Humedales, biodiversidad y servicios ecosistémicos. ¿Hacia dónde vamos?

QUINTANA, RUBÉN D.

Agua + Humedales

UNSAM Edita

Lugar: San Martin; Año: 2018; p. 174 - 192

Wetlands are among the planet?s most productive and biodiverse ecosystemsand largest providers of goods and services and, at the same time,they are the most vulnerable to climate change. These ecosystems are becomingsmaller and experiencing high degradation rates; in the 20th centuryalone, their size decreased between 64% and 71%, and their loss anddegradation process continue at a global scale. As a result, the annual lossof ecosystem services amounts to 20 billion dollars. This process also hasnegative effects on wetlands? biodiversity, even when they are partially protected.Over the last 40 years, the abundance of a significant number offreshwater species population has decreased by an average of 76% worldwide.Among the elements that are responsible for this reduction are habitatdegradation, pollution, water flow control and water extraction. In manycases, such factors are exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Accordingto the Convention on Biological Diversity, typical wetland speciesfrom different groups are increasingly getting closer to their extinction, whilethe worsening of the situation as a consequence of the pressure to whichit is exposed is increasingly surpassing the successful attempts aimed attheir preservation. There is an international concern about the effects thatsuch loss and degradation process may have on humankind. Decision makershave enough scientific information so as to be able to understand theurgent need to preserve wetlands as well as their biodiversity and the servicesthey provide, and the Ramsar Convention urges the contracting partiesto develop immediate policies in order to achieve those goals.