Introduction Wetlands are ecosystems that have both aquatic and terrestrial characteristics.
Wetlands provide a variety of important functions in the environment.
Numerous species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and crustaceans, some of them rare or endangered, depend upon wetlands habitats. These ecosystems may also contain unique plant species that cannot survive outside such areas. Wetlands may serve as a source of flood control by attenuating or storing storm and flood waters. They also can function as a source of water reclamation, accumulation of sediment discharge, and groundwater recharge. Wetlands have many diverse economic and recreational functions.