The Importance of Wetlands in Climate Regulation

Wetlands can be important to our natural environment and provide essential ecological services in several ways.

First of all, wetlands provide crucial hubs of biodiversity. They serve as the habitat of many species thanks to their unique physical conditions with high humidity and moderate temperature. These hubs of biodiversity than become the source of food, fuel, or medicine for humans, generating huge ecological value (although it is important to remember to extract resources at a sustainable rate and with methods that don't damage the environment).

Second of all, wetlands act as a crucial regulator of the water cycle. By purifying surface runoff, wetlands help maintain the quality of groundwater by removing the pollutants in surface runoff and only letting purified, clean water enter groundwater storage. Also, wetlands act as an absorber of water in cases of floods and releases them slowly to reduce flood risk in downstream areas.

Third of all, wetlands are important carbon sinks. They store many carbon to mitigate the effect of climate change on earth and lowers the amount of carbon storage in the atmosphere.

Overall, wetlands are places of high ecological value to the world and thus should be carefully protected and recognized of its conservation values.