A capybara in the Iberá Wetlands (Esteros del Iberá) of northeast Argentina. Credit: Kylie Nicholson/Shutterstock
Like so many of the planet’s natural habitats, wetlands have been systematically destroyed over the past 300 years. Bogs, fens, marshes and swamps have disappeared from maps and memory, having been drained, dug up and built on.
Being close to a reliable source of water and generally flat, wetlands were always prime targets for building towns and farms. Draining their waterlogged soils has produced some of the most fertile farmland available.
But wetlands also offer some of the best natural solutions to modern crises. They can clean water by removing and filtering pollutants, displace floodwater, shelter wildlife, improve our mental and physical well-being and capture climate-changing amounts of carbon.
Peatlands, a particular type of wetland, store at least twice the carbon of all the world’s forests.
How much of the Earth’s precious wetlands have been lost since 1700 was recently addressed by a major new study published in Nature. Previously, it was feared that as much as 50% of our wetlands might have been wiped out. However, the latest research suggests that the figure is actually closer to 21%—an area the size of India.
2023-02-12 10:08:21
Source from phys.org
In a worrying trend that has been accelerated by human activities, Earth has experienced an alarming decline in its wetlands since 1700, losing over a fifth of its total area across the globe.
Wetlands are important ecosystems that provide a wide host of services, including food, water, shelter, and habitat. They are also home to diverse species of flora and fauna, many of which depend on wetlands for their own survival and are being put at risk due to the loss of these valuable ecosystems. Not only this, wetlands also have a significant role in stabilizing climate change by moderating temperatures, locking in soil and carbon, and helping to regulate water tables which protects us from floods and drought.
Due to their importance, it is crucial that we recognize their value and take action to protect them. Unfortunately, this has not been the case and wetlands have faced such pressures as the draining for agricultural purposes, the introduction of pollutants, and the alteration of water flows. This has been greatly exacerbated by climate change, with temperatures rising faster in wetland areas than the average global rate and subsequently causing an increase in drought and evaporation rates.
The sad reality is, however, that the situation may still be salvaged. If the right measures are put in place, wetlands can be restored and their services will be able to be enjoyed by both humans and nature.
Governments and organizations should prioritize the protection of wetlands and seek to provide creative solutions, such as the careful development of projects that are both wetland-friendly and beneficial for human society.
At the individual level, people should also consider how their actions may be impacting wetlands and look for ways to improve their impacts. Simple steps such as reducing non-degradable waste, limiting the use of chemicals in water bodies, and abstaining from polluting activities could go a long way in ensuring the welfare of these precious ecosystems.
Ultimately, it is up to us to recognize the value of wetlands and take action to save them. With the right efforts and initiatives, we can ensure that these ecosystems are restored and conserve them for future generations.