The Need for WetlandsBy:

Abby VargheseII B.Sc. Geography, Tourism & Travel Management

Madras Christian College

What are Wetlands?A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. Primarily, the factor that distinguishes wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation that is adapted to its unique soil conditions: Wetlands consist primarily of hydric soil, which supports aquatic plants.

Largest Wetlands in the WorldThe largest wetlands in the world include the Amazon River basin and the West Siberian Plain. Another large wetland is the Pantanal, which straddles Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay in South America.

World Wetlands DayIt marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. WWD was celebrated for the first time in 1997 and made an encouraging beginning.The Ramsar Convention chose Wetlands & Agriculture as the World Wetlands Day theme for 2014, drawing attention to the need for the wetland and agricultural sectors to work together.

Wetlands & Agriculture: The Partners of GrowthWorldwide, wetlands have been drained to convert them into agricultural land or industrial and urban areas. A realistic estimate is that 50 % of the world's wetlands have been lost. Examining relationship between wetlands and agriculture with the aim to identify the successes and failures of agricultural use in different types of wetlands, with reference to short-term and long-term benefits and issues of sustainability.From a sustainability perspective, reclamation of wetlands for agriculture should be strongly discouraged.

Wetlands & Agriculture: The Partners of Growth• Use of FLOOD-TOLERANT CROP VARIETIES• Extensive use of Agriculture for food production in combination with

other wetlands services.Examples of such land uses are traditional crop cultivation methods without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, grazing schemes involving livestock, or traditional water management schemes to stimulate fish production and to improve fish catches.

Types of Wetlands

Sub-Types

Mangrove

Carr

Major Types

Swamps

Marshes

Bogs

Fens

Significance of Wetlands• Wetlands prevent flooding by holding water much like a sponge. By

doing so, wetlands help keep river levels normal and filter and purify the surface water. • Wetlands accept water during storms and whenever water levels are

high. When water levels are low, wetlands slowly release water.• Wetlands also release vegetative matter into rivers, which helps feed

fish in the rivers. • Wetlands help to counter balance the human effect on rivers by

rejuvenating them and surrounding ecosystems. Many animals that live in other habitats use wetlands for migration or reproduction.

Erosion Control • Looking at pictures of deltas, one can tell that rivers deposit a lot of

sediment into the ocean. The sediment is from top soil that has been eroded and washed away. • Emergents (plants firmly rooted in the muddy bottom but with stalks

that rise high above the water surface) are able to radically slow the flow of water. As a result, they counter the erosive forces of moving water along lakes and rivers, and in rolling agricultural landscapes. Erosion control efforts in aquatic areas often include the planting of wetlands plants.

Wetlands as a Insurance• They are highly productive ecosystems, and are able to capture energy and

provide food for many animals.• They provide important refuges for wildlife in times of drought.• They are naturally beautiful places and provide opportunities for recreation

activities such as boating, swimming, bushwalking and bird watching.• They provide a natural water balance in the landscape and help to provide

protection against floods.• They have a role in providing water quality protection in the catchment by

filtering pollutants such as sediments, nutrients, organic and inorganic matter and bacteria.

Wetlands as a Insurance• They support a wide variety of flora (plants) and fauna (animals) and form

different habitats and ecosystems.• They provide nursery areas for fish, and breeding grounds for wildlife,

particularly water birds.• Wetlands provide vital habitat for some species of threatened fauna. • They provide refuge for migratory water birds that breed in the northern

hemisphere in countries such as China and Siberia. Thousands of migratory water birds inhabit Australian wetlands each year.• Many wetlands, are of cultural significance to aboriginal people.• They provide opportunities for scientific research and are a source of education

for the community.

Benefits of Wetlands in Economical terms• Drinking Water Quality:- Water is purified as water is absorbed by the

different levels & thus purifying the Ground Level.• Flood Control:- The Wetland absorbs the water like a sponge & thus

reducing the chances of flooding.• Fisheries • Recreation• Wildlife habitat

Benefits of Wetlands in Economical termsOther commercial uses:-• Reeds as a roofing material• Fur-bearing animals, such as mink, muskrat and beaver, use wetlands

during some part of their life cycle. Income can be derived from trapping these furbearers, either by direct sale of their pelts or by leasing wetlands for the fur harvest.

Mangrove: A sub-type of Wetlands• Mangroves have been reported to be able to help buffer

against tsunami, cyclones, and other storms. One village in Tamil Nadu was protected from tsunami destruction - the villagers in Naluvedapathy planted 80,244 saplings to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. This created a kilometer-wide belt of trees of various varieties. When the tsunami struck, much of the land around the village was flooded, but the village itself suffered minimal damage.