Quantifying the extent and rates of change in wetland ecosystem functional groups in the Maputaland Coastal Plain of South Africa.

Interspecific competition alters carbon investment responses of Bolboschoenus planiculmis to nitrogen enrichment from agricultural drainage.

Wetland ecosystems, crucial for carbon sequestration and coastal hazard mitigation, have experienced tremendous losses in land surface area over the last century, primarily due to land reclamation. This has led to increased rates of land subsidence in regions with high levels of reclamation, causing heightened vulnerability in these areas under anticipated scenarios of climate induced sea-level rise. This study integrates multi-sensor satellite remote sensing (optical, thermal, and active microwave) with spatially explicit eddy covariance flux measurements to model gross primary productivity (GPP) in restored wetlands of California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. GPP is a crucial process in this context, as it impacts the potential for wetlands to act as land carbon sinks and has been shown to reverse land subsidence in restored wetlands of previously reclaimed areas. Still, there remain gaps in understanding how vegetation vigor, wetland composition and structure, and environmental conditions individually and interactively impact carbon assimilation in these ecosystems. This research aims to understand how complementary remotely sensed signals from multiple satellite platforms across the electromagnetic spectrum combine to improve classical, optically based GPP models, while determining the relative importance of certain biotic and abiotic environmental conditions that regulate GPP. Using a Bayesian generalized additive modeling framework, we evaluated how vegetation vigor (NDVI), canopy structure and biomass density (microwave backscatter), and land surface temperature affect wetland GPP at 10-m spatial resolution over a five-year period. Our results reveal a strong hierarchical and complementary influence of these variables, with the highest GPP occurring in warm, well-watered, and densely vegetated conditions. The model explained on average 66% of GPP variability and provides a scalable, open-access framework for assessing carbon fluxes in wetland landscapes. These findings offer valuable insight into planning restoration, monitoring restoration outcomes, carbon accounting, and identifying coastal adaptation strategies for valuable blue carbon ecosystems. • We develop a wetland GPP model using eddy covariance and remote sensing data fusion. • Hierarchy of wetland GPP drivers revealed through remotely sensed observations. • Wetland GPP shows greatest sensitivity to interaction of drivers. • Hierarchical model enables informed upscaling of wetland GPP to landscape level.

Livestock grazing modulated the effects of flooding on ecosystem multifunctionality in the wetland of the lower Tumen River in Northeast China.

Wetlands connect wildlife, livestock, and people, making them key places to watch for pathogens and antibiotic resistance. Yet potentially harmful microbes are easy to miss in water because they represent only a small fraction of the abundant microbial life in water, making them hard to detect. We paired 3D-printed passive torpedo-shaped samplers with a portable genetic sequencer to analyze all microbes captured. We deployed this approach at 12 wetlands in Germany, France, and Spain. It revealed local microbial communities, identified disease-causing bacteria, and linked many antibiotic resistance genes to likely bacterial hosts. By comparing locations, we observed that sites near cities, farms, or wastewater had higher levels of pathogens and resistance than protected natural sites. Our analysis also recovered all viruses present, including those from mammals, birds, fish, insects, and plants. We also specifically looked for the virus that causes avian flu, found it at several sites, and classified it as low pathogenicity. Because our method is non-invasive to wildlife, affordable, and practical to deploy, it can provide early warnings to conservation and public health agencies and guide action where risks are present.

Microplastic (MP) contamination has become a widespread environmental concern in coastal and freshwater wetlands, ecosystems that play a crucial role in hydrological regulation, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity conservation. Despite their ecological importance, research on MPs in wetlands remains fragmented and comparatively underexplored. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric and visualization analysis of global research on MPs in coastal wetlands. A total of 17,523 publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (2002–2025) using predefined search strings and screening criteria. Analytical tools, including VOSviewer version 1.6.20, were employed to examine co-authorship networks, country contributions, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. The results indicate a significant increase in MP-related publications after 2016, with China, the United States, and India emerging as leading contributors. However, wetland-specific studies constitute only a small fraction compared to marine-focused MP research, highlighting a substantial research gap. Key research themes identified include MP sources, transport pathways, sediment–water interactions, and ecotoxicological impacts. Additionally, there is growing attention to remediation approaches, particularly those involving TiO2, ZnO, Fe3O4, and graphene derivatives, employing photocatalytic, magnetic, and adsorptive mechanisms. Overall, the findings underscore the limited focus on wetland ecosystems in MP research and emphasize the urgent need for integrated research efforts and management strategies to address MP contamination in these vulnerable ecosystems.

