More than a Billion People Depend on Wetlands
It is estimated that more than a billion people around the world make their living directly from wetlands. And yet some 64 per cent of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900; many of them converted for agricultural use or urban development. Approximately 40 per cent have been degraded in just over 40 years
Normal weather drives salt marsh erosion
Waves from moderate storms, rather than violent events such as hurricanes, inflict the most loss on coastal wetlands. Globally, salt marshes are being lost to waves, changes in land use, higher sea levels, loss of sediment from upstream dams and other factors.
Coastal marshes more resilient to sea-level rise than previously believed
Rising seas threaten coastal marshes worldwide. But a new Duke University study finds marshes are more resilient than previously believed.
Photos: Spectacular Saltwater Marshes of the Eastern US
The extensive estuarine saltwater marshes of eastern North America are large, flat, grassy areas that are flooded daily by the semidiurnal tides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Iraq’s Famed Marshes Are Disappearing—Again
A decade after the restoration of their once fruitful wetlands, the Marsh Arabs are struggling to cope with the country’s water shortage.
Northern Coastal Marshes More Vulnerable to Nutrient Pollution
Salt marshes at higher latitudes, such as those in densely populated coastal regions of New England and northern Europe, are more vulnerable to the effects of nutrient pollution, a new Duke University study finds.
Saltwater Intrusion: The Parts You Can’t See
As saltwater moves increasingly farther into coastal plain, there will be changes to the landscape that we can see, like dead-standing trees, and many that we cannot. The quality of the water, the nutrients in the soil and the exchange of greenhouse gasses will all be affected.
Safeguarding Africa’s Wetlands a Daunting Task
African wetlands are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the continent, covering more than 131 million hectares. Yet, despite their importance and value, wetland areas are experiencing immense pressure across the continent.
The Future of Wetlands, the Future of Waterbirds – an Intercontinental Connection
To mark the anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention – an intergovernmental agreement seeking to protect wetlands of international importance – the 2nd of February each year is celebrated as “World Wetlands Day.”