Much like our kidneys, wetlands filter the waters of our lakes, rivers, and streams, reducing pollution. The vegetation in wetlands removes phosphates and other plant nutrients washed in from the surrounding soil, thereby retarding the growth of algae and aquatic weeds. This growth is a serious problem in some of Canada's major waterways where dead and decaying algae rob the deeper waters of their oxygen. Wetlands are also the homes for at least some part of the year for many fish, birds, and other animals, meeting essential breeding, nesting, nursery, and feeding needs. Without wetlands, some wildlife species would disappear.
Wetlands contribute to the growth and economy of the country.
Some of the smaller mammals, such as the beaver and muskrat, that dwell in wetlands are important to the fur trade, and the millions of game birds and fish reared in and around our wetlands support a growing recreation and tourist industry. Creatures large and small A wetland who's who would list many creatures, ranging in size from the microscopic one-celled protozoa to the massive moose. Wetlands are the whole world for many salamanders, snakes, turtles, and aquatic insects. On the other hand, many of our frogs, toads, and tree frogs breed in temporary ponds and marshes, but spend much of their adult life on the surrounding dry land. Fish, such as stickleback and pike, come to marshes to spawn and feed in the shallow waters.