Wetlands

Coccia, Cristina; Quadrado, Catarina; Rebelo, Rui

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02072-5pmid: N/A

Mediterranean coastal wetlands are ecologically valuable ecosystems increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures that affect their biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In the Mediterranean-climate zone of central Chile, these wetlands sustain high biodiversity, but are simultaneously exposed to growing land-use pressures and environmental change. Terrestrial isopods in particular play crucial roles in decomposition processes and nutrient cycling, yet their diversity and distribution patterns in Chilean Mediterranean wetlands remain understudied. Here we compared the isopod communities of 18 coastal wetlands in central Chile across different land uses, using both traditional and size-based diversity metrics. Environmental conditions varied notably among wetlands. Urban sites were characterized by higher soil humidity, organic matter, and vegetation cover, whereas plantation sites showed lower vegetation complexity. Agricultural sites exhibited higher pH and lower salinity compared to urban wetlands. We found a total of nine taxa, belonging to six families, three including native or endemic species, and three including invasive species or mixed. Isopod diversity was significantly higher in more urban wetlands, whereas size range was lower. However, both taxonomic and size-based metrics increased with soil humidity and organic matter, both of which were higher in urban sites. These results suggest species-specific ecological adaptations to different environmental conditions and highlight the complementarity between taxonomic and size-based approaches for understanding community responses to land-use change.

Dingha, Chrispo Babila

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02075-2pmid: N/A

Wetlands are increasingly critical for urban development and Nature-based Solutions to societal challenges. However, despite sustainable management efforts, 60% of wetlands have been lost globally with increasing deterioration, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas. Worse still, the debate about wetland and urbanisation relationship has remained on impacts and consequences of urban development on wetlands, which limits our understanding of context-specific constraints and options for inclusive management. This study aimed to investigate the constraints to wise use of wetlands in Bamenda, Cameroon, and develop a locally adapted/integrated approach for inclusive wetland management. Data was obtained through 12 key informant interviews, a focus group discussion and workshop, coupled with the purposive administration of a questionnaire to 363 respondents to gather information about constraints to and options for sustainable wetland management. Document review and field observation were done to deepen understanding and ground truth threats to wetlands. Quantitative data was keyed into SPSS version 20 for wrangling and visualisation in R, while qualitative data was analysed narratively and via content analysis. Results show that significant constraints to wise use include inflexible management, inadequate awareness of wetland’s importance (42%), weak implementation of regulations (37%) underpinned by corruption, inadequate community engagement, stakeholders’ conflict (39%) and socio-political armed conflict, coupled with threats from urbanisation and malpractices in agriculture. The results orchestrated the development of a proposed Sustainable Wetland Management (SWEMA) framework which is informed by adaptive management, offering a new pathway to incorporate local people’s interests and achieve inclusive wetland management in Cameroon and beyond.

Ahammed, Md Asik; Rudra, Somnath

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02063-6pmid: N/A

Wetland ecosystem services provide major socioeconomic benefits, but they have become highly sensitive to human disturbance. This study focuses on water quality and community perceptions of declining ecosystem services of two wetlands Chaltia and Bishnupur which are situated on lower Gangetic plain of India. Water samples were collected from 40 stations, with 20 samples from each wetland during the pre-monsoon season, focusing on 12 parameters: Temperature, pH, Salinity, Turbidity, Specific Conductance (SPC), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solid (TSS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO₃⁺-N) and Chloride (Cl⁻). Chaltia wetland has reduced its area due to urban encroachment, agricultural activities and land filling while, Bishnupur wetland has been deteriorating over the last 30 years because of urban waste and polluted drainage water flowing into the wetland. Alarmingly, key parameters such as SPC, EC, TDS, Salinity, DO, and BOD were found to exceed WHO permissible limits in both wetlands. The Water Quality Index (WQI) results show that both wetlands are approaching poor conditions. These values suggest that the water is not suitable for human use and aquatic life. Community perceptions indicate that wetlands once provided a diverse range of ecosystem services, but many of these have now significantly declined. The study reveals that SDGs 6 and 11 are addressed, highlighting increased pollution level and degradation of wetland health. It underscores the need for sustainable urban and agricultural planning, providing insights for policymakers and stakeholders to restore water quality and manage wetland ecosystem services effectively.

