Freshwater species conservation initiative Shoal, with support from Re:wild, releases report highlighting the incredible diversity of 211 newly described freshwater fish species
For immediate release, March 25, 2022
For immediate release
March 14, 2022
Freshwater species conservation initiative Shoal, with support from Re:wild and Synchronicity Earth, published a landmark new report on March 24, outlining the 2011 freshwater fish species described in 2021. The ‘New Species 2021’ report dives into detail on a selection of the species - striped and spotted, soft and spiky, bold and timid - in all their magnificent diversity.
"Every discovery of a new species highlights the unique connections among all living things, enriching our lives and filling us with appreciation for the wealth of biodiversity our Earth supports, Harmony Patricio, conservation program manager at Shoal and freshwater fish conservation program manager at Re:wild, said. "For conservationists, understanding these links between organisms is crucial in helping us prioritize where to act."
An average of four freshwater fish species were described each week last year, proving there is still much to learn about what lies under the surface of the planet’s rivers, lakes and wetlands. With around one-third of freshwater fish threatened with extinction, it is a race to discover and describe species to give them the best possible chance of survival.
Each new species deepens researchers' understanding of evolution, informs knowledge of the relations between species, other organisms and their environment, and helps define conservation priorities.
Discoveries can even lead to research that deepens knowledge of human life: Danionella cerebrum, for example, is currently used in neurophysiological research, with ramifications for understanding brain function in humans.
“Two-hundred-and-eleven is a remarkable number of species to be described in just one year, though it is by no means an anomaly," said Mike Baltzer, Shoal’s executive director. "Each year, hundreds of freshwater fish species are described by scientists. New Species 2021 will be the first edition of an annual release of New Species reports from Shoal. We are excited by the opportunity to help tell the species’ stories, and hope we can draw attention to them, and encourage people to act to help save them before it’s too late”.
Other species detailed in the report include:
The Mumbai blind eel Rakthamichthys mumba: discovered, ironically, at the bottom of a well shaft in the grounds of a school for the blind. It is bright red and has no eyes, fins or scales.
The aptly named Wolverine pleco Hopliancistrus wolverine: possesses three stout ‘odontodes’ concealed beneath its gill covers, which it uses defensively to stab anything that threatens it. Researchers report repeatedly bloodied fingers when handling them.
And the fantastically colorful Kijimuna and Bunagaya gobies Lentipes kijimuna and Lentipes bunagaya from Okinawa, Japan. Named after woodland spirits of the island’s folklore.
“This report is a fantastic example of how much we still have to learn about freshwater fish biodiversity," said Brian Zimmerman, director of conservation and science at Bristol Zoological Society in the UK, and co-chair of the IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist Group, said. "With 211 species newly described in one year, across such an incredibly diverse range of taxa and geographical locations, it brings so much excitement and hope to those who care about the freshwater ecosystems that sustain life on earth. The variety of habitats, forms and behaviors represented in each of the newly described species offers incredible opportunities for further study and understanding. I am truly inspired by this report and look forward to learning more about the fascinating species it showcases.”
# # #
Photo: The recently described Kijimuna goby, from Okinawa, Japan. Named after a
wood spirit of Okinawan folk mythology. © Ken Maeda
Shoal
Shoal is a global collaborative initiative to halt the extinction and recover populations of the most threatened freshwater species in the wild. Freshwater species are going extinct faster than their marine or terrestrial cousins, and almost one in three of those alive today could soon disappear, never to return. There is an urgent need for determined action, and Shoal is building a strong community of partners that will work together to give critical attention, escalate support, and accelerate and intensify the action that is required to stem the tide of extinction and recover endangered species populations throughout the Earth’s freshwaters.
Shoal is a programme of Synchronicity Earth and Re:wild. Synchronicity Earth is a charity registered in the UK and Wales No: 1132786 and a company limited by guarantee No: 06952204. Re:wild is a U.S.-based 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.
