ARCHIVES
VOL. 3, ISSUE 2 (2021)
Wetlands -“Kidneys of the earth”: Importance and conservation
Authors
Nidhi Gautam, VK Gautam
Abstract
Wetlands are disappearing at a rapid pace all over the world and it is a matter of great concern. Wetlands not only harbour a rich biodiversity but also provide a number of valuable ecosystem services such as improvement of water quality, food chain support, flood control and of course carbon sequestration. Wetlands are also important as feeding and breeding grounds for migratory birds. In spite of playing so many significant roles, the wetlands are being converted rampantly to either agricultural farms or for urban settlements and industrial expansion. It is estimated that almost 50% of wetlands are already lost (Verhoeven & Setter, 2010). Tropical peat swamp forests of Indonesia and Malaysia that support unique biodiversity and globally significant stores of soil carbon are subjected to developmental pressure and drainage to support agriculture specially oil palm crop and other monocultures. The prolonged exploitation via drainage based agriculture of peat swamp forests will impact their ecosystem value and hydrological cycle adversely (Evers et. al. 2017). A wetland is an ecosystem that is filled with water either permanently or seasonally. It can be distinguished from other land forms or water bodies by its characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants that are adapted to the unique hydric soil. Wetlands occur where water meets land. They include mangroves, peat lands and marshes, rivers and lakes, deltas, floodplains and flooded forests, rice-fields, and even coral reefs. Wetlands exist in every country and in every climatic zone, from Polar Regions to the tropics, and from high altitudes to dry regions. Global-mean sea level rise would result in more incidences of floods by storm surge and potential losses of coastal wetlands through the 21st century (Nicholls, 2004).
Download
Pages:107-111
How to cite this article:
Nidhi Gautam, VK Gautam "Wetlands -“Kidneys of the earth”: Importance and conservation ". International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Vol 3, Issue 2, 2021, Pages 107-111
Download Author Certificate
Please enter the email address corresponding to this article submission to download your certificate.