Wetland ecosystems of Kerala play a crucial role in sustaining rice production, yet their productivity is increasingly constrained by poor soil fertility and adverse physicochemical properties. Understanding nutrient dynamics and the impact of soil amendments in distinct agroecological units is essential for developing effective management strategies to enhance soil fertility and rice yield. A pot culture experiment was conducted to study the effect of amendments on the soil nutrient dynamics of both lateritic and coastal wetland soils at College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, Kasaragod from October 2023 to January 2024. Experiment was conducted with 2 types of soils (coastal sandy and lateritic alluvial wetland) under 5 levels of treatments using completely randomized design (CRD) using paddy as the test crop. From the experiment, yield limiting factors were found to be available Mg and B status in both the soil types. The results of the experiment revealed that application of Soil Test Based Fertilizers (STBF) and STBF combined with lime / dolomite significantly improved growth parameters such as productive tillers, grains per panicle, and test weight and ultimately leading to higher yield potential. The incorporation of liming materials not only ameliorated soil acidity but also enhanced the availability of essential nutrients. Thereby Soil Test Based Fertilizers (STBF) combined with lime / dolomite by significantly improving soil nutrient availability, plant nutrient uptake, and yield attributes in both soil types and proved to be the best management practice in both the soil types.

Uncontrolled urban population growth in Bamenda III Sub-Division, coupled with the human activities has led to escalating wetland degradation which manifests in the form of reclamation, settlement and construction with consequence on wetland ecosystem services. This study sought to examine the socio-economic and environmental implications of wetland dynamics in Bamenda III subdivision. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating spatial analysis of Landsat imagery (2007-2025) to quantify land use change. One hundred and fifty - three (153) questionnaires were administered to the population around wetland areas. This was complimented by interviews with the following municipal and community stakeholders. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques such as frequencies, percentages and averages with the aid of Microsoft Office (2016) and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Data was presented using maps, tables, bar graphs, histograms and pie charts and shape files were displayed in ArcGIS 10.8. Secondary data sources were also consulted to complement the primary sources. Results revealed that while majority of the population (35.71%) in the SE Zone of Bamenda III are faced with land use conflicts linked to wetland dynamics, those of the NW Zone are characterized by displacement and poverty (7.40%). Pollution and loss of water resources have the highest percentage of 33.33% in the NW Zone of Bamenda III and 7.41% attested to increased flooding. The study therefore recommends that the Bamenda III council should adopt effective land use and zoning control measures to ameliorate the impact of land use change and wetland impacts in the study area. The council should work with the traditional authorities to ensure the protection and sustainable management of the wetlands. The population of Bamenda III should be involved in decisions concerning wetland management and be sensitized on their importance.

Wetlands are essential environments for the regulation of the nitrogen cycle by the rapid conversion of different forms of nitrogen at the border of land and water. This study examines the biogeochemical processes that describe nitrogen cycling by nitrification, denitrification and ammonification processes, and also the role of wetlands in nutrient retention, water quality improvement, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation. This study examines the role of wetlands in the regulation of nitrogen, and the conversion of nitrogen by removal of excess nitrogen that can lead to eutrophication. For the study, a mixture of field sampling, hydrological monitoring, and microbial monitoring were utilized to study wetland nitrogen cycling across different hydrological and seasonal conditions. The study reveals that the nitrogen cycles change in a seasonal pattern and are driven by hydrological conditions including water-level, ground water flow, and tidal cycles. Sites were also monitored and sampled for nitrate and those that had higher nitrates were considered at risk for eutrophication. Some of the statistical analyses emphasized the role of microbes on the control of nitrogen cycling and the ways in which hydrological conditions modulate microbial processes on nitrogen cycling. Ammonium concentrations were measured at 0.45 mg N/L while the corresponding standard deviation was 0.15. For nitrate, the measured average was 1.15 mg N/L and had a higher standard deviation (0.30) meaning the nitrate was higher in its fluctuating external conditions. The study identifies the interactions between hydrological conditions, microbial growth, and nitrogen cycling in wetlands describing its resilience to the changed environmental conditions. The results can improve the management of wetlands, especially for restoration that aims towards the elevation of nitrogen removal and enhancement of the environmental conditions.

