Why Are the Wetlands Important to Plant & Animal Life?

A wetland is an area that contains soil that remains wet most of the year or throughout particular seasons. This includes freestanding areas of water within a portion of land. Many species of plants and animals make wetlands their home. Wetlands are vital to the feeding methods of many animals and are important for them to sustain life. These areas provide important nutrients and minerals to the animals and plants and promote an overall healthy atmosphere.

  1. Types

    • There are three types of wetlands. Marine and coastal wetlands include areas that contain water that is usually less than 20 feet deep. Some of these are coral reefs, rocky islands, sand shores, mangroves and swamps. The second type, inland wetlands, consists of rivers, waterfalls, marshes, streams, swamps, bogs, oases and springs. The third, human-made, are ponds, irrigation, canals and areas that store water.

    Wildlife

    • Animals use this area for reproduction due to its abundance of food and water, along with its marshy features for protection. One-third of all endangered species reside within wetlands or use them to provide clean water or food to survive. Certain types of fish and other wildlife also use wetlands to breed, and many spend their life in them. Many types of freshwater fish and birds use wetlands as their habitats and depend on them. Nearly half of all amphibians breed in vernal pools; about 43 percent of endangered bird species live in wetlands, according to a Francis Drake Marin County School wetlands report.

    Insects and Larvae

    • Insects often take shelter in wetlands, as a portion of the water is the perfect depth to lay their eggs. It is too shallow for fish to swim in these areas, which decreases the chance of insect larvae being disturbed. Most importantly, the retention of water makes a guaranteed breeding spot.

    Water

    • Due to retaining a significant amount of water, wetlands keep river levels normal during storms or when water levels are high. They replenish minerals removed by the consumption of animals and plants. Thick mud and tall grass provides a filtration system for the ecosystem. Metals, waste, chemicals, debris and contaminated water are purified through this system; carbon is abundantly stored; and erosion is slowed. This prevents the overgrowth of harmful of algae and balances out the natural amount of nutrients and minerals. Because of these features, wetlands contribute a service and total savings up to $14.9 trillion throughout the world, reports the County Wetlands Data Guidebook.

    Migration

    • Wetlands provide birds with adequate stopovers during their migrations throughout the year. Hemispheric migratory routes provide food and rest for 500,000 birds, International migratory routes serve 100,000, and regional routes 20,000. For this reason, the United States protects many wetlands.