GESA International Journal of Biological Innovations

http: //ijbi.org.in | http://www.gesa.org.in/journals.php

GLOCAL ENVIRONMENT Doi: https://doi.org/10.46505/IJBI.2021.3210
& SOCIAL ASSOCIATION IJBI 3(2): 312-317 (2021)
E-ISSN: 2582-1032

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS OF

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM

Article Info:
Professor (Dr.) Manoj Kumar Review Article
Professor & Dean, Management Department, SP Jain School of Global Received
Management, 10 Hyderabad Rd, HortPark, Singapore 119579. 02.09.2021
Email:kumarm141968@gmail.com Reviewed
20.09.2021
Accepted
25.09.2021

Abstract: Climate change results from the increase in the greenhouse gas emission in the atmosphere
and this comes as a consequence of various anthropogenic activities. The dissolution of CO2, which has
the largest share among the greenhouse gases in terms of contribution in global warming, threatening
the continuation of life on earth. Changing climate is of vital importance because of major impacts by
influencing water resources and agricultural economy. Climate change stresses exert complex pressure
on aquatic biodiversity and natural aquatic resources. Water temperature change may alter the
metabolism and physiology of aquatic animals thereby affecting the growth, fecundity, feeding behavior,
distribution, migration and abundance of fish as well as other aquatic animals.

Keywords: Aquatic biodiversity, Aquatic ecosystem, Climate change, Fishes.

INTRODUCTION There are many factors that can cause a warning

The word 'climate' refers to the long-term weather of our climate; for example more energy from the
patterns within a defined region including Sun and an increased greenhouse effect. Green
temperature, humidity, rainfalls and wind amount. house gases, such as water vapour, carbon
Weather refers to daily or weekly changes in the dioxide and methane, occurs naturally in the
atmosphere, while climate is generally discussed, atmosphere, but human activities also have
in terms of years, decades, centuries, and directly increased the amount of carbon dioxide,
millennia. Today, the commonly used term methane and some other greenhouse gases in
'climate change' represents any change in the environment.
climate over a few decades, or millions of years,
whether due to natural causes and/or as a result Aquatic ecosystems are critical components of the
of human activities. Climate change alters entire global environment. In addition to being essential
ecosystems along with the living organisms that contributors to biodiversity and ecological
live there. Climate change has increasingly and productivity, they also provide a variety of services
profoundly threatened the g l o b a l e n v i r o n for human populations, including water for drinking
m e n t , b i o d i v e r s i t y a n d sustainable and irrigation, recreational opportunities, and
human development, chiefly by altering global habitat for economically important fisheries.
thermal regimes and the water cycle and causing However, aquatic ecosystems have been
acidification (Huang et al., 2021).
increasingly threatened, directly and indirectly, by
 Manoj Kumar, IJBI 3 (2): 2021 313

