WETLAND VALUES, WETLAND VALUES, FUNCTIONS AND FUNCTIONS AND RELATION WITH RELATION WITH ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT

BY FARASAT ALI BY FARASAT ALI ( BLUE JAY) ( BLUE JAY)

WHAT IS WETLAND?WHAT IS WETLAND?

Area of marsh,fen,petland Area of marsh,fen,petland OR OR water, water, whether natural or artificial, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary ,with water permanent or temporary ,with water that is static,flowing,fresh,brackish or that is static,flowing,fresh,brackish or salt, including area of marine water salt, including area of marine water the depth of which at low tide the depth of which at low tide does does not exceed meters six meters(6)not exceed meters six meters(6)

Area of marsh Area of marsh ( wet land)( wet land)

BEST EXAMPLE OF BEST EXAMPLE OF PEAT LANDPEAT LAND

( WET ALND) ( WET ALND)

WET LAND OF WET LAND OF SHANGAIRLIA SHANGAIRLIA

(WATER)(WATER)

WET LAND IN WET LAND IN STATIC FORM STATIC FORM

( LAKE)( LAKE)

What are wetland functions?What are wetland functions?

Physical, chemical and biological Physical, chemical and biological interaction taking place naturally in the interaction taking place naturally in the wetland, independent of human opinionwetland, independent of human opinion

Examples; primary production, nutrient Examples; primary production, nutrient cycling heavy metals sequestration & cycling heavy metals sequestration & cycling surface and sub-surface water cycling surface and sub-surface water storage, supporting plant& animal storage, supporting plant& animal communities, carbon retentioncommunities, carbon retention

What are wetland values?What are wetland values?

Those wetland functions that Those wetland functions that benefit society are know as values.benefit society are know as values.

Wetland values be viewed in Wetland values be viewed in economic terms economic terms

Functions & associated Functions & associated valuesvalues

FunctionFunction; nutrients and carbon cycling; nutrients and carbon cycling

( release nutrients & carbon to the ( release nutrients & carbon to the environment for further ).environment for further ).

ValueValue;; maintenance of global food maintenance of global food chainchain

( ensure survival of animals & plants ( ensure survival of animals & plants on earth)on earth)

Function;Function; heavy metals heavy metals sequestration & cyclingsequestration & cycling

( plants uptake,chelation)( plants uptake,chelation)

value;value;

water cleansing reduce heavy water cleansing reduce heavy metals in out flowing water.metals in out flowing water.

Function;Function;

Supporting plants and animals Supporting plants and animals communitiescommunities

(very productive systems, supporting (very productive systems, supporting many unique species)many unique species)

Value; Value; economic/ recreation economic/ recreation

( forage,fuel,medicinal plants ( forage,fuel,medicinal plants fishing,turisum)fishing,turisum)

Function; Function; sediments depositionsediments deposition

(trapped by vegetation, physical (trapped by vegetation, physical deposition deposition))

Value; Value; water quality improvementwater quality improvement

( less sediments in out-flowing water)( less sediments in out-flowing water)

Function;Function; surface water storage surface water storage

( physically slowed plant ( physically slowed plant uptake,evaportion)uptake,evaportion)

Value; Value; storm/flood buffer water suddenlystorm/flood buffer water suddenly

( prevents large volume flowing down ( prevents large volume flowing down stream suddendly,mitigates down stream suddendly,mitigates down stream flooding provides water for stream flooding provides water for irrigation & drinking)irrigation & drinking)

Function;Function; carbons storage carbons storage

through live plant uptake & plant through live plant uptake & plant burial in sediment as peat)burial in sediment as peat)

550 GT of carbon in peat)550 GT of carbon in peat)

Value;Value; control of atmospheric Cox control of atmospheric Cox and mitigation of greenhouse effect and mitigation of greenhouse effect on globalon global

Function; Function; nutrients retentionnutrients retention

( chemical uptake by plats physical ( chemical uptake by plats physical deposition of particles with adsorbed deposition of particles with adsorbed P,dentrificition)P,dentrificition)

Value; Value; water quality improvementwater quality improvement

(less pollution downstream)(less pollution downstream)

Function; Function; sub- surface water storage sub- surface water storage

( water permeating down the soil into ( water permeating down the soil into the deeper section)the deeper section)

value; value; replenishment of ground water replenishment of ground water ( recharge water table, prolongs ( recharge water table, prolongs stream flow drier months)stream flow drier months)

Others valuesOthers valuesOutdoors education and enjoyment Outdoors education and enjoyment

of nature.of nature.Ritual sitesa, burial sites, sacred Ritual sitesa, burial sites, sacred

sites.sites.

What is the biological value of What is the biological value of our wetland?our wetland?

