This document discusses wetlands, including their characteristics and importance. It notes that wetlands are diverse ecosystems that are flooded by water and serve as home to much plant and animal life. The main types of wetlands are listed as swamp, marsh, bog and fen. Wetlands provide important functions such as water storage and flood protection, water purification, biodiversity habitat, and climate change mitigation. The Ramsar Convention aims to conserve and sustainably use wetlands internationally through cooperation of member countries. Pakistan has designated 19 wetland sites as being of international importance under this convention.

1. Name: Amna Nawaz
Roll No : 1
BS sciences
Submitted to : Sir javed Navab

2.  A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by
water, either permanently or seasonally, where
oxygen-free processes prevail.
 Wetlands are also considered the most biologically
diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide
range of plant and animal life. Whether any individual
wetland performs these functions, and the degree to
which it performs them, depends on characteristics of
that wetland and the lands and waters near it.
Wetlands occur naturally on every continent.The main
wetland types are
 swamp marsh bog fen
 Many peatlands are wetlands. The water in wetlands
is either freshwater, brackish, or saltwater.

6.  Wetlands have also been described as
ecotones, providing a transition between dry
land and water bodies. Mitsch and Gosselink
write that wetlands exist "...at the interface
between truly terrestrial ecosystems and
aquatic systems, making them inherently
different from each other, yet highly
dependent on both
 The largest wetlands include the Amazon
River basin, the West Siberian Plain. the
Pantanal in South America,.

7.  The most important factor producing
wetlands is flooding. The duration of flooding
or prolonged soil saturation by groundwater
determines whether the resulting wetland has
aquatic, marsh or swamp vegetation
 . Flooding of coastal lowlands
 Hydrology
 Precipitation
 Soil

9.  Water storage (flood control)
 Groundwater replenishment
 Shoreline stabilization and storm protection
 Water purification
 Reservoirs of biodiversity
 Pollination
 Wetland products
 Cultural values
 Recreation and tourism
 Climate change mitigation and adaptation

10.  Storage reservoirs and flood protection: The
wetland system of floodplains is formed from
major rivers downstream from their headwaters.
"The floodplains of major rivers act as natural
storage reservoirs, enabling excess water to
spread out over a wide area, which reduces its
depth and speed. Wetlands close to the
headwaters of streams and rivers can slow down
rainwater runoff and spring snowmelt so that it
doesn't run straight off the land into water
courses. This can help prevent sudden, damaging
floods downstream.

11.  The surface water which also include atmospheric
and ground water. Wetland systems water tables
especially have a role in groundwater
replenishment or water recharge. which are the
source of 95% of the world's drinking water.
 Tidal and inter-tidal wetland systems protect and
stabilize coastal zones. Coral reefs provide a
protective barrier to coastal shoreline.
 Wetlands cycle both sediments and nutrients
balancing terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. A
natural function of wetland vegetation is the up-
take, storage, and (for nitrate) the removal of
nutrients found in runoff from the surrounding
soil and water.

12.  The constructed wetland systems are highly controlled
environments that intend to mimic the occurrences of soil,
flora, and microorganisms in natural wetlands to aid in
treating wastewater effluent. Constructed wetlands can be
used to treat raw sewage, storm water, agricultural and
industrial effluent. They are constructed with flow regimes,
micro-biotic composition, and suitable plants in order to
produce the most efficient treatment process.
 Wetlands perform two important functions in relation to
climate change. They have mitigation effects through their
ability to sink carbon, converting a greenhouse gas
(carbon dioxide) to solid plant material through the
process of photosynthesis, and also through their ability
to store and regulate water. Wetlands store approximately
44.6 million tones of carbon per year globally.

13.  The convention on wetlands came into force
for Pakistan 1976: Total wetland surface area
7,800 sq km with 9 wetlands of global
significance
 2001:Number raised to 16
 2013:Among 1,888 Ramsar sites, 19 sites of
Pakistan bear global importance Total surface
area of Pakistan Ramsar sites is 1,343,627
hectares International

14.  The wetlands also support 187 indigenous
freshwater fish species (including fifteen
endemics) and 788 marine and estuarine fish
species. introductions (brown trout and
rainbow trout) and 26 indigenous species of
cold water fish in Pakistan
 The wetlands are a habitat for migratory birds
such as Dalmatian pelicans and demoiselle
crane as well as predatory species of osprey,
common kingfisher, fishing cat and leopard
cat near the coastline

16.  "the conservation and wise use of wetlands by
national action and international cooperation as a
means to achieving sustainable development
throughout the world
 he Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar 1971),
commonly known as Ramsar Convention, is a crucial
intergovernmental treaty, with mission
"Conservation and wise use of all wetlands
through local, regional and natural actions and
international cooperation, as a contribution towards
achieving sustainable development throughout the
world.“
 The convention entered into force in Pakistan on 23
November 1976. Pakistan currently has 19 sites
designated as Wetlands of International Importance