Wetlands: conservation's poor cousins

• Published in: Aquatic conservation Vol. 26; no. 5; pp. 892 - 916
• Main Authors: Kingsford, Richard T., Basset, Alberto, Jackson, Leland
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: abstraction; alien species; biodiversity; biodiversity conservation; biogeochemical cycles; carbon dioxide fixation; climate change; economic valuation; ecosystem services; ecosystems; estuary; floodplain; Freshwater; habitat destruction; habitats; human communities; industry; invasive species; Marine; pollution; protected areas; Ramsar; risk assessment; river; urban development; water storage; water treatment; wetland conservation; wetlands

About 5–10% of the world's land surface is currently wetland but possibly >70% is already destroyed or impaired. Conservation of these unique ecosystems lags progress in other realms, reflected in high rates of biodiversity loss. Wetlands provide a range of critically important ecosystem ser...