Wetland Ecosystem

WETLAND ECOSYSTEM
PRESENTED BY,
BALAMURALIDHARAN R R(71762162001)
EEM & III SEM
Introduction
• Wetlands are those areas where the soil is covered
with water or can be present near the ground
throughout the year.
• It supports both terrestrial and aquatic species.
• They vary widely depending on the climate, soil,
vegetation, hydrology, chemistry, and human
disturbance.
• The water found in the wetland is of two types. It is
either brackish, saltwater, or freshwater.
Ramsar Convention(1975)
Ramsar convention on wetlands defines wetland as:

• as an area of marsh, fen, peatland,which is temporary
or permanent, formed naturally or artificially
• This includes fresh, brackish, or salt water
• Where depth of marine water at low tide will not
exceed six meters of height.
convention works on three pillars that define the purpose
of the Ramsar Convention:
• Wise Use – To work towards the wise use of all wetlands
• List of Wetlands of International Importance –
Designate suitable wetlands under the Ramsar List to
effectively manage those
• International Cooperation – To bring cooperation
internationally over the transboundary wetlands, shared
wetland systems and shared species.
Type
• Coastal Wetlands: Coastal wetlands are found in the
areas between land and open sea that are not influenced
by rivers such as shorelines, beaches, mangroves and
coral reefs.
– A good example is the mangrove swamps found in
sheltered tropical coastal areas.
• Shallow lakes and ponds: These wetlands are areas of
permanent or semi-permanent water with little flow. They
include vernal ponds, spring pools, salt lakes and
volcanic crater lakes.
• Marshes: These are periodically saturated, flooded, or
ponded with water and characterized by herbaceous
(non-woody) vegetation adapted to wet soil conditions.
Marshes are further characterized as tidal
marshes and non-tidal marshes.
• Swamps: These are fed primarily by surface water
inputs and are dominated by trees and shrubs. Swamps
occur in either freshwater or saltwater floodplains.
• Bogs: Bogs are waterlogged peatlands in old lake
basins or depressions in the landscape. Almost all water
in bogs comes from rainfall.
• Estuaries: The area where rivers meet the sea and
water changes from fresh to salt can offer an extremely
rich mix of biodiversity. These wetlands include deltas,
tidal mudflats and salt marshes.
Wetlands are important because they:
• Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that provide
the world with nearly two-thirds of its fish harvest.
• Wetlands play an integral role in the ecology of the
watershed. The combination of shallow water, high levels
of nutrients is ideal for the development of organisms
that form the base of the food web and feed many
species of fish, amphibians, shellfish and insects.
• Wetlands' microbes, plants and wildlife are part of global
cycles for water, nitrogen and sulphur. Wetlands store
carbon within their plant communities and soil instead of
releasing it to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
• Wetlands function as natural barriers that trap and slowly
release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and
flood waters. Wetland vegetation also slow the speed of
flood waters lowering flood heights and reduces soil
erosion.
• Wetlands are critical to human and planet life. More than
one billion people depend on them for a living and 40%
of the world’s species live and breed in wetlands.
• Wetlands are a vital source for food, raw materials,
genetic resources for medicines, and hydropower.
• They play an important role in transport, tourism and the
cultural and spiritual well-being of people.
• They provide habitat for animals and plants and many
contain a wide diversity of life, supporting plants and
animals that are found nowhere else.
• Many wetlands are areas of natural beauty and promote
tourism and many are important to Aboriginal people.
• Wetlands also provide important benefits for industry. For
example, they form nurseries for fish and other
freshwater and marine life and are critical to commercial
and recreational fishing industries
Threats
• Urbanization: Wetlands near urban centres are under
increasing developmental pressure for residential, industrial and
commercial facilities. Urban wetlands are essential for
preserving public water supplies.
• Agriculture: Vast stretches of wetlands have been converted to
paddy fields. Construction of a large number of reservoirs,
canals and dams to provide for irrigation significantly altered the
hydrology of the associated wetlands.
• Pollution: Wetlands act as natural water filters. However, they
can only clean up the fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural
runoff but not mercury from industrial sources and other types
of pollution.
– There is growing concern about the effect of industrial
pollution on drinking water supplies and the biological
diversity of wetlands.
• Climate Change: Increased air temperature; shifts in precipitation;
increased frequency of storms, droughts, and floods; increased
atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration; and sea level rise could
also affect wetlands.
• Dredging: The removal of material from a wetland or river bed.
Dredging of streams lowers the surrounding water table and dries
up adjacent wetlands.
• Draining: Water is drained from wetlands by cutting ditches into the
ground which collect and transport water out of the wetland. This
lowers the water table and dries out the wetland.
• Introduced Species: Indian wetlands are threatened by exotic
introduced plant species such as water hyacinth and salvinia. They
clog waterways and compete with native vegetation.
• Salinization: Over withdrawal of groundwater has led to
salinisation.
Management
• Demarcation of wetlands using the latest technology,

proper enforcement of laws and stringent punishments
for violators.
• Preventing unsustainable aquaculture and cultivation of
shellfish.
• Treating industrial effluents and water from farmlands
before discharging into wetlands.
• Utilizing wetlands on a sustainable basis by giving
enough time for natural regeneration.
• Artificial regeneration for a quick recovery.
• Afforestation, weed control, preventing invasive species
is the key to wetland conservation.
• Preventive measures to stop the introduction of exotic
invasive species like water hyacinth.
• Soil conservation measures & afforestation.
• Preventing grazing in peripherals of wetlands.
• Wildlife conservation, sustainable tourism, eco-tourism
and sensitizing local populace.
• Eutrophication abatement by processing nutrient rich
discharge into the water body.
• Involving the local population in the conservation of
wetlands.

Wetland Ecosystem

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WETLAND ECOSYSTEM

Ramsar convention on wetlands defines wetland as:

• Demarcation of wetlands using the latest technology,

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