What Is A Wetland For Kids?

• Improved Water Quality. Wetlands can intercept runoff from surfaces prior to reaching open water and remove pollutants through physical, chemical, and biological processes. …
• Erosion Control. …
• Flood Abatement. …
• Habitat Enhancement. …
• Water Supply. …
• Recreation. …
• Partnerships. …
• Education.

What is a wetland and how can one identify one?

For purposes of this definition, wetlands must have one or more of the following three attributes: (1) at least periodically, the lands must support predominantly hydrophytes, (2) the substrate must consist of predominantly undrained soil, and (3) the substrate must be nonsoil and must be saturated with water or …

How many animals live in wetlands?

They provide diverse wildlife habitats and support complex food chains. At least 150 bird species and 200 fish species are wetland-dependent. About 900 terrestrial animal species use wetland habitats of the United States periodically throughout their lives for breeding, foraging, or other activities.

What are wetlands in India?

Around 4.63 percent of the geographical area of India are wetlands. Wetlands are areas that are inundated with water permanently or seasonally. They occur where water meets land. India has lost nearly one-third of its natural wetlands to urbanisation, agricultural expansion and pollution, over the last four decades.

What is a wetland explain the Ramsar concept of wise use in the context of wetland conservation cite two examples of Ramsar sites from India UPSC?

Wetlands are areas intermediate in character between deep water and terrestrial habitats. They are ecosystems saturated with water, either seasonally or permanently. They include mangroves, marshes, rivers, lakes, deltas, floodplains and flooded forests, rice-fields, and even coral reefs.

What do you understand by wetlands highlight the importance of these ecosystem and discuss various initiatives undertaken to conserve them Upsc?

Wetlands function as natural barriers that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters. Wetland vegetation also slow the speed of flood waters lowering flood heights and reduces soil erosion. Wetlands are critical to human and planet life.

What is wetland IAS?

As per the broad definition of Ramsar Convention, “Wetlands are “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres.”