Freshwater ecosystems

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are areas contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity. KBAs need to be managed to ensure environmental flows are sufficient to support these fragile freshwater ecosystems. The information and data provided in this report will help guide conservation actions and management, development of policies and make informed decisions regarding development activities that may impact freshwater ecosystems in Canada

This publication summarises the results of the European Red List for terrestrial and freshwater habitats. It provides an overview on the character, extent and status of 233 natural and semi-natural, terrestrial and freshwater habitat types through assessments undertaken between 2013 to 2016. The results are presented at two geographic levels: across the EU28 and EU28+, including Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and the Balkan countries.

Le hotspot  (point chaud) de la biodiversité du bassin méditerranéen est bien connu pour l'importance que sa biodiversité revêt à l'échelle mondiale, mais l'importance de la biodiversité d'eau douce n'était pas reconnue précédemment. Dans le cadre de ce projet, les ZCB d'eau douce ont maintenant été identifées, cartographiées et validées dans une grande partie du hotspot méditerranéen.

The Eastern Mediterranean region supports just over 4.4% of the global human population yet contains only 1.1% of its renewable water resources, which are under constant threat from the impacts of unsustainable water withdrawal, dam development and climate change.

While the Mediterranean basin biodiversity hotspot is well known for its globally important biodiversity, its freshwater biodiversity has not been as widely recognized for its importance. Through this project, freshwater key biodiversity areas (KBAs) have now been identified, mapped and validated throughout much of the Mediterranean hotspot.

This report considers the status and trends of pan-European biodiversity in a range of ecosystems, and the implications of these trends for biodiversity management policy and practice. It considers the key biodiversity policy instruments currently applied in Europe, the threats to biodiversity and the management implications of such threats across major habitat types.

To help shape a research programme proposed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), this report seeks to highlight some of the critical issues facing water ecosystem services in Africa, South Asia and Latin America and makes recommendations on the research that is needed to fill the current gaps in knowledge and practice.