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Cause for concern across the Eurasian Continent
Palaearctic
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Flooded Grasslands and Savannas
Nenjiang River grassland
Overfishing and encroachment of agriculture are the biggest threats to this region. Other problems include collecting reeds, collecting bird eggs, and hunting. Diversion of water to nearby agricultural areas has also increased the salinity of this habitat. And industrial development, especially petroleum and natural gas development, threatens some areas.
People have been living in this region for about 250,000 years and have been farming intensively for about 5,000 years. But only since the construction of the Aswan High Dam has farming occurred year-round. Since then, no delta habitat was left undisturbed. The major threats to the region's biodiversity are fertilizers, applied to the land because nutrient-rich sediments are no longer deposited through flooding; increased salinity in the waters; increasing hunting and trapping; and inappropriate siting of windmills, which can be dangerous obstacles for migrating birds. Rising sea levels due to global warming could also drastically alter the region.
Because of the scarcity of water in the Sahara, wetlands here are most threatened by diversion of water for human use--either from these salty wetlands or from the freshwater underground springs that feed them. Other threats come from agricultural run-off, conversion of wetlands to agriculture, long-term climatic desiccation (dryness), and disposal of untreated sewage. Hunting of birds and small mammals is also a threat to the animal populations in the region.
Large-scale water diversion projects are rapidly degrading the Tigris-Euphrates marsh ecosystem. Changing the rivers flow with canals, dikes, and dams has cut off the water flow to extensive marsh areas, causing them to dry up. In addition, drainage canals flush salt from irrigated lands into the wetland system, increasing salt levels in the area. Regional conflicts and increased human settlement have also greatly increased pollution of the wetlands. All of these factors contribute to habitat loss and degradation. Unfortunately these marshes currently have no form of legal protection.
Much of the landscape around this ecoregion has been converted to agriculture, with rice being the principal crop. The wetlands are adversely affected by pesticide runoff from the rice fields and by the digging of agricultural irrigation channels. After harvesting, this cultivated land becomes a major feeding area for water birds, exposing them further to chemicals. Other human threats include hay production, grazing, and the hunting of water birds and fur-bearing mammals.
The Jiangsu Province, in which this ecoregion lies, is the most crowded province in China. Many parts of the region--especially those lying in inland areas--have lost all traces of their natural vegetation. The commercial rearing of shrimp and clams threatens some coastal areas, as does salt reclamation and industrial and recreational development.
Because this region is so remote and access to it is so difficult, it has so far escaped many of the development pressures common to other regions. Development may also be slower here because the region lies on the border of four different countries. Still, mining occurs in some areas, and grazing and hunting threaten some wild mammals.
For the most part, this ecoregion is in pristine condition. It also contains one of the largest nature reserves in the world--the Changtang Nature Reserve, which is roughly the size of New Mexico. Hunting is one of the few threats to local species. Chirus, for example, are being hunted at an unsustainable rate for their high quality wool. Argalis may be threatened by hunting and disease, too. Increased nature tourism, especially around Qinghai Lake, also poses a possible threat to nesting birds.
Population growth and increased tourism have put pressure on remaining wild areas in the eastern Himalayan ecoregion. Too many people remove native plants and trekking staff often cut slow-growing shrubs for firewood. Livestock also graze and trample the native plants. As the region becomes more developed, natural resources continue to be threatened by such projects as energy-harnessing dams on regional waterways. Air and water pollution are also becoming problems.
A variety of factors threatens the biodiversity of this ecoregion. The area has been extensively deforested, farmed, and grazed. Dams and irrigation channels built in the area threaten habitat, and introduced plant species threaten native plants.