The following is a compilation of resources meant to support groundskeepers, sustainability coordinators, students, and/or community members in their efforts to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Directions: Each resource was assigned tags based on the issues that it addresses. Users are encouraged to hit ‘Ctrl + F’ to search for the respective tags and/or regions of interest. Tags: Alternatives, Basic Overview, Compost, Cost Comparison, Cultural Practices, Design, Disease Control, Emergency Treatment, Fertilizer, Homeowners, Invasive Species, IPM, Irrigation, Lawn Care, Maintenance Schedule, Native Plants, Pest Management, Product Swaps, Schools, Soil, Transition from Synthetic, Turf, WaterRegions: Gulf Coast, Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, All Regions
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Earth Easy’s Organic Lawn Care Guide
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IPM at School: A How-to Manual for New Jersey Schools
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Ohio State University Extension’s Organic Lawn Care Guide
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Organic Landcare Best Management Practices Manual
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Tags: Alternatives, Basic Overview, Compost, Disease Control, Invasive Species, Lawn Care, Native Plants, Pest Management, Product Swaps, Soil, Transition from Synthetic, Turf, Water
Region: Northeast, All Regions
The Common Sense Gardening Guide to Natural Lawn Care
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This report offers a comparison of the cost of managing conventional turf versus natural turf. Based on mid-level turf management programs, this study found that natural (organic) turf management can lead to a 25% increase in savings compared to conventional management.
Tags: Cost Comparison
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A website that provides recommendations for treatments depending on the turf disease, turf weeds, and/or turf pests.
Tags: Product Swaps
Region: Midwest, All Regions
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A comprehensive guide to organic lawn care. This guide provides resources on the effects of pesticides, the importance of soil health, the financial implications of going organic, the culture of organic land care, and dealing with specific pests.
Tags: Fertilizer, Pest Management, Alternatives, Soil, Turf, Cultural Practices
Regions: Northeast, All Regions
This quick fact sheet is a guide to the basic principles of non-toxic lawn care. It highlights different practices and guiding ideas for transitioning these spaces off of synthetic chemicals.
Tags: Lawn Care, Alternatives, Soil, Cultural Practices
Regions: All Regions
Earth Easy’s Organic Lawn Care Guide
This guide provides the basics of caring for an organic lawn. It provides tips for managing pests, routine care, and going organic. Although it’s primarily focused on residential lawns, it also offers a few tips applicable to larger lawns and golf courses.
Tags: Lawn Care, Pest Management, Water
Regions: All Regions
Ecological Landscaping Tools for Massachusetts Homeowners
This guide recognizes that “our traditional lawn and garden care replaces native forests, wetlands, and other wildlife habitats with monocultural landscapes.” It seeks to remedy this by giving ideas and tools for how to make one’s yard fit into the larger ecosystem, conserving water, preserving biodiversity, and saving time. It includes both a design guide and a maintenance guide.
Tags: Homeowners, Water, Native Plants, Design, Pest Management
Region: Northeast
Florida Friendly Landscaping Guide to Plant Selection and Landscape Design
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Tags: Basic Overview, Design, Fertilizer, Homeowners, Native Plants, Pest Management, Water
Region: Southeast
IPM at School: A How-to Manual for New Jersey Schools
A guide from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Pesticide Control Program for school district superintendents, local school boards, principals, IPM coordinators and other administrators for implementing an IPM program. It was created in response to the School IPM Act, which mandated that schools have an IPM program. This manual outlines day-to-day and site-specific issues including how to handle certain pests.
Other Supporting Docs: https://www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/pcp/bpc/ipm/low_impact.pdf
Tags: IPM, Schools, Pest Management
Region: Northeast
Least-Toxic Control of Pests: Lawns/ Landscapes/ Gardens
This is a database of more than thirty different potential pests in lawns, landscapes, and gardens and a resource for evaluating various types of pests, including invasive plant species.
Tags: Pest Management, Alternatives
Regions: All Regions
Least Toxic Control of Weeds - Beyond Pesticides
General information on weed prevention, management, and solutions. This guide provides alternatives to toxic pesticides.