anthropogenic activities that need to be minimize The productivity of aquatic ecosystems also will be
(Ashok, 2015; Kumar and Verma, 2017; Arya, significantly altered by increase in water
2021). temperature. Warmer water is naturally more
productive, but the particular species that flourish
As the Earth warms and temperature rises, may be undesirable or even harmful. For example,
regional climates are affected in various ways the large fish predators that require cool water may
such as heavier monsoons in some areas and be lost from smaller lakes as surface water
droughts in other areas, rising sea levels and temperature warms, and this may indirectly cause
crop failures. Reduced snowpack and shrinking more blooms of nuisance algae, which can reduce
glaciers in the mountains mean less melting water quality and pose potential health problems.
snow flowing into rivers, reservoirs, and lakes for Thus, increase in temperature will cause a shift in
fish and wildlife, and less water available for the thermal suitability of aquatic habitats for
drinking and irrigation. Warmer temperatures also
resident species. In addition to its independent
produce increased evaporation, which leads to
effects, temperature change will act synergistically
heavier rainfall and snowfall.
with changes in the seasonal timing of runoff to
freshwater and costal systems.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
Changes in precipitation and runoff modify the
Aquatic ecosystems have a limited ability to
amount and quality of habitat for aquatic
adapt according to climate change. Reducing the
organisms, and thus, they indirectly influence
likelihood of significant impacts to these systems
ecosystem productivity and diversity. Changes in
will be critically dependent on human activities
that reduce other sources of ecosystem stress seasonal patterns of precipitation and runoff will
and enhance adaptive capacity. alter hydrologic characteristics of aquatic
systems, affecting species composition and
Species have evolved to survive within certain ecosystem productivity. Populations of aquatic
temperature ranges and are able to tolerate organisms are sensitive to changes in the
variations in weather. The effects of climate frequency, duration, and timing of extreme
change may push some species to the edge of precipitation events, such as floods or droughts.
extinction, while other species may flourish. Changes in the seasonal timing of snowmelt alter
Global warming disturbs the biological clock of the stream flow, potentially interfering with the
various animals. Average global surface reproduction of many aquatic species. Thus,
temperatures are projected to increase by 1.5 to seasonal shifts in stream runoff will have
5.8 0C by 2100 (Houghton et al., 2001). significant negative effects on many aquatic
ecosystems. Streams, rivers, wetlands, and lakes
Projected increase in temperature is expected to in the western mountains and northern plains are
disrupt present patterns of plant and animal most likely to be affected, because these
distribution in aquatic ecosystems. Increase in systems are strongly influenced by spring
water temperature as a result of climate change will snowmelt and warming will cause to occur earlier
alter fundamental ecological processes and the in winter months.
geographic distribution of aquatic species (Efe and
Bemigho, 2021). Such impacts may be ameliorated The climate change influences both marine as
if species attempt to adapt by migrating to suitable well as freshwater ecosystems:
habitat. For example, cold-water fish like trout and
salmon are projected to disappear from large 1. Marine Ecosystem: Climate change can impact
portions of their current geographic range. In on marine ecosystems through ocean warming, by
contrast, many fish species that prefer warmer increasing thermal stratification and reducing
water, such as largemouth bass and carp, will upwelling, sea level rise and through increase in
potentially expand their ranges in European wave height and frequency, loss of sea ice,
countries as surface water warms. increased risk of diseases in marine biota and
314 Aquatic ecosystem

decrease in pH and carbonate ion concentration world's costal west lands by 2080. Combined
of the surface oceans. Theoretically, nutrient with other human impacts, this number is likely
speciation could be influenced by the lower pH to climb to a loss of 70% of the world's coastal
expected this century. Decreases in both wetlands by the end of the 21st century.
upwelling and formation of deep water and
increased stratification of the upper ocean will  Sea Temperature Rise: Significant increase in
heat content has not been distributed evenly.
reduce the input of essential nutrients into the
Sea temperature in turn influences the marine
sunlit regions of oceans and reduce productivity.
environment. Due to its direct effects on the
In coastal areas and margins, increased thermal density of seawater, changes in global
stratification may lead to oxygen deficiency, loss temperatures can play directly upon the rates
of habitats, biodiversity and distribution of and directions of ocean water movement.
species, and impact on entire ecosystems.
2. Freshwater Ecosystem
Changes to rainfall and nutrients flux from land
Climate change impact on inland aquatic
may exacerbate these hypoxic events
ecosystems will range from the direct effects of
(Anonymous, 2007). Climate change is now
the rise in temperature and carbon dioxide
known to be affecting the oceans. Polar bears
concentration to indirect effects through
are among the living beings that will be mostly
alterations in the hydrology resulting from the
affected by the decrease in the sea ice. As a
changes in the regional or global precipitation
result of habitat loss and decreasing of the
regimes and the melting of glaciers and ice cover
habitat quality, a decrease of 30% population of
(Anonymous, 2007).
polar bears is estimated.
The combination of rapid land use change,
The increase in greenhouse gases within the
habitat alteration, pollution, nutrient enrichment,
earth's atmosphere is set to change three
hydrological modifications, spread of invasive
fundamental variables:
species, increasing levels of UV light, and a
 Reduced Total Carbonate Alkalinity: Total changing climate is viewed as a particular
serious challenge to aquatic ecosystems. A
carbonate alkalinity of seawater will decrease
warmer climate will result in greater evaporation
as CO2 increases within the earth's
from water surface and greater transpiration by
atmosphere (Gattuso et al., 1998; Kleypas et
plants which will result in a more vigorous water
al., 1999). This particular variable is expected
cycle. Further climate change will directly affect
to substantially change the acidity and
lake ecosystems through warmer temperature
carbonate ion pool of the global ocean.
and changes to the hydrologic cycle.
Doubling CO2 concentrations in the
atmosphere will decrease the aragonite Rapid climate change has many negative
saturation state in the tropic by 30% by 2050. implications for the biodiversity of rivers and