Madaschi, Candela; Diaz Villanueva, Verónica

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02065-4pmid: N/A

Decomposition in temporary wetlands occurs under two alternating conditions: terrestrial (dry) and aquatic phases. We explored the environmental drivers of litter decomposition in Patagonian temporary wetlands from forest and steppe biomes with different hydroperiods. Litter from two dominant species, Carex aematorhyncha and Juncus procerus decomposed in litterbags during approx. 470 days, through aquatic and dry conditions. Both species decomposed faster in the forest wetlands but not at the longest but at intermediate hydroperiod, and C. aematorhyncha decomposed faster than J. procerus. Hydrological condition (dry or aquatic) strongly influenced both litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics (nitrogen and phosphorus). During the aquatic phase, higher decomposition was found in wetlands with higher temperature and dissolved phosphorus concentration, whereas during the dry phase both litter decomposition and nutrient accumulation were associated with longer hydroperiods, higher temperature, and higher soil moisture. Our findings imply that hydroperiod length is a crucial pathway determining decomposition rates and nutrient accumulation in litter. Under current climate change scenarios, declining precipitation in Patagonia will lead to shorten hydroperiods, potentially increasing organic matter accumulation in temporary wetlands and altering detritivore food webs.

da Frota, Angélica Vilas Boas; Vitorino, Breno Dias; de Arruda Almeida, Bia; Almeida, Sara Miranda; da Silva Nunes, Josué Ribeiro; da Silva, Carolina Joana

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02071-6pmid: N/A

Extreme drought and wildfires have affected the world’s largest continuous floodplain, the Pantanal. Understanding biodiversity responses to these disturbances is essential to inform management and conservation actions aimed at maintaining ecological processes and functions. We evaluated the effects of fire on bird assemblages and their short-term recovery in a protected area the Taiamã Ecological Station encompassing swamp and marsh habitats. We compared the taxonomic and functional diversity and species composition before and after fire across three degrees of exposure (directly, indirectly and not affected by fire) and at different times since fire, using a generalized linear mixed models and beta diversity indices. Species richness and abundance increased after fire, particularly in marsh habitats. Changes in composition were stronger for sites directly affected, with high turnover of species and functional traits. Although trait turnover decreased with time since fire, functional trait composition has not returned to pre-fire levels. In sites not affected, functional richness increased in marshes but declined in swamps during the post-fire cycle. Functional evenness declined after fire in both directly and indirectly affected sites across habitats. The post-fire increase in diversity likely reflects the high conservation status of the area, including fire-suppression actions that provided refuges, as well as the emergence of new habitats for colonization that may attracted opportunistic predators. However, reduced functional evenness suggests increased niche overlap and potential competition for resources, which may negatively affect species specialized in inland wetlands. We highlight the importance of integrated fire management and long-term monitoring to assess biodiversity recovery.

Wang, Mengyu; Yang, Xin; Zheng, Jiao; He, Xiaolu; Yang, Dan

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02079-ypmid: N/A

At present, research on the role of microorganisms and microbial residue nitrogen (MRN) in nitrogen retention and transformation in relation to the nitrogen cycle in wetland soils is relatively limited. The objective of this study is to investigate the roles of microorganisms and MRN in nitrogen retention and cycling transformation in wetland soils, as well as to examine the relationship between MRN and functional genes associated with nitrogen cycling. The Caohai wetland was selected as the research area, and the soils of bare flat (BF), Phragmites australis, and Typha angustifolia were collected. The concentrations of inorganic nitrogen, total nitrogen, microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and MRN in the soils of different vegetation habitats were quantified. Differences in microbial community structures and functional genes abundance related to the nitrogen cycle were analyzed. Compared with the BF, soil ammonium and nitrate in the vegetated areas were found to be lower, while levels of MRN and MBN increased. The gene abundance of nitrification and ammonification were elevated in vegetated soils , whereas those linked to nitrate transformation pathways were decreased. MRN exhibited a significant negative correlation with nosZ and nirB. Fungal residual nitrogen showed a significant positive correlation with amoA/C. Bacterial residue nitrogen was significantly negatively correlated with ureB and nxrB. Microorganisms and MRN help reduce soil nitrogen loss and play important roles in maintaining the nitrogen balance in the Caohai wetland. The research findings have important guiding value for nitrogen management in wetlands and provide a theoretical basis for the restoration and protection of these ecosystems.

Zarandian, Ardavan; Mehrian, Majid Ramezani; Raygani, Behzad; Mousazadeh, Roya

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02030-1pmid: N/A

Wetlands provide vital ecological services, yet they remain highly vulnerable to degradation from anthropogenic pressures and land-use change. Effective conservation requires scientifically grounded delineation of ecological buffer zones to safeguard wetland functions. This study develops and applies a systematic framework for ecological buffer delineation in the Almagol International Wetland, Golestan Province, Iran. The framework integrates three primary indicators—vegetation, hydrology, and hydric soils—for initial boundary delineation, combining remote sensing (NDWI analysis) with field-based transect surveys and DEM-derived contours. Buffer widths were first compiled from international literature on habitat, hydrological, and socio-economic functions, then locally refined through expert judgment and site-specific assessments. Adjustments were further made according to wetland conservation class and adjacent land-use impacts. Results indicate a minimum protective buffer of 205 m around Almagol Wetland, extended to 256 m near rural settlements and mechanized agriculture. This stepwise and adaptable framework aligns with international methodologies while responding to local ecological and management contexts. Its innovation lies in combining global evidence with local expert-based refinements and applying flexible, function-based buffer widths rather than fixed distances. The approach provides a scientifically robust and operationally feasible method for inland wetland conservation in Iran and can potentially be adapted to arid and semi-arid regions of neighboring countries. The findings contribute to implementing Iran’s Wetlands Conservation Act (2017) and offer a practical tool for reducing conflicts between wetland protection and surrounding land use, thereby enhancing long-term ecological resilience.

