Abstract

Runoff from agriculture has become one of the main factors negatively impacting the world's forage and ecosystem resilience in freshwater habitats. The project discusses the consequences for ecosystems caused by intensive agricultural practices, including contamination with pesticides, sediment loading, and nutrient enrichment. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer use lead to ponds and lakes being full of nutrients, algae growing in large quantities, and oxygen being used up, thus making aquatic food webs and species less diverse. The application of pesticides and herbicides further increases toxin levels, thereby reducing the reproductive success and survival rates of aquatic fauna. Moreover, sediment runoff alters the habitat, making the spawning grounds and the communities of organisms living on the bottom of the water inhospitable to fish. The study also points out that these stressors are interrelated, which is why their combined effects are much stronger and the ecosystem's ability to recover from any disturbance is diminished. Some of the proposed measures to curb damage include buffer strips, sustainable nutrient management, and ecological restoration, all of which are required to sustain biodiversity and enhance water quality. Therefore, this study calls for establishing integrated watershed management and policy interventions as the minimum necessary to support efforts to maintain a balance between agricultural productivity and ecological sustainability, thereby securing the future of freshwater ecosystems' health and resilience.

Keywords: Agricultural runoff, Freshwater ecosystems, Biodiversity loss, Eutrophication, Pollution, Ecosystem resilience, Sustainable management