BIODIVERSITY ENRICHMENT IN A DIVERSE WORLD

Wetlands are the ecotonal or transitional zones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
where the water table is usually at or near the surface of the land, which is covered by the
shallow water (Mitsch & Gosselink, 1986). Due to these characteristics, wetlands provide
opportunities for adaptations to different plant and animal species with high diversity of
life-forms. Thus wetlands are among the most biologically diverse and productive
ecosystems on earth. Wetlands can further be classified by one or more of the following
attributes: (a) at least periodically, the land supports hydrophytes, (b) the substrate is
predominantly undrained hydric soil, and (c) the substrate is saturated with water or
covered by shallow water at some time during the growing season each year.