Wetlandszones

Wetlandszones refer to geographically defined areas in which the soil is saturated with water for at least part of the year and where the biological community is adapted to aquatic or semi-aquatic conditions. These zones include freshwater wetlands such as marshes, swamps, and bogs, as well as tidal and coastal wetlands such as mangroves and salt marshes, and inland unimproved wetlands. The defining features are hydrology, soil type, and vegetation; the hydroperiod, soil moisture, and depth of the water table shape the ecosystem.

Wetlandszones provide a range of ecosystem services: they store floodwaters, attenuate storm surges, filter pollutants, cycle nutrients, and support high levels of biodiversity. They serve as breeding and feeding grounds for many birds, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates, and host plant communities adapted to anoxic or nutrient-rich conditions. The biological productivity can vary from highly productive marshes to nutrient-poor bogs. They also act as carbon sinks, particularly peat-accumulating wetlands.

Threats include drainage for agriculture and development, water pollution, invasive species, altered hydrology, and climate change. Conservation and restoration efforts focus on preserving natural hydrological regimes, protecting critical sites, and promoting restoration to reestablish native vegetation and hydrologic connectivity. International recognition, such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, encourages cross-border protection and sustainable use.