The impact of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystem: a review paper

Many freshwater ecosystems are currently threatened by increasing salinity caused by both natural occurence human induced salinity. Under natural condition, salt enters inland water system through groundwater intrusion and terrestrial run-of and salts buid up on the accumulated in the sediment due to high evaporation’s rate. Under cultural salinisation or anthropogenically induced salinisation, salt enters the system through agricultural run-off and as a result of less freshwater flushing to low land river and wetland of which are affected sea water. For example, low flow regulation in majority of rivers in Australia has resulted in salt being accumulated in low land river and wetland ecosystems that affects freshwater biodiversity. In Indonesia, impact of increasing salinity over lowland area has been identified due to sea water level raising and salt water intrusion into inland water system, however, little is known about its impact on biodiversity of Indonesian Inland water. Increasing salinity in freshwater system is subject to ecological disturbance. Less tolerance species will be eliminated while more tolerant species will become dominant and in turn will develop saline habitat. This review reveals that the increasing salinity will induce a significant impact on freshwater ecosystem, ranging from decreasing biodiversity to loss of biodiversity.