185
D. Kar, Wetlands and Lakes of the World,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1023-8_11, © Springer India 2013
Wetlands are a major feature of the landscape in
almost all parts of the world. Many cultures have
lived and also depended upon the wetlands for
centuries. But the modern history of wetlands is
fraught with misunderstanding and fear about the
wetlands. For many reasons, wetlands have been
disappearing at alarming rates in many developed
and developing countries. However, of late, many
of their values are being appreciated. Today, protection of wetlands is a focus in many parts of the
globe. Further, the properties of wetlands have
not since been adequately covered by present terrestrial and aquatic ecology. This suggests that
there is a case to be made for the wetland science
as a unique discipline encompassing many fi elds,
including terrestrial and aquatic ecology, chemistry, hydrology and engineering. Wetlands are
unique because of their hydrologic conditions
and their role as ecotones between terrestrial and
aquatic systems. It may be noted here that as the
applied aspect of the wetland science, wetland
management requires an understanding of the
scientifi c aspects of wetlands balanced with legal,
economic and institutional realities.
The wetlands are one of the most important
ecosystems on the earth. In the great scheme
of things, the swampy environment of the
Carboniferous period produced and preserved
many of the fossil fuels on which we depend
today. Further, the wetlands have been valuable
as sources, sinks and transformers of a multitude of chemical, biological and genetic materials as have been appreciated in more recent
biological and human time periods. In fact,
some of the other benefi ts from wetlands have
been identifi ed only recently, although the
value of wetlands for fi sh and wildlife protection has been known since several decades.
Notwithstanding the above, the wetlands are
sometimes regarded as the ‘kidneys of the landscape’ . It is because they function as the downstream receivers of water and waste from both
natural and human sources. They are said to stabilise water supplies. Thus, they ameliorate both
fl oods and droughts. They have been considered
to cleanse polluted waters, protect shorelines and
recharge groundwater aquifers.
In addition to the above, the wetlands are also
regarded as ‘biological supermarkets’. It is because
of the extensive food chain and rich biodiversity
which they support. They certainly play a signifi -
cant role in the landscape by providing unique
habitats for a wide variety of fl ora and fauna. Of
late, the wetlands are being considered as CO 2
sinks and climate stabilisers on a global scale.
It is pertinent to note here that the valuable
uses of wetlands are now being recognised and
translated into wetland protection laws, regulations and management plans. Wetlands have been
drained, ditched and fi lled throughout history but
never as quickly or as effectively as was done in
countries such as the USA followed by India
since 1800s. Since then, more than half of these
nation’s wetlands have been drained.
Concomitant to above, wetlands, more
recently, have become the cause célèbre for
11
Wetlands in the Landscape: Their
History, Defi nitions, Origin
and Evolution
D. Kar, Wetlands and Lakes of the World,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1023-8_11, © Springer India 2013
Wetlands are a major feature of the landscape in
almost all parts of the world. Many cultures have
lived and also depended upon the wetlands for
centuries. But the modern history of wetlands is
fraught with misunderstanding and fear about the
wetlands. For many reasons, wetlands have been
disappearing at alarming rates in many developed
and developing countries. However, of late, many
of their values are being appreciated. Today, protection of wetlands is a focus in many parts of the
globe. Further, the properties of wetlands have
not since been adequately covered by present terrestrial and aquatic ecology. This suggests that
there is a case to be made for the wetland science
as a unique discipline encompassing many fi elds,
including terrestrial and aquatic ecology, chemistry, hydrology and engineering. Wetlands are
unique because of their hydrologic conditions
and their role as ecotones between terrestrial and
aquatic systems. It may be noted here that as the
applied aspect of the wetland science, wetland
management requires an understanding of the
scientifi c aspects of wetlands balanced with legal,
economic and institutional realities.
The wetlands are one of the most important
ecosystems on the earth. In the great scheme
of things, the swampy environment of the
Carboniferous period produced and preserved
many of the fossil fuels on which we depend
today. Further, the wetlands have been valuable
as sources, sinks and transformers of a multitude of chemical, biological and genetic materials as have been appreciated in more recent
biological and human time periods. In fact,
some of the other benefi ts from wetlands have
been identifi ed only recently, although the
value of wetlands for fi sh and wildlife protection has been known since several decades.
Notwithstanding the above, the wetlands are
sometimes regarded as the ‘kidneys of the landscape’ . It is because they function as the downstream receivers of water and waste from both
natural and human sources. They are said to stabilise water supplies. Thus, they ameliorate both
fl oods and droughts. They have been considered
to cleanse polluted waters, protect shorelines and
recharge groundwater aquifers.
In addition to the above, the wetlands are also
regarded as ‘biological supermarkets’. It is because
of the extensive food chain and rich biodiversity
which they support. They certainly play a signifi -
cant role in the landscape by providing unique
habitats for a wide variety of fl ora and fauna. Of
late, the wetlands are being considered as CO 2
sinks and climate stabilisers on a global scale.
It is pertinent to note here that the valuable
uses of wetlands are now being recognised and
translated into wetland protection laws, regulations and management plans. Wetlands have been
drained, ditched and fi lled throughout history but
never as quickly or as effectively as was done in
countries such as the USA followed by India
since 1800s. Since then, more than half of these
nation’s wetlands have been drained.
Concomitant to above, wetlands, more
recently, have become the cause célèbre for
11
Wetlands in the Landscape: Their
History, Defi nitions, Origin
and Evolution