Freshwater Ecosystems and Stressors

Join us for a talk and interactive workshop as we welcome back Dr Ben Parker from Bournmouth University.

While covering less than 1% of the earth's surface, freshwater ecosystems have a disproportionally high biodiversity and provide a number of important services to humanity such as drinking water and recreation. However, globally freshwaters are under threat from a range of different environmental impacts ("stressors") such as climate change, sewage effluent and microplastics. These stressors may degrade these key ecosystems, reducing their sustainable use and impacting the services they provide. Furthermore, freshwaters are often impacted by many stressors simultaneously across space and time with unknown and unpredictable effects. 

This talk will explore the stressors affecting freshwater ecosystems, their single and combined impacts and how best to manage and mitigate stressors in an era of global change. 

Post-talk, some interactive activities will then allow the opportunity to examine microplastics and how they may be identified in the environment.