2. Approach to globally monitoring freshwater ecosystems
2.1. Types of freshwater ecosystems and the properties used to monitor changes
Understanding changes in available reservoir water relative to changes in the surface area of natural freshwater ecosystems is useful for freshwater ecosystem protection. Although mentioned in target 6.6, forests are not included
SDG indicator 6.6.1 includes the following
in indicator 6.6.1 monitoring, with data instead
different types of freshwater ecosystems: lakes,
captured under SDG 15. At present, the indicator
rivers, wetlands, mangroves, groundwater and
does not capture data on the biological health or
reservoirs, all of which purely contain fresh
connectivity of freshwater ecosystems, even
water, except for mangroves, which contain
though the importance of such data is widely
brackish water. Despite not being natural
recognized.
freshwater ecosystems, reservoirs are included as they hold significant amounts of water.
Figure 1. Landscape containing various types of freshwater ecosystems
Source: DHI GRAS.
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PROGRESS ON FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS - 2021
