Wetland Functions and Ecosystem Services: Implications for Wetland Restoration and Wise Use

Abstract

This introductory chapter defines the key subjects for this volume of ecological studies and briefly presents the common context and the cohesion of the contents of the various chapters. It gives a definition of wetland ecosystem services and outlines briefly the 17 services that have been identified in ecosystems globally and are generally considered as being of major importance. Provisioning wetland ecosystem services such as food chain support, regulating services such as climate cooling, and the enhancement of biodiversity are prime examples. Definitions are also given for wetland character and wise use, as adopted by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. New developments in wetland restoration to enhance wetland ecosystem services, as they are described in this volume, are outlined briefly. The overview also pays attention to the chapters on the latest developments of our understanding of water quality enhancement services and climate regulation services of wetlands; on threats and resilience to disturbances such as climate change and invasion of exotic species; on new initiatives for wise use of large, internationally divided wetlands in the Yellow Sea; and on restoration and creation of wetlands in urban environments, in particular in China.