Wetlands are Ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They get periodically get inundated with water. They support a flourishing community of aquatic organisms including frogs and other amphibians. Swamps, marshes and mangroves are examples of wetlands.

India has added 10 more wetlands to sites protected by the Ramsar Convention, With this, a total of 37 sites in the country have been recognized under the international treaty. Wetlands declared as Ramsar sites are protected under strict guidelines.

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The importance of wetlands to the ecosystem:

• Wetlands play an integral role in the ecology of the watershed. The combination of shallow water, high levels of nutrients and primary productivity 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 are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests and coral reefs. An immense variety of species of microbes, plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish and mammals can be part of a wetland ecosystem.
• Wetlands are indispensable for the countless benefits or “ecosystem services” that they provide humanity, ranging from freshwater supply, food and building materials, and biodiversity, to flood control, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation.
• Wetlands are an important resource for sustainable tourism.
• They carry out water purification, filtration of sediments and nutrients from surface water.
• They help in nutrients recycling, groundwater recharging and stabilization of local climate.
• Buffer (act as a riparian buffer) shorelines against erosion and pollutants.
• They act as a genetic reservoir for various species of plants (especially rice).
• Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters.

Role played by Wetlands in the Ecological conservation of Earth:

• Flood attenuation: many water-stressed regions in South Africa are subject to high intensity rainfall over very short periods, often resulting in flash floods. Wetlands are effective in spreading out and slowing down floodwaters, thereby reducing the severity of floods downstream.
• Regulation of stream flow: wetlands are often compared to sponges, in their ability to absorb water in wet periods, and release it during dry periods.
• Sediment trapping: wetlands reduce runoff velocity, and through their vegetation are effective in trapping and retaining sediment.
• Phosphate and nitrate assimilation: removal by the wetland of phosphates and nitrates carried by runoff water. This takes place through the presence of wetland vegetation and the action of anaerobic bacteria (which would otherwise not exist in fast-flowing, energised streams or rivers).
• Erosion control: wetlands can limit the extent of erosion, predominantly through the protection provided by vegetation, and through their ability to reduce stream flow velocity.
• Maintenance of biodiversity: through the provision of habitat and the maintenance of natural processes, wetlands contribute to supporting and maintaining biodiversity.

Ramsar convention

Ramsar convention is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It is named after the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the Caspian Sea, where the treaty was signed on 2 February 1971. It is Known officially as ‘the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat’ (or, more recently, just ‘the Convention on Wetlands’), it came into force in 1975.

Ramsar “Wise use concept” requires that wetlands’ ecological character should be maintained within the framework of sustainable development. This concept recognizes that:

• Developmental activities are inevitable in wetland areas such as construction of roads, electricity infrastructure, schools and hospitals for poor families.
• Economic activities are also inevitable in wetland areas such as fisheries, farming and tourism.
• Such activities aid in human development and economic development in a wetland area.
• And for these activities, wetland’s land, water and bio-resources will have to be used.
• However, these resources should not be used in a manner that wetland’s ecological character is harmed.

Conclusion:

Wetland conservation is crucial for protecting biodiversity and mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change. At the same time, due to high level of poverty & population, it’s not possible for developing countries & Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to keep wetlands in pristine conditions completely free from human activities.