streams. Climate change may cause extension at
 Increased Sea Level: Changes in sea level
several taxonomic levels. At the species level,
have had major impacts on the abundance and
those species that are highly restricted in their
particularly the distribution of both marine and
geographic ecologically are vulnerable to global
terrestrial diversity. Sea level will rise as climate
extension. This is true for fish where there are
change pushes planetary temperature higher.
regional differences in the proportional
This occurs due to the thermal expansion of
occurrence of specialized species are vulnerable
sea water, melting of glacier, and changes to
to global extension.
the distribution of ice sheets. The expected
increase in sea level is approximately 9-29 cm
over the next 40 years or 28-29 cm by 2090 CLIMATE CHANGE AND AQUATIC
(Church et al., 2001). According to Nicholls et BIODIVERSITY
al. (1999), sea level rise could cause the loss of Biodiversity describes the range of living
up to 22% of the organisms in a given area considering the variety
 Manoj Kumar, IJBI 3 (2): 2021 315

of life forms, the genes they contain, and the greatest threat to biodiversity in the deep sea is
ecosystems they form (Ashok, 2016). Life forms bottom trawling. This type of high seas fishing is
within an ecosystem vary in their size and shape more damaging to seamounts and the cold-water
from the simplest unicellular prokaryote to the corals they sustain. These habitats are home for
more complex multicellular eukaryotic organisms. several commercial bottom dwelling fish species.
Each organism plays an important role and
contributes to ecosystem stability. The climate 2. Coastal fish diversity: Costal fisheries are
change has a huge impact on biodiversity and critical resources for hundred of millions of
farmers' practice (Prakash and Srivastava, 2019; people. Many scientists now point to the dramatic
Mandal and Singh, 2020; Arya, 2021). over exploitation of fisheries and the subsequent
decline in fish stocks as the major factor in
The diversity of life on earth is dramatically marine ecosystem change over the past two
affected by human alterations of ecosystems. centuries (Jackson et al., 2001). Recent evidence
Biodiversity is continually transformed by a has revealed that oceanographic and climatic
changing climate. Climatic conditions change variability has played a dominant role in fish
across the face of the planet, sometimes slowly, stocks (Klyashtorin, 1998; Babcock et al., 2001;
sometimes in larger increments leading to Attrill and Power, 2002).
rearrangements of biological associations. Now
days, a new type of climate change, brought The relationship between climate change and fish
about by anthropogenic activities, is being added diversity and density is probably complex. In some
to this natural variability, threatening to cases, subtle changes may affect conditions and
accelerate the loss of biodiversity already under crucial changes in the life history of the fish species.
stress due to other human stresses. The most widespread effects of climate occur on
Approximately 70% of the earth's surface is the primary and secondary production in marine
covered by water. Climate change is already ecosystems. Due to increase in carbon dioxide, the
changing the distribution and abundance of pH level of the sea water.
aquatic ecosystem. Even minor changes to water
temperature will result in changes to the currents 3. Crustaceans: The increase in the carbon
that flow across the earth's surface. So, the dioxide concentration in water results in the
biodiversity conservation with environmental decline of sea water's pH, and thus the
ethics is necessary for sustainable development acidification of the sea water. This causes a
and co-existence of both plants and animals negative effect on crustaceans. The outer
(Ashok, 2017; Verma, 2019). For widespread skeletons of crustaceans consist of aragonite, a
biodiversity, ecological balance is must, which is common form of calcium carbonate, and it can
necessary for the survival of entire biota including dissolve in acidic sea water. Extension of these
humans (Verma, 2017, 2018). Thus, biodiversity small crustaceans found at the bottom of the
is a measure of the health of ecosystems and is nutrition chain can change the entire sea
the foundation of ecosystem services to which ecosystem. Oceanographic researchers point out
human wellbeing is intimately linked. that small crustaceans that are called krill and
that feed on phytoplankton have decreased by
The climate change has impact on: 80% on average in the past 30 years.