Marzolf, Nicholas S.; Clayton, Brian A.; Golladay, Stephen W.; Smith, Lora L.; Brantley, Steven T.

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02068-1pmid: N/A

Wetland structure and function are largely emergent properties of hydrology and the variability of inundated conditions. In the U.S., hydrology is also central to defining legal status of wetlands at the federal level within a continuum of regulatory and conservation programs, with much recent focus on isolated wetlands. Here, we use long-term (1994–2023) water level data from 32 geographically isolated wetlands across Ichauway, a private research facility in the karst Dougherty Plain of southwestern Georgia, to identify spatial and temporal patterns of hydroperiod and identify drivers of inundation over the 30-year record. Wetlands at Ichauway are identified by their vegetation type as marshes, cypress-gum swamps, and cypress savannas. Wetland inundation showed distinct seasonal patterns, with typical inundation between December and early summer. Longer-term, inundation patterns were linked to regional water availability and drought conditions. Hydroperiods in swamps were longer than in marshes and cypress savannahs, and recession rates were faster in cypress savannahs and marshes compared to swamps. Across all wetlands, hydroperiods were strongly linked to variability in the regional water budget, with patterns of groundwater and stream water elevation, strongly influencing the hydrology of isolated wetlands. Our analysis leverages long-term data spanning multi-year climate cycles to inform patterns of inundation in isolated wetlands at the landscape scale.

Mori, Emiliano; Viviano, Andrea; Ancillotto, Leonardo

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02077-0pmid: N/A

Amphibians are a highly threatened vertebrate group, facing a global decline driven by habitat degradation, increasing droughts, and climate change. Long-term monitoring studies are essential for assessing population responses to these pressures, although these data are rare in Mediterranean contexts. In this study, we present the results of a 25-year capture-mark-recapture monitoring program of the Italian smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalis population at four artificial ponds within a Natura2000 site in central Italy. We aimed to determine the long-term demographic trends and to assess the influence of an invasive predator removal and local environmental changes on demography and breeding phenology. Our findings revealed positive and sustained population growth over the monitoring period, which was particularly evident following the eradication of the invasive goldfish Carassius auratus from one of the ponds in 2010. Survival rates were consistently high for both males and females, and all tracked individuals exhibited strong site fidelity. While a slight trend towards an earlier breeding phenology was observed in the second decade of monitoring, the change was not statistically significant. This suggests that while the population shows resilience to direct threats and benefits from active habitat management, it may be beginning to show subtle responses to long-term climate-related pressures. This study highlights the effectiveness of targeted conservation interventions and underscores the importance of continued, long-term monitoring to detect population shifts facing a changing environment.

Davies, Gillian; Kumar, Ritesh; Fennessy, M. Siobhan; Davidson, Nick; Huschke, Kai; Pritchard, Dave; Simpson, Matthew; Amerasinghe, Priyanie; Moomaw, William R.; Okuno, Erin; Walder, Bethanie; Wickramaratne, Chaturangi; Woodward, Rebecca

doi: 10.1007/s13157-026-02067-2pmid: N/A

Rights of wetlands shifts the people-wetlands relationship towards one recognizing the intrinsic rights and living beingness of wetlands, embodying reciprocity, kinship, and gratitude. Recognition of wetland rights occurs within the broader Rights of Nature movement, which has often been led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities from many cultural traditions. Intrinsic wetland rights centre on the right to exist and incorporate seven other rights, forming a holistic framework that enables preservation of wetland ecosystem integrity. These rights provide the basis for a wetland’s thriving existence. The eight rights are: • the right to exist. • their natural place in the landscape; • natural and connected hydrologic regimes; • natural climatic conditions; • naturally occurring biodiversity; • natural ecosystem processes; • natural water, soil, and air quality (i.e., structural integrity and form); and. • regeneration and a naturally determined future. Moral and ethical responsibilities towards these rights include fostering harmonious relationships in and with wetlands, respecting interdependence of all wetland components, safeguarding and fostering conditions enabling rights of wetlands, and acting in a precautionary manner when faced with risks of harm to wetlands. Legal and policy responsibilities include acknowledging plural worldviews, recognising legal standing and political orientations to represent and defend wetland rights, providing adequate means for wetland representation and defending and advocating for wetlands, and using best available science to restore degraded wetlands and support regeneration, thereby supporting harmonious societal relationships with wetlands. Opportunities for implementation of rights of wetlands at a variety of scales (individual, community, national, and global) are explored, and training/guidance resources are referenced.