DEGRADED WETLAND Meaning and
Definition
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A degraded wetland refers to a type of wetland ecosystem that has suffered significant degradation, deterioration, or alteration as a result of human activities or natural processes. Wetlands encompass a variety of low-lying areas where water is present, such as marshes, swamps, bogs, and floodplains. These ecosystems provide crucial ecological functions, including water filtration, flood regulation, erosion control, carbon storage, and habitat provision for various plant and animal species.
However, human-induced activities such as drainage, land conversion for agriculture or urbanization, pollution, invasive species, and excessive exploitation of resources have caused degradation in many wetlands worldwide. Consequently, degraded wetlands experience a decline in their biodiversity, water quality, hydrological functionality, and overall ecological health.
Signs of wetland degradation include loss of natural vegetation, decreased water retention, altered hydrology, soil erosion, decreased water quality due to pollutants, and reduced species diversity. Such changes may lead to a loss of essential wetland functions and services, impacting surrounding ecosystems and human communities that rely on wetland resources.
Efforts to restore degraded wetlands involve activities such as re-establishing natural hydrological patterns, controlling invasive species, reintroducing native vegetation, and implementing proper land-use planning and management strategies. Restoration aims to bring back the ecological integrity of wetlands and recover their vital ecological functions, thus supporting biodiversity conservation, water quality improvement, flood regulation, and sustainable resource use.
Common Misspellings for DEGRADED WETLAND
- segraded wetland
- xegraded wetland
- cegraded wetland
- fegraded wetland
- regraded wetland
- eegraded wetland
- dwgraded wetland
- dsgraded wetland
- ddgraded wetland
- drgraded wetland
- d4graded wetland
- d3graded wetland
- defraded wetland
- devraded wetland
- debraded wetland
- dehraded wetland
- deyraded wetland
- detraded wetland
- degeaded wetland
- degdaded wetland
Etymology of DEGRADED WETLAND
The etymology of the word "degraded wetland" can be broken down as follows:
1. Degraded: The word "degraded" is derived from the Latin word "degradare", which is a combination of the prefix "de-" meaning "down" or "from", and the verb "gradus" meaning "step" or "grade". Thus, "degradare" in Latin literally means "downgrade" or "lower in rank". Over time, "degraded" has come to mean the deterioration or decline of something, indicating a lower or inferior state.
2. Wetland: The word "wetland" is composed of the noun "wet" and the suffix "-land". "Wet" refers to an area saturated or soaked with water, while "-land" is a common suffix used to indicate a geographic area or terrain.
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