Wetland ecosystem: Their importance to biodiversity, services and conservation

Abstract

Wetlands cover approximately 5-8% of the global land area. In India the wetland area is estimated up to 58.2 million hectares and they were important for aquatic biodiversity. Wetlands directly and indirectly support millions of people by providing ecological services. Presently human and manmade anthropogenic activities cause alterations of wetlands. Changes in wetland areas it may significantly affect ecosystem processes and ecological changes. Wetlands provide important and most diverse benefits to people around the world. It provide and contributing provisioning, regulating, habitat and cultural services. It also help most critical regulating services like improve water-quality, flood control, carbon recycle and provide habitat for many species of biodiversity.