The Salton Sea, sometimes called “California’s crown jewel of avian biodiversity”, is notable for the outstanding variety of bird species, exceeded only by the Texas Gulf Coast. Sadly, this exquisite landscape is now endangered as California loses wetlands, the birds’ natural habitat at the most alarming rate in the nation. As Milton Friend, Executive Director of Salton Sea Science Subcommittee, “more than 90 percent of the wetland acreage within California present at the time of colonization of the United States has been converted to other forms of landscape, primarily agriculture and urban development”.
The current problems of this huge lake that has come to be called a sea are a grave challenge and threaten the survival of the unique habitat. Its salinity now amounts to 44 parts per thousand (ppt) and rises about 0.5% annually (Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security). Severe outbreaks of avian disease, for instance a 1992 epidemic causing the deaths of 155,000 birds and later outbreaks, endanger the existence of the avian fauna. Most of the lake’s problems are supposed to have been caused by deforestation and industrial contaminants that land in the water.
Any efforts to restore the basin of the Salton Sea have to be undertaken in coordination with any other projects on the restoration of the Colorado River Basin. The quantity and quality of pollutants (selenium, DDE, PCBs) that land in the water have to be closely monitored as those are harmful to wildlife. Besides, attention has to be paid to decreasing the salinity of the water, content of nutrients and sustaining adequate levels of oxygen. Besides, efforts have to be made to stop the deforestation process around the sea.
Deforestation is an extremely harmful phenomenon since forests support biodiversity including trees, non-wood plants and animals. Woods also have an important role in watershed protection and soil conservation. Elimination of forests disrupts the hydrological cycle changing the delicate balance of water on the surface and underground, which in turn can lead to soil erosion. Trees protect the ground from landslides that become more frequent after deforestation. Therefore, the preservation of wildlife and natural habitats on earth is in direct dependence on the preservation of forests…
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