WETLANDs Ramsar sites

WETLANDs Ramsar sites  are the areas  where water is the primary factor to control the environment and the associated plant and animal life . They occur where the water table is at or near the surface of the land, or where the land  is covered by water.

World wetland day is celebrated every year on 2nd february.                                                                 This day mark the date of the adoption of the convention on wetlands on 2nd february 1971 , in Ramsar,IRAN.

46 WETLANDs Ramsar sites in India  see in photo.

     Tpyes  of WETLANDs Ramsar Sites

1. Coastal wetlands

2. shallows lakes and ponds

3. Marshes

4. Swamps

5. Bogs

6. Estuaries

    Importance

• >Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that provide the world with nearly two-thirds of its fish harvest.
• >Wetlands play an integral role in the ecology of the watershed. The combination of shallow water, high levels of nutrients 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' microbes, plants and wildlife are part of global cycles for water, nitrogen and sulphur. Wetlands store carbon within their plant communities and soil instead of releasing it to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
• >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. More than one billion people depend on them for a living and 40% of the world’s species live and breed in wetlands.
• >Wetlands are a vital source for food, raw materials, genetic resources for medicines, and hydropower.
• >They play an important role in transport, tourism and the cultural and spiritual well-being of people.
• >They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide diversity of life, supporting plants and animals that are found nowhere else.
• >Many wetlands are areas of natural beauty and promote tourism and many are important to Aboriginal people.
• >Wetlands also provide important benefits for industry. For example, they form nurseries for fish and other freshwater and marine life and are critical to commercial and recreational fishing industries.

• Threats to WETLANDs Ramsar sites

  • Urbanization: Wetlands near urban centres are under increasing developmental pressure for residential, industrial and commercial facilities. Urban wetlands are essential for preserving public water supplies.
  • Agriculture: Vast stretches of wetlands have been converted to paddy fields. Construction of a large number of reservoirs, canals and dams to provide for irrigation significantly altered the hydrology of the associated wetlands.
  • Pollution: Wetlands act as natural water filters. However, they can only clean up the fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural runoff but not mercury from industrial sources and other types of pollution.
  • Climate Change: Increased air temperature; shifts in precipitation; increased frequency of storms, droughts, and floods; increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration; and sea level rise could also affect wetlands.
  • Draining: Water is drained from wetlands by cutting ditches into the ground which collect and transport water out of the wetland. This lowers the water table and dries out the wetland.
  • Introduced Species: Indian wetlands are threatened by exotic introduced plant species such as water hyacinth and salvinia. They clog waterways and compete with native vegetation.
  • Salinization: Over withdrawal of groundwater has led to salinisation.

  Conservation Efforts

  Ramsar Convention

  • The Convention came in to force in 1975.
  • The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.
  • Three pillars of the Convention are:
    • Work towards the wise use of all their wetlands.
    • Designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management.
    • Cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species.
  • India has 27 Ramsar Sites which are the Wetlands of International importance.