1. By:Monalisa Lopez and Laura Cardenas University of Houston – Downtown Biology 1312

2. Freshwater Ecosystem Less than 1% salinity Includes lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, springs and wetlands. Freshwater ecosystems have a higher concentration of species relative to their area than land or sea About 2% of the water on earth is Freshwater 70% of this water is snow and ice 30% is ground water (aquifers) Less then 0.5% is surface water Earth total volume of water available 0.014%

3. Biotic Components Producers Plants with roots and phytoplankton Consumers Zooplankton, fish, turtles Decomposers Bacteria and fungi

4. Abiotic Components Light Temperature Water currents Dissolved nutrient concentrations Suspended solids Carbon Cycle

5. Issue in Freshwater Ecosystems Human Interference Affecting our freshwater supply Pollution Dams Over-withdrawal Global Warming

6. Pollution, Dams, Withdrawal Pollution Dumping garbage Factories producing pollution or chemicals Run off from farms and factories Dams Fragmentation of river systems due to dams is the single greatest threat to freshwater ecosystems’ health Prevent fish migration Over 60% of the worlds 227 largest rivers are affected Alter Nutrient Cycling Inadequate management Withdrawal Aquifer Depletion Pumping water out faster than it is replenished

7. Global Warming Climate Change in the world (Warming Up) Variation in temperature and rainfall Polar Ice to melt, changing freshwater into sea water Capacity of water the atmosphere can hold

8. Where are we experiencing this issue today?

9. Some areas more than others… Third-World Countries 780 million people lack access to clean water Half the population suffer from at least one disease caused by insufficient water supply and sanitation

10. Ecological Impact Eutrophication Process A reduction in dissolved oxygen in water bodies caused by an increase of mineral and organic nutrients Nutrient load up Plants Flourish Algae blooms, oxygen is depleted Decomposition further depletes oxygen Death of the Ecosystem

11. Economical Impacts Agriculture Consumes the most freshwater 87% of total water used globally Water artificially applied to crops Urban/Domestic use of freshwater Water used for household purposes Waste disposal Power Source (Dams) Thermoelectric power, water used to generate electricity Hydroelectric power, produces electricity with steam-driven turbine generators.

12. Current Research/Focus Water Sustainability, Water Security EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/sustainability/ GEF Green Education Foundation http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/sustainable-water- challenge.html Global Water: overcoming hunger, disease and poverty http://globalwater.org/ Water sustainability bill signed into law “The water sustainability bill, which will insure that Nebraska has the water it needs both for agricultural and city uses for years to come.” http://nebraskaradionetwork.com/2014/04/16/water- sustainability-bill-signed-into-law-by-gov-heineman-audio//

13. Works Cited http://www.globalissues.org/article/601/water-and- development http://www.scienceclarified.com/El-Ex/Eutrophication.html http://water.usgs.gov/edu/wupt.html http://www.usbr.gov/power/edu/pamphlet.pdf http://chloesfreshwaterfacts.weebly.com/freshwater- threats.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_water#Fresh_water_withd rawal http://cfpub.epa.gov/watertrain/pdf/issue10.pdf