Arid and Semi-Arid Permanent Lakes

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Permanent water sources are rare in arid and semi arid zones and therefore provide important refuge habitat and water for animals during dry periods. They can maintain a pool of fish and, other aquatic animals and plant species when other wetlands have dried up. Permanent lakes can therefore act as a source of plant and animal stock to replenish other waterbodies when rain and/or flood waters return to the area and connect the waterbodies.

They also may contain higher diversity than shallow with larger-bodied species utilising the deeper water habitats and larvae, juveniles and small-bodied species utilising the littoral zones.