1
1
INTRODUCTION
Freshwater habitats such as ponds,
lakes, streams, rivers, bogs, swamps,
and marshes are important components
of the world. The diversity of organisms
in these biotopes is important both ecologically and economically. Freshwater
biomes are large communities of plants
and animals centered around water
with less than 1% salt concentration.
Aquatic plants, such as algae, diatoms,
and rooted macrophytes, use nutrients,
light, and carbon dioxide to produce
oxygen that, once released, is dissolved
directly into the water. They also remove
unwanted toxins found in the water,
which could be harmful to the surrounding fish. The structure and composition
of benthic communities in freshwater
ecosystems is an excellent bioindicator of
pollution and habitat quality.
PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN FRESHWATER BIOMES
There are many diverse flora and fauna
in freshwater biomes. Algae, although
not very pretty or fun to swim in, is a
favorite snack for most of the animals
that live in a freshwater biome. Plants
are not just a snack for the freshwater
animals. They provide oxygen through
the process of photosynthesis. There
is no shortage of animals or plants living in a freshwater biome. It is believed
that more than 700 species of fish and
1200 species of amphibians, molluscs,
and insects all live in these areas. There
are plenty of macro animals that live in
the water of the freshwater biome. They
include crabs, shrimps, frogs, and turtles.
Fish are very common in the freshwater
biome. However, where there is freshwater, one can often find a huge number
of different types of mammals.
MALNUTRITION, A GLOBAL PROBLEM
At present, more than 30% of humanity is suffering from malnutrition
and food-related diseases, either in
the form of malnutrition and undernourishment or in the form of excessive nutrient intake and obesity. The
global reach of malnutrition and food
insecurity is such that hunger is still
the world’s number one health risk,
killing more people every year than
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS), malaria, and tuberculosis combined (Tacon et al., 2010; World Food
Programme (WFP), 2012). The global
magnitude and consequences of hunger and malnutrition are profound
and long-lasting, with 925 million
chronically undernourished people
within the developing world and over
6.6 million child deaths every year
1
INTRODUCTION
Freshwater habitats such as ponds,
lakes, streams, rivers, bogs, swamps,
and marshes are important components
of the world. The diversity of organisms
in these biotopes is important both ecologically and economically. Freshwater
biomes are large communities of plants
and animals centered around water
with less than 1% salt concentration.
Aquatic plants, such as algae, diatoms,
and rooted macrophytes, use nutrients,
light, and carbon dioxide to produce
oxygen that, once released, is dissolved
directly into the water. They also remove
unwanted toxins found in the water,
which could be harmful to the surrounding fish. The structure and composition
of benthic communities in freshwater
ecosystems is an excellent bioindicator of
pollution and habitat quality.
PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN FRESHWATER BIOMES
There are many diverse flora and fauna
in freshwater biomes. Algae, although
not very pretty or fun to swim in, is a
favorite snack for most of the animals
that live in a freshwater biome. Plants
are not just a snack for the freshwater
animals. They provide oxygen through
the process of photosynthesis. There
is no shortage of animals or plants living in a freshwater biome. It is believed
that more than 700 species of fish and
1200 species of amphibians, molluscs,
and insects all live in these areas. There
are plenty of macro animals that live in
the water of the freshwater biome. They
include crabs, shrimps, frogs, and turtles.
Fish are very common in the freshwater
biome. However, where there is freshwater, one can often find a huge number
of different types of mammals.
MALNUTRITION, A GLOBAL PROBLEM
At present, more than 30% of humanity is suffering from malnutrition
and food-related diseases, either in
the form of malnutrition and undernourishment or in the form of excessive nutrient intake and obesity. The
global reach of malnutrition and food
insecurity is such that hunger is still
the world’s number one health risk,
killing more people every year than
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS), malaria, and tuberculosis combined (Tacon et al., 2010; World Food
Programme (WFP), 2012). The global
magnitude and consequences of hunger and malnutrition are profound
and long-lasting, with 925 million
chronically undernourished people
within the developing world and over
6.6 million child deaths every year