The status and unique characteristics of wetlands

Abstract Wetlands take various forms; accordingly, they may include artificial or natural water, permanent or temporary water, fresh, brackish, or salt water that is static or flowing, including seawater that is not deeper than 6 meters at low tide. We reviewed the status and unique attributes of wetlands. Wetland characteristics can differ spatially and temporally depending on climatical and topographical conditions. Wetlands are categorized based on species richness, water depth (deep or shallow), precipitation, pH, the concentration of dissolved oxygen, temporal and spatial variation, size (small, medium, or large), location, slope, and substrate composition. In developing countries like Ethiopia, the status of wetlands is poorly documented. Nevertheless, wetlands deliver various ecological and socio-economic services. There are three levels of lakes and wetlands in the global lakes and wetlands database. Level 1 (GLWD-1) wetland includes 3067 largest lakes with an area of ≥ 50 km 2 and 654 largest reservoirs with a storage capacity of ≥ 0.5 km 3 . Level 2 (GLWD-2) consists of permanent open water bodies having a surface area of at least 0.1 km 2 . Level 3 (GLWD-3) includes lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and various forms of wetlands. The public relies on wetlands, yet no attempts have been made to conserve or acknowledge their use values. Wetlands have degraded locally and globally because they have been converted to various land use types. For example, since the 1700s, almost 87% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared. Both natural and man-made factors contribute to the startling rate of wetland loss. Wetland loss and degradation result in the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services they are providing. Thus, wetland preservation must be in the lead when dealing with ecosystem restoration.