On earth Freshwater wetlands are highly productive ecosystems and also provide complex trophic interactions as well as efficient energy transfer pathways. This study will aim at assessing the trophic processes and energy dynamics within freshwater wetlands ecosystems and more specifically the role of primary producers, consumers and decomposers in ensuring that the ecosystem is productive and stable. This analysis draws on a literature review and trophic modeling and trophic level analysis of the wetland biotic communities; macrophytes, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, fish, amphibians, and microbial decomposers. The conceptual trophic models and quantitative estimates of primary productivity, decomposition rates, and transfer efficiency of trophic models were used to study the energy transfer pathways. Other drivers of the environment like hydrology, nutrient supply, and light intensity were also analyzed to have insight into how it affect energy allocation in the ecosystem. It is established by the analysis that Primary producers contribute 60–65% of gross primary production (GPP), forming the base of the wetland food web. Grazing pathways produce about 60–90% of the energy flow whereas the detritus-based pathways produce about 10–40% of the energy flow underlining the preponderance of organic matter decomposition in the wetlands. The degradation rates of litter averaged at 3.0-3.5 g m -2 day -1, indicating high rate of recycling of nutrients and high activity of microorganisms. Nevertheless, there was an efficiency of 8-12% trophic transfer across trophic levels with some deviation of the classical ecological efficiency rule with the complexity of structure of wetlands and the composition of lignocellulosic wetlands. Nutrient pollution, hydrological changes and the presence of invasive species in the ecosystem were also cited as anthropogenic stressors that were able to decrease the efficiency of energy transfer and destabilize trophic cascades. The general implications of the study are that balanced relationships between grazing and detrital processes are required to sustain the productivity of wetlands and ecological resilience, so there is a need to have sustainable management and conservation strategies of the wetlands.

Rapid urban expansion and land-use changes have increasingly encroached upon wetland ecosystems, leading to their degradation and loss, particularly in developing regions where planning control is limited. In cities like Port Harcourt, this has resulted in a transition from informal wetland settlements to more structured residential developments, raising critical concerns for sustainable urban planning and environmental management. This study examines the emergence and expansion of wetland neighbourhoods in Port Harcourt, focusing on their spatial patterns, socio-economic characteristics, underlying drivers, and implications for urban planning. Rapid urbanization, rising land values, and increasing housing costs within the formal urban core have intensified pressure on marginal lands, leading to settlement growth in environmentally sensitive wetland areas. A mixed-method approach was adopted, combining 131 structured questionnaires across six purposively selected neighbourhoods with field observations and geospatial analysis. Spatial techniques, including a distance matrix, were used to assess the relationship between settlement location and proximity to major road infrastructure. Findings reveal that wetland neighbourhoods are increasingly occupied by middle-income residents, indicating a transition from traditional low-income informal settlements to more hybrid development forms. Key drivers include housing affordability constraints, accessibility to transport corridors, availability of low-cost land, and weak development control mechanisms. Despite their accessibility, these neighbourhoods exhibit planning deficiencies such as irregular layouts, inadequate infrastructure, encroachment into drainage channels, and heightened flood vulnerability. The study concludes that wetland urbanization reflects structural housing and governance challenges and underscores the need for integrated, risk-sensitive planning approaches supported by geospatial technologies.

Aquatic insects have very rich species diversity, though aquatic insects represent only 10% of the insect species and only include 12 orders and they share some of the same orders with terrestrial insects taxonomically. Edible insects have great potential to be human food; among them, aquatic insects have unique characteristics and deserve special attention. Human beings have a very long and rich history of entomophagy, especially in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Aquatic insect are composed of around 76000 specie, found in wide range of aquatic, semi-aquatic habitats from springs , ponds, beels, and lakes to large river. Over 2000 insect species are eaten, edible aquatic insects account for about 15% of the total number. The species belongs to eight orders, namely Coleoptera, Odonata, Hemiptera, Diptera, Tricoptera,Megaloptera, Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera. Among them Coleoptera, Odonata and Hemiptera contribute over ¾ of the number of species and they are all predatory. Wetlands of Majuli are permanent, having water throughout the year. Wetland ecosystem provides wide range of environmental as well as socio-economic functions. The resources of these wetlands are important or human nutrition and the state’s economy as they provide a habitat for number of endemic aquatic flora and fauna including edible aquatic insects, fishes, migratory birds and indigenous birds. There are more than 106 nos. of registered and unregistered wetlands are in Majuli river Island. Traditional knowledge of capturing aquatic edible insects along with fishes is rich among the local people of Majuli. Edible aquatic insects are collected both by conventional and nonconventional fishing gears. The present paper highlighted about the aquatic edible insects from wetlands of Majuli and consumed by local people. Keywords: Aquatic edible insects, Wetlands, Majuli River Island.

