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Wetlands 'Nature's Kidneys'
Wetlands 'Nature's Kidneys'
'nature's kidneys’
Definition of wetland(s)
-Lands covered with water all or part of a year
-Interface between Terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems
- They have been
Characteristics of called as 'nature's kidneys’
wetlands
1. Physical Characteristics
– Precipitation, surface
and subsurface flow,
direction, chemistry,
and kinetic energy of
the water.
2. Hydroperiod
– Duration, frequency,
depth, and flood
season
Classification of wetland on the basis of hydrology
• Basin Wetlands (lakes and ponds)
– Physical: Water flow is vertical
(precipitation)
– Hydroperiod: Long with floods during
periods of high rainfall.
Riverine Wetlands
Classification of wetland on the basis of hydrology
1. Sandy soils
– Contain mineral grains ranging from 0.05-2 mm
in diameter.
2. Silt(mud) soils
– Soils that have grains ranging from 0.002-0.05
mm in diameter.
3. Clay soils
– Contain mineral grains smaller than 0.002 mm in
diameter.
Soil Properties
• Sandy soils
– Has good drainage and aeration
– Does not store water well
– Is not suitable for most plants
Sandy soils
• Silt Soils
– Soils made from minerals
– Granule sizes are between sandy and
clay.
– Also known as “rock flour” or “stone
dust” when produced by glaciers Silt Soils
• Clay soils
- Hold water very well
- Do not drain water easily
- Do not have space for air
- Is not suitable for most plants
Clay soils
Wetland Plants Native vs. Exotic
• Single celled
• Base of aquatic food web
• Oxygen production
Photosynthesis:
• Free Floating – Plants not rooted to the bottom and float on the
surface.
Freshwater Marshes
Chemical Functions of Wetlands
• Pollution Interception
– Nutrient uptake by plants
– Settle in anaerobic soil and become reduced
– Processed by bacterial action
• Toxic Residue Processing
– Buried and neutralized in soils, taken up by
plants, reduced through ion exchange
– Large-scale / long-term additions can exceed a
wetland’s capacity
– Some chemicals can become more dangerous in
wetlands (Mercury)
Mercury Chemistry
• Elemental mercury (Hg0)
– Most common form of environmental mercury
– High vapor pressure, low solubility, does not
combine with inorganic or organic ligands, not
available for methylation
• Mercurous Ion (Hg+)
– Combines with inorganic compounds only
– Can not be methylated
• Mercuric Ion (Hg++)
– Combines with inorganic and organic
compounds
– Can be methylated CH3Hg
Methylation
• Basically a biological process by microorganisms in
both sediment and water
– Mono- and dimethylmercury can be formed
– Dimethylmercury is highly volatile and is not
persistent in aquatic environments
• Influenced by environmental variables that affect both
the availability of mercuric ions for methylation and
the growth of the methylating microbial populations.
– Rates are higher in anoxic environments,
freshwater, and low pH
– Presence of organic matter can stimulate growth
of microbial populations, thus enhancing the
formation of methylmercury
Methylmercury Bioaccumulation
• Mercury is accumulated by fish, invertebrates,
mammals, and aquatic plants.
• Inorganic mercury is the dominate environmental
form of mercury, it is depurated about as fast as it is
taken up so it does not accumulate.
• Methylmercury can accumulate quickly but depurates
slowly, so it accumulates
– Also biomagnifies
• Percentage of methylmercury increases with
organism’s age.
Chemical Functions of Wetlands
• Waste Treatment
• High rate of biological activity
• Can consume a lot of waste
• Heavy deposition of sediments that bury waste
• High level of bacterial activity that breaks down and
neutralizes waste
• Biological Production
– 6.4% of the Earth’s surface 24% of total global
productivity
– Detritus based food webs
• Habitat
– 80% of all breeding bird populations along with
>50% of the protected migratory bird species rely
on wetlands at some point in their life
– 95% of all U.S. commercial fish and shellfish species
depends on wetlands to some extent
What happens when wetlands are destroyed?
• Destruction of wetlands can cause many problems such
as:
– Increased floods
– Water quality problems
– Population decrease in plants and animals that live in wetlands
Wetland helps
Water storage and purification
Biodiversity protection
Sediment retention
Groundwater replenishment
Climate change mitigation
Recreation/tourism
Cultural value
Loss of wetlands
• Building of dams
• Channelization of riverbeds
• Overexploitation of wetlands resources
• Introduction of invasive species
• Developmental activities and population pressure
• Water pollution and dumping of waste
• The two conservation reserves – Jhilmil Jheel in Haridwar and Asan Barrage in
DehraDun districts – are being established under the 2003 parliamentary
amendment made in the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 with a view to seek
greater community involvement in protecting extremely critical wildlife.
• Wild life institute of India Dehradun also played a pivotal role in Swamp Deer
conservation
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