Tags: Product Swaps, Alternatives
Regions: All Regions
Mom’s Across America Guide to RoundUp Alternatives
Provides the everyday person with easy and safe RoundUp/glyphosate alternatives.
Tags: Product Swaps
Regions: All Regions
North Carolina Extension’s Organic Lawn Care Guide
This guide describes how to establish a new lawn and maintain it organically and how to transition an existing lawn into an organic lawn. It relies on IPM principles and highlights organic solutions to pests and weeds common to North Carolina.
Tags: Turf, Pest Management, Disease Control
Region: South East (North Carolina)
Ohio State University Extension’s Organic Lawn Care Guide
This guide is on how to evaluate the health of one’s lawn as well as how to manage the lawn in an organic way.
Tags: Fertilizer, Transition from Synthetic, Irrigation, Pest Management, Maintenance Schedule
Region: Midwest (Ohio)
Organic Landcare Best Management Practices Manual
An in-depth guide to transitioning your land to organic management. It provides information and resources on the initial assessment of the soil, wildlife, pests, and irrigation.
Tags: Soil, Turf, Pest Management, Water, Native Plants, Invasive Species, Emergency Treatment
Region: Northeast
Organic Land Care Project (Rutgers University)
New Jersey based guide to organic lawn care. This guide is for landscaping managers and landscape contractors on “best management practices for effectively conducting organic land care.”
Tags: Alternatives, Basic Overview, Compost, Disease Control, Invasive Species, Lawn Care, Native Plants, Pest Management, Product Swaps, Soil, Transition from Synthetic, Turf, Water
Region: Northeast, All Regions
The Common Sense Gardening Guide to Natural Lawn Care
This Common Sense Gardening Guide offers practical advice for maintaining an attractive and healthy lawn “the natural way,” while reducing the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and water.
Tags: Alternatives, Lawn Care
Region: Northwest
This report offers a comparison of the cost of managing conventional turf versus natural turf. Based on mid-level turf management programs, this study found that natural (organic) turf management can lead to a 25% increase in savings compared to conventional management.
Tags: Cost Comparison
Regions: All Regions
A website that provides recommendations for treatments depending on the turf disease, turf weeds, and/or turf pests.
Tags: Product Swaps
Region: Midwest, All Regions
University of Wisconsin’s Organic and Reduced-Risk Lawn Care Guide
This guide is meant for Wisconsin homeowners who aim to have a completely organic or “reduced-risk” lawn, meaning they utilize the ‘safest’ pesticides on the market in minimal amounts. It provides soil testing resources and how to understand the soil test results.
Tags: Basic Overview, Compost, Pest Management,
Region: Midwest
John Aspray/ Iowa Organizer / Food & Water Watch
Anna Lappé / Founder and Director / Real Food Media
Liz Boner / Educator and Movement Builder / UC Berkeley
Bill Richardson / Deputy Executive Director / Greenpeace
Kathryn Gilje / Executive Director / Ceres Trust
Gesina Beckert / Director of Research and Operations / Food for Climate League
Danner Doud-Martin / Associate Director / International Business Development at Berkeley Haas School of Business
Michael Baum / Senior Managing Partner / Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, PC
Chip Osborne/ President / Osborne Organics
Anim Steele / Director / Hau'oli Mau Loa Foundation
Madeline Carretero / Major Gifts Development Officer / Greenpeace
Philip Stark / Professor of Statistics / University of California, Berkeley
Navgeet King Zed/ Cofounder and Advisor / CAPA Strategies
Melanie Feldman / Cofounder / Going Places
Dewayne "Lee" Johnson / Plaintiff in Johnson v. Monsanto trial
Shannon Britton / Grounds and Landscaping Manager / Seattle University
Philip Ackerman- Leist / Executive Director / Regen by Design
Annie Lu / Experience Innovation Consultant / Adobe
Daphne Miller / Family Physician and Clinical Professor / LifeLong Medical Care