Fuktområder

Fuktområder, or wetlands, are areas where the presence of water either at the surface or within the soil leads to saturated conditions, hydric soils, and vegetation adapted to wet conditions. They occur in freshwater, brackish, and saltwater environments and include a variety of landscapes with different hydrology and plant communities.

Common types of fuktområder include freshwater wetlands such as marshes, swamps, and bogs; peatlands and fens; coastal or tidal wetlands like salt marshes, mangrove forests, and tidal flats; and inland deltas where channels and floodplains experience periodic inundation. The defining feature across these systems is a water regime that shapes soil properties and biological communities.

Hydrology is central to wetlands. The hydroperiod, or seasonal water cycle, determines water depth, duration of inundation, and oxygen availability in soils. These conditions create hydric soils, which are often waterlogged and anaerobic, favoring plants and animals adapted to low-oxygen environments.

Fuktområder host diverse biodiversity and provide important ecological services. Plants such as sedges, reeds, mosses, and specialized shrubs dominate different habitats, while animals include waterfowl, amphibians, fish, invertebrates, and numerous bird species. In addition to biodiversity, wetlands store large amounts of carbon in peat and soils, filter pollutants, modulate floods, recharge groundwater, and support fisheries and recreation.

Threats include drainage for agriculture and development, peat extraction, pollution, climate change, and invasive species. Conservation and restoration efforts—often guided by international frameworks like the Ramsar Convention—aim to protect remaining wetlands, restore hydrology, and improve monitoring to maintain their ecological functions and services.