Threats to Freshwater Fish and Application of Community Ecology Studies in Conservation

Abstract

Freshwater fish species diversity and distribution is comprised of different ecological and geographical factors. Their restricted distribution and limits to dispersal cause spatial isolation and make them more vulnerable in nature than their terrestrial and marine counterparts. The study has shown the role of community ecology, a cross-disciplinary field, in explaining the spatio-temporal structure and dynamics of ecological communities. The knowledge about predicted potential distribution zones and the environmental factors regulating distribution can be used for creating protected areas for freshwater fish conservation. Therefore, scientific information is needed to prioritize the areas for the conservation and restoration of freshwater fish.