Threats to aquatic life

I interviewed postdoctoral researcher, Dr Denham Parker, who studies fisheries science about human impacts on aquatic biodiversity. Dr Parker explained how modern climate change was causing two direct problems for the marine environment – ocean acidification (from increasing carbon dioxide) and coral bleaching (from increased temperatures). Our lack of knowledge of oceans also means we are not aware what impacts we are having, or even which species have become extinct.

Fresh water environments are even more vulnerable to habitat disturbance because of their geographical isolation from other bodies of water – they are like islands of water surrounded by land. About 36% of all freshwater fish at the moment are threatened or vulnerable.