Wetlands serve as ecological hotspots that sustain a high degree of biodiversity, particularly in regions where climatic and edaphic conditions vary considerably. The present study aims to document the floristic composition and determine the biological spectrum of wetland vegetation in the Aravalli District, Gujarat. A total of 450 lentic wetlands covering 3534.34 ha were identified, out of which 12 representative wetlands (350.75 ha) were selected using stratified sampling across six talukas. Additionally, three perennial rivers—Vatrak, Mazum, and Meshwo—were chosen as riparian study sites due to their continuous water flow and ecological significance. Floristic surveys were carried out over three consecutive years (2020–2023) across monsoon, winter, and summer seasons to capture seasonal variations in plant diversity. The present study documented a total of 328 plant species belonging to 232 genera and 80 families from the wetlands of Aravalli District, Gujarat. Dicotyledons dominated the flora with 80.48% of species, followed by monocotyledons (18.60%) and pteridophytes (1%). Genus-level analysis revealed Cyperus as the most species-rich genus, followed by Ipomoea, Euphorbia, Ficus, Indigofera, and Senna. Tecomella undulata was identified as the only locally and globally endangered species recorded in the study area. These findings highlight the rich phytodiversity and ecological significance of wetlands in the Aravalli District and provide essential insights for biodiversity conservation and management. This study establishes a baseline inventory of wetland phytodiversity in Aravalli District, Gujarat, revealing the dominance of dicotyledons and herbaceous species. The findings emphasise the ecological significance of wetlands in providing essential ecosystem services such as water storage, nutrient cycling, and habitat support for wildlife, including migratory birds. Given the proximity of these wetlands to important biodiversity regions and Ramsar landscapes, the study underscores the necessity for continuous ecological monitoring and habitat restoration. Overall, the generated dataset provides a crucial foundation for long-term conservation planning and sustainable management of wetland ecosystems in the Aravalli region.

Occurrence of microplastics in fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) scat: Hidden threats to wetland ecosystems of Thailand.

Alluvial wetland ecosystems are vital as biodiversity hotspots but are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic stressors and drought. These pressures are especially acute in arid and semi-arid regions, where eco-hydrologic connectivity is fragile and recovery is slow. This study quantifies the efficacy of nature-based solutions, particularly the ‘Zeedyk approach,’ which employs low-tech Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Streams (NIDS)—including rock detention structures—to slow surface water, raise groundwater tables, and restore wetland function at a spring-fed wetland in Cebolla Canyon, New Mexico, U.S.A. Our results depict a Restoration Feedback Loop that captures stages of change from a healthy wetland in 1935, altered by 20th-century agriculture and grazing, to the re-establishment of the historical flow regime by 2024 documented through an 89-year archive of aerial imagery (1935–2024). By the end of our study period, the Spring-Fed Wetland had expanded by roughly 229% of the original 1935 area, to 4.13 ha. Using 40 years of satellite data, we assess changes in vegetation and hydrology with remote sensing indices. Spatial and temporal analyses reveal significant increases in vegetation greenness and wetness, particularly in an Expanded Wetland subregion, which exhibited ∼3.5x higher wetness and ∼1.5x higher greenness trends compared to adjacent areas. Monthly metrics highlight seasonal variability, with increases in greenness linked to monsoonal rainfall and lateral water redistribution, indicating that restoration impacts extend beyond the primary wetland. This study demonstrates the utility of cloud-based platforms like Google Earth Engine and USGS EarthExplorer for long-term monitoring of wetland restoration, while quantifying the efficacy of the ‘Zeedyk approach’ and demonstrating its potential as a scalable method to restore and conserve wetland meadows in other arid and semi-arid landscapes. • Quantifying the efficacy of the Zeedyk approach to restoration at a slope wetland • Aerial imagery shows spatial expansion of wetland area across restoration periods • Landsat imagery shows lateral spread of wetness and greenness from restoration • Trend analysis shows subregional differences in timing of greenness and wetness • Subregional monthly analyses highlight monsoon-driven greenness increases • The work described has not been published previously except in the form of a preprint, an abstract, a published lecture, academic thesis or registered report. • The article is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. • The article's publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out. • If accepted, the article will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, including electronically, without the written consent of the copyright-holder.

ABSTRACT Wetlands provide various goods and services, including habitat, medicine, food, flood mitigation, and other local and global environmental benefits. However, the ecosystem functions of wetlands have been at risk due to human interference and climate change. This review article highlights the application of remote sensing techniques in wetland monitoring and mapping. It emphasizes the use of satellite imagery and the advancement of classification methods to delineate wetland boundaries and assess land‐use dynamics and vegetation health. We observed a significant study on wetland ecosystem mapping with Landsat and Sentinel satellite data. Despite advancements in various remote sensing tools and techniques for wetland monitoring, challenges persist, including cloud cover interference (primarily during rainy seasons), limited access to open data, the need for high‐resolution data and the requirement for more accurate classification methods. Moreover, this review highlights the gaps in current remote sensing applications and suggests future research directions to improve wetland ecosystem management and conservation plans.

Mapping coastal wetland biodiversity and ecosystem services using hyperspectral data and machine learning

Biomass prediction and invasion assessment of Spartina alterniflora driven by remote sensing big data.

Ellobiid snail loss in seawall-fronted mangroves.

Short-term effects of a tilling-based Spartina alterniflora removal project on intertidal macrobenthic communities.