They are actually a type of open freshwater marsh that receives nutrients from upland sources, not from precipitation. Playa lakes are the flat-floored bottom of an undrained desert basin that at times becomes a shallow lake. Wetlands play an important role in local ecosystems, supporting great biodiversity. The combination of shallow water, high levels of nutrients, and rich plant life is ideal for the development of organisms that form the base of the food web and feed many species of fish, amphibians, shellfish, and insects. Many species of birds and mammals rely on wetlands for food, water, and shelter, especially during migration and breeding.
Wetlands act like sponges, soaking up rain and excess floodwater runoff.
One acre of wetlands stores up to 1.5 million gallons of flood waters. The wetlands then gradually feed this water back into streams, rivers, and other water sources. Areas where extensive wetlands destruction has occurred experience flooding because the wetlands no longer absorb the huge quantities of water that they once did. Scientists claim that wetlands not only contribute to our water supply, but they may also contribute to maintaining a healthy atmosphere. Wetlands store carbon within their plant communities and soil instead of releasing it into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.