1. Deep sea biodiversity: The deep sea is a major 4. Coral Reef: Tropical intertidal and sub tidal
reservoir of marine biodiversity. It is believed that regions are dominated by ecosystems that are
the deep seabed supports more species than all characterized by corals. This ecosystem supports
other marine environment. Marine biodiversity and the large populations of fish, birds, turtles and
ecosystem are threatened by pollution, shipping, marine mammals. Reefs are places where many
military activities and climate change, but today large living beings come to reproduce. Fishes
fishing presents the greatest threat. The which are densely caught by humans either
316 Aquatic ecosystem .

reproduces at these reefs or use the food produced urgent need to step up efforts to mitigate the
by these reefs. Decrease in light penetration, losses in biodiversity and implement long term
temperature and the carbonate alkalinity of sea measures to preserve this rich treasure. There is
water interfere in the formation of carbonate reefs. need to think about our future investments,
But due to climate change and other stresses, whether we want to invest in future of mankind or
corals have undergone major changes over the their distribution. Biodiversity conservation cannot
past 20 years (Bryant et al., 1998) and these be brought about by enforcement of laws only.
changes have been linked irrefutable to periods of
warmer than normal sea temperature. Overall, these conclusions indicate climate change
is a significant threat to the species composition
Coral bleaching occurs when corals rapidly lose the and function of aquatic ecosystems. Indeed, as
cells. Bleaching results in loses of important climate change alters ecosystem productivity and
symbionts and colonies turning from brown to white. species composition, many unforeseen ecological
These alterations cause 90% changes in reef changes are expected that may threaten the goods
building coral communities. Corals form the and services these systems provide to human.
essential framework within which multitudes of Thus, there is a need of biodiversity conservation
other species make their home. Fish that depends because the biodiversity is nature's insurance policy
on corals for food, shelter or settlement cures may against disasters.
experience dramatic changes in abundance or go
extinct. Thousands of other organisms are also REFERENCES
vulnerable impacts on marine biodiversity. 1. Anonymous (2007).Working Group II Report
'Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability':
CONCLUSIONS Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The changes in climatic factors have a huge (IPCC), Switzerland.
impact on the biodiversity of a region. Factors
2. Arya S. (2021). Freshwater Biodiversity and
such as increasing temperatures and rising sea
Conservation Challenges: A Review. Int.
levels have impacted the marine and terrestrial
Journal of Biological Innovations. 3 (1): 74-
ecosystems hugely leading to extinction of
78. https://doi.org/ 10.46505/IJBI.2021.3106
various species and many species have been
categorized as vulnerable or are at point of being 3. Ashok K. V. (2015). Values and Need of
declared extinct. Factors such as deforestation, Biodiversity Conservation. Bioherald: An
large scale development and construction like International Journal of Biodiversity and
dams and other big developmental projects, Environment. 5(1-2): 77-79.
clearing of forest land for agriculture and other 4. Ashok K. V. (2016). Biodiversity: Its Different
non- agricultural uses have significantly impacted
Levels and Values. International Journal on
the biodiversity. The protection of biodiversity
Environmental Sciences. 7(2): 143-145.
becomes crucial in present time. It is therefore
important to understand the impacts of climate 5. Ashok K. V. (2017). Environmental Ethics:
change on the biodiversity and mitigation Need to Rethink. International Journal on
strategies should be undertaken to reduce the Environmental Sciences. 8(1): 7-9.
damage caused by adverse effects of climatic 6. Attrill M. J. and Power M. (2002). Climatic
change on biodiversity. influence on a marine fish assemblage. Nature.
417(6886): 275-278.10.1038/417275a
Conservation of biodiversity is the planning and
management of biological resources in a way so as 7. Babcock H.A., Hare S.R. and Wooster W.S.
to secure their wide use and continuous supply, (2001). Pacific Basin climate variability and
maintaining their quality, value and diversity. There patterns of northeast pacific marine fish
is a need for prevention of extension through sound production. Progress in Oceanography. 49(1):
planning and management. There is an 257-282. 10.1016/S0079-6611(01)00026-X
 Manoj Kumar, IJBI 3 (2): 2021 317

