IUCN research warns of serious threat to freshwater fauna
The largest international research conducted by the IUCN, published in the journal Nature, warns that 24% of freshwater fauna species are endangered. In ecosystems such as rivers and lakes, where 23,000 species live, including fish, crabs, and insects like dragonflies, one in four faces the risk of disappearing.
Researchers from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have identified the main causes of this alarming trend: water pollution, especially from agricultural insecticides, dam construction, illegal fishing, and the introduction of invasive species.
Most threatened species
The study reveals that freshwater crabs are the most affected, with 30% at risk of extinction, followed by freshwater fish (26%) and insects like dragonflies (16%). In total, approximately 24% of the 23,000 evaluated species are threatened.
Freshwater ecosystems, which harbor more than 10% of all known species, provide crucial benefits such as nutrient cycling, flood control, and climate change mitigation. However, biodiversity loss is deteriorating these vital habitats.
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Major research
Catherine Sayer and her team have conducted this large-scale research to update the “Red List of Threatened Species” of the IUCN, which includes 23,496 species of fish, decapod crustaceans (such as crabs and shrimps), and odonates (like dragonflies and damselflies).
The study shows that 54% of the threatened species are affected by pollution, 39% by dams and water extraction, 37% by land use change, and 28% by invasive species and pests.
These findings underscore the urgent need to address the threats to prevent further declines and species loss, concludes Professor Catherine Sayer.
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