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Impacts of Climate Change on Aquatic Biodiversity in Africa

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Biodiversity in Africa: Potentials, Threats and Conservation

Part of the book series: Sustainable Development and Biodiversity ((SDEB,volume 29))

Abstract

The climate change phenomenon is an issue which has posed serious threats to the environment and the economy of developed, developing and underdeveloped countries of the world. The concept of global warming was prominent in the post-industrial era, sequel to that the issue of global cooling was the case during the pre-industrial era. The climate change issues can be of natural occurrence which may be from sources such as eruption of volcanos, respiration by living organisms and decomposition by micro-organisms or man-made occurrence which are from anthropogenic activities such as emission discharge from industries, burning of fossil, agricultural activities, transportation and various commercial activities. The greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases are released from both natural and man-made sources into the atmosphere, and accumulation over time in the atmosphere can lead to depletion in the ozone layer. Countries where inhabitants do not comply with environmental emission laws are highly vulnerable to increased greenhouse gases. This affects fish species, coral reefs and nursery and breeding habitats for fish species are eroded and the source of livelihood and economic returns of the fish farmers are affected. Fish species may also migrate when the water temperature exceeds the tolerable range. Several measures such as afforestation and awareness of the dangers of this phenomenon can go a long way in mitigating these effects. Conversely, it is expedient to know and understand the concepts of climate change, how it can impact life most especially in the aquatic ecosystem as elaborated by SDG 14—Life below water—and the necessary strategies to fight the impacts of climate change as elaborated by SDG 13 (Climate action). All of these will be explained in this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture and Renewable Resources, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria

    Adams Ovie Iyiola & Emmanuel Oluwasogo Oyewole

  2. Department of Fisheries and Water Resources, School of Natural Resources, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana

    Berchie Asiedu

  3. Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Emmanuel Oluwasogo Oyewole

  4. Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria

    Akinfenwa John Akinrinade

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  1. Adams Ovie Iyiola
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  2. Berchie Asiedu
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  3. Emmanuel Oluwasogo Oyewole
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  4. Akinfenwa John Akinrinade
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Correspondence to Adams Ovie Iyiola .

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  1. Department of Microbiology, Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

    Sylvester Chibueze Izah

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Iyiola, A.O., Asiedu, B., Oyewole, E.O., Akinrinade, A.J. (2022). Impacts of Climate Change on Aquatic Biodiversity in Africa. In: Chibueze Izah, S. (eds) Biodiversity in Africa: Potentials, Threats and Conservation. Sustainable Development and Biodiversity, vol 29. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-3326-4_14

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