Abstract
Wetland ecosystems have been globally degraded and lost due to rapid urbanization and climate change. An assessment of national scale inventory, including wetland types and conditions, is urgently required to understand the big picture of endangered wetlands, such as where they are and how they look like. We analyzed the spatial patterns of each inland wetland type (brackish wetland was included) in South Korea and the relative importance of land cover categories on wetland conditions. The wetlands were grouped into four dominant types (riverine, lake, mountain, and human-made) according to their topography. Riverine wetlands constituted the largest area (71.3%). The relative ratio of wetlands in a well-conserved condition (i.e., “A” rank) was highest in riverine wetlands (23.8%), followed by mountain wetlands (22.1%). The higher proportion of grasslands was related to a better condition ranking, but the increasing bareland area had a negative impact on wetland conditions. We also found that wetlands located near wetland protected areas tend to be in a better condition compared to remote sites. Our results further support the importance of the condition of surrounding areas for wetland conservation.
Highlights
Natural ecosystems are being converted for human use such as food production, road construction, and urban habitation (Foley, 2005)
Wetland habitat conditions are closely related to the species richness, functions, and associated services of wetland ecosystems (Engelhardt & Ritchie, 2001)
Establishing national wetland inventory and identifying the spatial pattern of wetland condition is important for effective wetland conservation
Summary
Natural ecosystems are being converted for human use such as food production, road construction, and urban habitation (Foley, 2005). The influence of surrounding land cover on wetland habitat conditions: a case study of inland wetlands in South Korea. Inland wetlands in freshwater ecosystems in particular have been rapidly degraded and connectivity among wetland habitats has decreased due to population growth and related anthropogenic development (Davidson, 2014; Gibbs, 2000; Mori, Onoda & Kayaba, 2018). Wetland habitat conditions are closely related to the species richness, functions, and associated services of wetland ecosystems (Engelhardt & Ritchie, 2001). Wetland biodiversity is further affected by land-use attributes around wetlands (Findlay & Bourdages, 2000; Houlahan et al, 2006), and surrounding areas serve an important supporting function to wetlands (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). The benefits and positive functions of wetlands have been well recognized and the needs for their conservation have been highly suggested (Gibbons et al, 2006; Juffe-Bignoli et al, 2014; Maltby, 1991)
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