.

This video
is on one of the major topics related to our own planet! It’s nothing but
‘RESEARCH ON AQUATIC BIOME: - THREATS, SOLUTIONS AND A
PATH TO Co-EXISTENCE
. A biome is a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a
major habitat, e.g., forest or tundra. The Biome present on the Earth can be categorized as
mentioned in the chart.

A biome can be divide into land and aquatic parts, the aquatic biome is
comprising of fresh and salt water biomes, both these biomes contains
plants, animals and other things. The animals contains, mammals, fishes
and other micro-organisms.

BIOME

AQUATIC LAND

FRESH-WATER SALT-WATER

ANIMALS PLANTS OTHER THINGS

MAMMALS MICRO-ORGANISMS

FISH

CHART 1: THE HIERARCH OF BIOME ON EARTH

 The major aquatic biomes are Streams and Rivers, Lakes and Ponds, Freshwater
Wetlands, Salt Marshes, Mangrove Swamps, Intertidal Zones, Coral Reefs and the Open
Ocean. As mentioned earlier, the aquatic biome is divided into freshwater and marine
regions. Freshwater regions, such as lakes and rivers, have a low salt concentration. Marine
regions, such as estuaries and the ocean, have higher salt concentrations. Freshwater biomes
occur throughout the world's terrestrial biomes. They include lakes and ponds, rivers and
streams, and wetlands. Marine or salt-water biomes are found in the 5 main oceans: the
Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Arctic and the Southern-ocean.

FRESH-WATER BIOMES
Freshwater is defined as having less than 1% salt in it. Less than 1% of the earth’s
water is in freshwater lakes. Both the temperature and the depth of the freshwater determine
what animals and plants live there. The amount of movement in the water also effects the
types of life that can survive there. The animals that live in the freshwater environments
depend on the water for food and survival. Some plants also live in freshwater. You may see
moss growing in or near the freshwater biomes.

SALT-WATER BIOMES
Marine biomes are sometime called saltwater biomes. Marine biomes have more than
1% salt in them. Marine biomes cover about three – fourths of the earth! Coral reefs and
estuaries are also considered marine environments. Just like in freshwater environments, the
types of plants and animals that live in the marine biomes depend on the depth, temperature
and movement of the water. Marine algae supply most of the world’s oxygen and take in
huge amounts of carbon dioxide. Evaporation of marine water ultimately provide rainwater
for our crops, snow for our mountains, and freshwater for our lakes and streams.

The food chain in the aquatic biome is that the plants and other micro-organisms act
as the primary source of food. These are eaten by small fishes and other larger organisms
which are then eaten by larger fishes and other amphibians. Then comes the natural king of
these biomes, sharks, whales, the blue whales etc In terrestrial and fresh water biomes, the
mammals, reptiles and other small animals that lives near these water bodies also catch and
eat the fishes and other smaller insects that eat the micro-organisms living in these
freshwaters.
 (a)

(b)
Figure 2 (a) & (b): Food chain in a marine biome
Now let us see what are the major threats that are affecting the aquatic biomes.
The major threats of the aquatic biome are invasive species, overfishing, garbage
patch, etc. Invasive species can change the food web in an ecosystem by destroying or
replacing native food sources. Invasive species can also alter the abundance or diversity of
species that are important habitat for native wildlife. Aquatic invasive species are species that
are not native to an ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic
or environmental harm,
 or harm to human health.
Invasive species can lead to the extinction of native plants and animals, destroy
biodiversity, and permanently alter habitats through both direct and indirect effects. This can
result in huge economic impacts and fundamental disruptions of aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems.

Another issue is overfishing, this happens when we are catching too many fish than
that is required. There lies a specific balance between the quantity of animals that are
available in the water body and the amount that we humans require. If we do over fishing,
then the number of fish that is remaining in the water body can reduce resulting in the amount
being reproduced to decrease in the coming generations. A continuation of this overfishing
can even lead to the fish species going extinct.

Garbage patch means when different types of house-hold and industrial wastes are
being dumped into the water bodies. From antient civilizations onwards the human species
have always settled near water bodies to get water for drinking, cultivations and to feed the
livestock. The wastes that we generated were also dumped into these water bodies, after the
industrial revolutions, from the nineteen hundreds, the industries that were set-up in all
different parts of the planet have all been stationed near water bodies. These industries not
only take in a huge amount of water for the processes and they also dump the chemical and
other wastes into water bodies. The main problem with these organizations is actually two
folds, they deplete the amount of clean water available and also damage the clean water by
adding wastes into these bodies.

figure 3: Garbage wastes in the ocean and animals affected by these wastes.
Plastic and other materials are the major source of wastes that are found floating in
our water bodies, the aquatic animals will take in these plastics that will kill these animals.

Figure 4: Pathway by which plastic enters world’s oceans

The co-existence between human beings and other living organisms are important for
the survival of the planet. It is essential that we humans identify the threats that we ourselves
are causing and then educate others of the same. We need to find better ways to treat and
manage our wastes than just dumping them into the nearest water bodies. We must clean the
nearest water bodies near our place of living so that the existing flora and fauna that used to
live in these areas can replenish these areas.
 Figure 5: Our honourable Prime Minister cleaning a beach
Our PM had earlier lead by example in cleaning the beaches in a costal South Indian
region. The aim of such an initiative was to promote a clean ocean and sea-shore as it can
attract a lot of clean areas for humans to enjoy and the aquatic and amphibian animals to
thrive. These activities were taken up by people from all parts of the country without any
boundaries of politics, caste or other distinctions, many people came together, worked
together to clean many costal areas in our country.

Figure 6: People cleaning the Juhu Beach in Mumbai

Following these examples, we ourselves can decide to clean the water bodies near our
areas there are many governmental projects undertaken by the Indian Government to clean
the water bodies of our nation like the clean Ganga project. There are in-addition to these
governmental projects some other organisations that are also in the pursuit of cleaning the
oceans and other water bodies. Some of the NGOs that works towards the conservation of
aquatic biome are Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, Monetary Bay Aquarium, Marine Megafauna
Foundation, Coral Reefs Foundation, World Wildlife Foundation, etc. These NGOs have
different aims like reducing the amount of plastic and other wastes being dumped into the
water bodies, they help preserve some endangered species of aquatic animals and plants, stop
poaching and illegal hunting of these beings and also in providing rehabilitation facilities for
the animals and plants into their natural ecosystems.

I would like to conclude by saying that

A good living situation for our next generation is only achievable with a good co-
existence between humans and other biomes present on Earth. The Sustainable Development
Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a
"blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". The SDGs were set up in
2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by 2030.

Figure 7: SDG Goals

The conservation of Aquatic Biomes can help achieve some of these goals like clean
water and sanitation, clean climatic actions, help the life below and above water surface. The
only thing we need to make sure is that the efforts that are being done currently needs to be
continued and more people are to be included in these activities, awareness must be given to
the general public to make them understand the need for co-existence.