8. Bryant D., Burke L., McManus J. and Spalding overfishing and the recent collapse of coastal
M. (1998). Reefs at Risk: A map-based indicator ecosystems. Science. 293 (5530): 629- 638.
of threats to the world's coral reefs. World 15. Kleypas J.A., Buddemeier R.W., Archer D.,
Resources Institute,Washington, DC. Gattuso J.P., Langdon C. and Opdyke B.N.
9. Church J. A., Gregory J. M., Huybrechts P., (1999). Geochemical consequences of
Kuhn M., Lambeck K., Nhuan M. T., Qin D. increased atmospheric carbon dioxideon
and Woodworth P.L. (2001). Changes in Sea coral reefs. Science. 284(5411):118-
Level, In: J.T Houghton, Y. Ding, D.J. Griggs, 120.10.1126/ science. 284.5411.118.
M. Noguer, P.J. Van der Linden, X. Dai, K. 16. Klyashtorin L.B. (1998). Long-term climate
Maskell and C.A. Johnson (eds.): Climate change and main commercial fish production
Change 2001: The Scientific Basis: in the Atlantic and Pacific. Fisheries
Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Research. 37:115-125.
Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental
Panel.http://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.1508 17. Kumar Ajay and Verma A.K. (2017).
1.d001 Biodiversity loss and its Ecological impact in
India. International Journal on Biological
10. Efe Ogidiaka and Bemigho I. R. (2021). Fish Sciences. 8(2): 156-160.
Fauna Composition, Abundance and
Distribution of Forcados River Estuary. Int. 18. Mandal A.C. and Singh O.P. (2020). Climate
Journal of Biological Innovations. 3 (1): 139- Change and Practices of Farmers' to maintain
147. https://doi.org/ 10.46505/IJBI.2021.3113 rice yield: A case study. International Journal of
Biological Innovations. 2(1): 42-51.
11. Gattuso J.P., Frankignoulle M., Bourge I., https://doi.org/10.46505/IJBI.2020.2107.
Romaine S. and Buddemeier R.W. (1998).
Effect of calcium carbonate saturation of 19. Nicholls R.J., Hoozemans F.M.J. and
seawater on coral calcification. Global Marchand M. (1999). Increasing food risk
Pl a n e t a r y C h a n g e . 1 8 ( 1 - 2 ) : 3 7 - and wetland losses due to global sea level
4 7 . 10.1016/S0921-8181(98)00035-6. rise: Regional and global analyses. Global E
nvironmentalChange.9(1):S6
12. Houghton J.T., Ding Y., Griggs D.J., Noguer M., 9-S87.https://doi.org/10.101
Linden P.J. vander, Dai X., Maskell K. and 6 / S 0 9 5 9 - 3780(99)00019-9.
Johnson C.A. (2001). Climate Change 2001. The
Scientific Basis:Contribution of Working Group I to 20. Prakash S. and Srivastava S. (2019).
the Third Assessment Report of the Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity: An
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Overview. International Journal of Biological
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Innovations. 1(2): 60-65. https://doi.org/
Kingdom and New York, NY. 892p. 10.46505/IJBI.2019.1205.

13. Huang M., Ding L., Wang J., Ding C. and 21. Verma A. K. (2017). Necessity of Ecological
Tao J. (2021). The impacts of climate change Balance for Widespread Biodiversity. Indian
on growth: A summary of conducted studies Journal of Biology. 4(2):158-160.
and current knowledge. Ecological Indicators. 22. Verma A. K. (2018). Ecological Balance: An
121.10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106976 Indispensable Need for Human Survival.
14. Jackson J.B.C., Kirby M.X., Berger W.H., Journal of Experimental Zoology, India. 21
Bjorndal K.A., Botsford L.W., Bourque B.J., (1): 407-409.
Bradbury R.H., Cooke R., Erlandson J., Estes 23. Verma A. Kumar (2019). Sustainable
J.A., Hughes T.P., Kidwell S., Lange C.B., Development and Environmental Ethics.
Lenichan H.S., Pandolfi J.M., Peterson C.H., International Journal on Environmental
Steneck R.S. and Tegner (2001). Historical Sciences. 10 (1): 1-5.