Pakistan’s wetlands supporting a broad Pakistan’s wetlands supporting a broad spectrum of forms op plant life & spectrum of forms op plant life & invertebrate & vertebrate animals. The invertebrate & vertebrate animals. The latter include a range of threatened, latter include a range of threatened, endemic & endangered taxa such as five endemic & endangered taxa such as five species of mammal, nine bird species, six species of mammal, nine bird species, six species of reptile, and at least sixspecies of reptile, and at least six

freshwater,esturine and marine fish freshwater,esturine and marine fish type.severral of these animals are world type.severral of these animals are world famous such as the Indus dolphin, famous such as the Indus dolphin, Punjab urial,marsh and green and olive Punjab urial,marsh and green and olive ridlley turtils,many types of migratory ridlley turtils,many types of migratory birds including white-headed birds including white-headed duck,deomiseele cranes, Eurasian duck,deomiseele cranes, Eurasian cranes, greater flamingos and spot-cranes, greater flamingos and spot-billed pelicans use Pakistan wetland as billed pelicans use Pakistan wetland as wintering groundwintering ground

Where do wetlands occur in Where do wetlands occur in pakistan?pakistan?

In Pakistan 225 wetlands In Pakistan 225 wetlands In northern areas 119 lakes and peat landIn northern areas 119 lakes and peat land Approximate 10% of total areaApproximate 10% of total area Lakes,canals,dams and reservoirLakes,canals,dams and reservoir Irrigation systems manmade wetlandsIrrigation systems manmade wetlands Peat land and,rivers,stream,marshes Peat land and,rivers,stream,marshes

estuaries mudflats and inter-tidal area’sestuaries mudflats and inter-tidal area’s Natural wetlands in coastal area. Natural wetlands in coastal area.

arid ,semi arid and alpine area’sarid ,semi arid and alpine area’s

ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCEECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

Ecological importance diversity( variety of Ecological importance diversity( variety of wildlife mammals avifauna and fish and wildlife mammals avifauna and fish and flora species i.e. brich,juniper,willow, wild flora species i.e. brich,juniper,willow, wild rose)rose)

Habitat of rare and endangered species Habitat of rare and endangered species i.e. Marco polo sheep, snow leopard, musk i.e. Marco polo sheep, snow leopard, musk deer, brown beardeer, brown bear

Famous Indus fly way ( fly way# 4) of Famous Indus fly way ( fly way# 4) of migratory birds i.e. pintail. Common teal, migratory birds i.e. pintail. Common teal, coot speciescoot species

Medical plants of wetlandMedical plants of wetland

Worm seed ( leaves and stem used for stomach Worm seed ( leaves and stem used for stomach pain/fever)pain/fever)

Panicle cedar (tea of berries used to relax muscles, also in Panicle cedar (tea of berries used to relax muscles, also in beverages)beverages)

Dandelion (decoction used for remedy of gastric disorder Dandelion (decoction used for remedy of gastric disorder and liver problems.)and liver problems.)

Astragals (decoction of roots used to cure intermittent)Astragals (decoction of roots used to cure intermittent) Sting nettle (leaves used for skin diseases& as vegetable)Sting nettle (leaves used for skin diseases& as vegetable) Capper (flower used for cure of itch/seed oil used for Capper (flower used for cure of itch/seed oil used for

cooking)cooking) Ephedra (leaves extract use for teeth pain and ash also Ephedra (leaves extract use for teeth pain and ash also

used in snuff)used in snuff) Coriander( used for cookingCoriander( used for cooking Safflower (flower extract used as a medicine for typhoidSafflower (flower extract used as a medicine for typhoid

Common threatsCommon threats Common threats to the wetland areCommon threats to the wetland are:: Water pollution ( spreading of solid waste, Water pollution ( spreading of solid waste,

plastic rubbers, use of chemicals fertilizer)plastic rubbers, use of chemicals fertilizer) Soil erosion ( flood, land sliding,erution Soil erosion ( flood, land sliding,erution

glaciers, rill/sheet erosion)glaciers, rill/sheet erosion) Deforestation (illicit cutting, cutting Deforestation (illicit cutting, cutting

regeneration problems)regeneration problems) Over grazing (tradition free grazing system)Over grazing (tradition free grazing system) Ill managed tourist (lack of tourism policy)Ill managed tourist (lack of tourism policy) Weak law enforcement ( lack of field staff)Weak law enforcement ( lack of field staff) Lack of awarenessLack of awareness Lack of research ( introduction of exotic sps)Lack of research ( introduction of exotic sps) Lack of coordination among stakeholdersLack of coordination among stakeholders

RIVER OF GILGIT (FLOWING RIVER OF GILGIT (FLOWING WATER WET ALND)WATER WET ALND)

FAIRYMEADOWS FAIRYMEADOWS WETLAND COMPLEX WETLAND COMPLEX

(DIAMER)(DIAMER)

DIEOSAI WET LAND DIEOSAI WET LAND COMPLEXCOMPLEX

Thank you All Thank you All of youof you

prepared by prepared by farasat Alifarasat Ali

take care bye byetake care bye bye

SPECIAL THANKS TOSPECIAL THANKS TONOMAN RASHIDNOMAN RASHID

REHAN SARWAR REHAN SARWAR YAWAR ABBASYAWAR ABBASSUAILLO BHAISUAILLO BHAI

GANZAL GANZAL