Wetlands seem to be especially vulnerable to invasions. Even though ≤6% of the earth’s land mass is wetland, 24% (8 of 33) of the world’s most invasive plants are wetland species. Furthermore, many wetland invaders form monotypes, which alter habitat structure, lower biodiversity (both number and “quality” of species), change nutrient cycling and productivity (often increasing it), and modify f...

Although studies of freshwater entomofauna frequently do not include the biodiversity and ecological roles of higher Diptera, cyclorraphous flies are often numerous and species rich in wetlands. Seventeen families are commonly found in freshwater wetlands, with Ephydridae, Chloropidae, Sciomyzidae, Sphaeroceridae, and Scathophagidae being among the most important in terms of population size and...

BACKGROUND Wetlands are species-rich habitats performing valuable ecosystem services such as flood protection, water quality enhancement, food chain support and carbon sequestration. Worldwide, wetlands have been drained to convert them into agricultural land or industrial and urban areas. A realistic estimate is that 50 % of the world's wetlands have been lost. SCOPE This paper reviews the r...

1. Habitat heterogeneity and predator behaviour can strongly affect predator-prey interactions but these factors are rarely considered simultaneously, especially when systems encompass multiple predators and prey. 2. In the Arctic, greater snow geese Anser caerulescens atlanticus L. nest in two structurally different habitats: wetlands that form intricate networks of water channels, and mesic t...

A benefit of wetland preservation and restoration is the ecosystem service of improving water quality, typically assessed based on bacterial loading. The Ballona Wetlands, a degraded salt marsh of approximately 100 ac located on the southern border of Marina Del Rey (Los Angeles County, California, USA) are currently the focus of publicly funded restoration planning. The wetlands receive tidal ...

Wetlands are essential habitats in the environment since they fulfill a variety of ecological functions and support rich biodiversity. One major characteristic of wetlands is their ability to act as chemical sinks. There have been biogeochemical models developed for wetlands in Europe and North America but these systems differ from those found in South Africa, where most wetlands are riverfed a...

In the eastern U.S. Coastal Plain and Piedmont region, diverse inland wetlands (riverine, depressional, wet flats) have been impacted by or converted to agriculture. Farm Bill conservation practices that restore or enhance wetlands can return their ecological functions and services to the agricultural landscape. We review the extent of regional knowledge regarding the effectiveness of these con...

Constructed wetland treatment of swine wastewater probably involves substantial denitrification. Our objective was to assess denitrification and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) in such wetlands in relation to plant communities, N loading, carbon or nitrogen limitations, and water depth. Two wetland cells each 3.6 m wide and 33.5 m long were connected in series. One set of cells was plante...

Introduction Utah’s wetlands provide a constellation of recreational opportunities, from sailing to photography, fishing to birdand wildlife-watching, hunting to picnicking. Even more important are the roles wetlands play in the functioning of Utah’s ecosystems. These roles include flood control, maintenance of groundwater quality and levels, pollution control, water purification, and the provi...

Methane (CH4) is the most important greenhouse gas after water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO2), and wetlands represent its largest natural source. But the high spatial and temporal variability of CH4 emissions from natural wetlands combined with patchy and incomplete information on global wetland distribution makes them especially difficult to quantify. CH4 from natural wetlands still has the la...