628
29.2.4.5 Consequences of Losing
or Degrading Wetlands
As indicated above, the consequences of losing
or degrading wetlands are serious and far reaching to the extent of change of ecology.
Degradation of Water Quality
Water quality is directly proportional to the
human population and its various activities.
More than 50,000 small and large lakes are polluted to the point of being considered ‘dead’
(Chopra 1985 ). The major polluting factors are
sewage, industrial pollution and agricultural runoff, which may contain pesticides, fertilisers and
herbicides.
Other Aspects of Consequences of Losing
or Degrading Wetlands
The dominant features underlying wetland loss
are population growth and subsequent anthropogenic developmental activities, which impose
great pressure on water resources. Lack of appreciation of wetland values, products, functions
and attributes has led to conversion of wetlands
for other purposes.
The unsustainable use of wetland resources
may be considered to be a combination of information, market and policy or intervention failures. The information and intervention failures
refer to the widespread lack of appreciation of the
economic values of conserved wetlands. The
market failure is the external problem whereby
wetlands are damaged by economic activities
without accounting for direct and indirect benefi ts of these ecosystems.
The loss or degradation of wetlands can lead
to serious consequences, including increased
fl ooding; species decline, deformity or extinction; and decline in water quality. These losses,
as well as degradation, have resulted in greatly
diminishing the wetland resources across all
continents; and, in the process, the loss of fi sh
diversity is conspicuous. In addition, wetlands
are also important as a genetic reservoir for various species of plants including rice, which is a
staple food for c 75 % of the world’s population.
The spatial loss of wetlands means narrower
ramifi cations to life on Earth through loss in
food chain links.
The quality of water fl owing into wetlands
may be impaired indirectly, by alterations to the
water regime or by different types of polluting
activities. Pollution of inland waters is mainly
due to the discharge of domestic sewage, industrial wastewaters and agricultural operations.
Pollution can be classifi ed as point source
(emanating from an identifi able source) or nonpoint pollution (emanating from a diffuse source).
The wastewater coming from point sources is
easier to treat than that from non-point sources.
The effects of diffused pollutants are cumulative
and may adversely affect wetlands even at some
distance. Lower water quality results in degradation or destruction of wetlands.
Decline in wetland quality results in increased
undesirable growth of weeds and algal blooms.
When these algal blooms decompose, large
amounts of oxygen are used up, depriving fi sh
and other aquatic organisms of oxygen, resulting
in their death.
The extraordinary productivity of aquatic ecosystems means that many different stakeholders or
users have easy access to and use of wetland
resources. The over-exploitation of these resources
entails intense cropping, overgrazing, overfi shing
and excess hunting pressure. The cumulative
impacts of these activities threaten biodiversity.
29.2.4.6 Legal–Policy Failures
Wetlands jurisdiction is diffused and falls under
various departments like agriculture, fi sheries,
irrigation, revenue, tourism, water resources and
local bodies. For instance, all mangroves in the
country fall under the direct control of forest
department. The lack of a comprehensive wetland policy, with each department having its own
developmental priorities, works against the interests of conservation of wetlands resulting in
intended or unintended ‘spill over’, further aggravating the problem. For example, the various subsidies, given to irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides,
land use policies, etc., have negative impact on
wetlands. The divergence of wetlands and its
benefi ts between the private and public and lack
29 Potentials and Problems of Wetlands
29.2.4.5 Consequences of Losing
or Degrading Wetlands
As indicated above, the consequences of losing
or degrading wetlands are serious and far reaching to the extent of change of ecology.
Degradation of Water Quality
Water quality is directly proportional to the
human population and its various activities.
More than 50,000 small and large lakes are polluted to the point of being considered ‘dead’
(Chopra 1985 ). The major polluting factors are
sewage, industrial pollution and agricultural runoff, which may contain pesticides, fertilisers and
herbicides.
Other Aspects of Consequences of Losing
or Degrading Wetlands
The dominant features underlying wetland loss
are population growth and subsequent anthropogenic developmental activities, which impose
great pressure on water resources. Lack of appreciation of wetland values, products, functions
and attributes has led to conversion of wetlands
for other purposes.
The unsustainable use of wetland resources
may be considered to be a combination of information, market and policy or intervention failures. The information and intervention failures
refer to the widespread lack of appreciation of the
economic values of conserved wetlands. The
market failure is the external problem whereby
wetlands are damaged by economic activities
without accounting for direct and indirect benefi ts of these ecosystems.
The loss or degradation of wetlands can lead
to serious consequences, including increased
fl ooding; species decline, deformity or extinction; and decline in water quality. These losses,
as well as degradation, have resulted in greatly
diminishing the wetland resources across all
continents; and, in the process, the loss of fi sh
diversity is conspicuous. In addition, wetlands
are also important as a genetic reservoir for various species of plants including rice, which is a
staple food for c 75 % of the world’s population.
The spatial loss of wetlands means narrower
ramifi cations to life on Earth through loss in
food chain links.
The quality of water fl owing into wetlands
may be impaired indirectly, by alterations to the
water regime or by different types of polluting
activities. Pollution of inland waters is mainly
due to the discharge of domestic sewage, industrial wastewaters and agricultural operations.
Pollution can be classifi ed as point source
(emanating from an identifi able source) or nonpoint pollution (emanating from a diffuse source).
The wastewater coming from point sources is
easier to treat than that from non-point sources.
The effects of diffused pollutants are cumulative
and may adversely affect wetlands even at some
distance. Lower water quality results in degradation or destruction of wetlands.
Decline in wetland quality results in increased
undesirable growth of weeds and algal blooms.
When these algal blooms decompose, large
amounts of oxygen are used up, depriving fi sh
and other aquatic organisms of oxygen, resulting
in their death.
The extraordinary productivity of aquatic ecosystems means that many different stakeholders or
users have easy access to and use of wetland
resources. The over-exploitation of these resources
entails intense cropping, overgrazing, overfi shing
and excess hunting pressure. The cumulative
impacts of these activities threaten biodiversity.
29.2.4.6 Legal–Policy Failures
Wetlands jurisdiction is diffused and falls under
various departments like agriculture, fi sheries,
irrigation, revenue, tourism, water resources and
local bodies. For instance, all mangroves in the
country fall under the direct control of forest
department. The lack of a comprehensive wetland policy, with each department having its own
developmental priorities, works against the interests of conservation of wetlands resulting in
intended or unintended ‘spill over’, further aggravating the problem. For example, the various subsidies, given to irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides,
land use policies, etc., have negative impact on
wetlands. The divergence of wetlands and its
benefi ts between the private and public and lack
29 Potentials and Problems of Wetlands