World Wetlands Day
February 2 is World Wetlands Day—a day to raise awareness about the role wetlands play in the health of ecosystems around the world. At the Marine Biological Laboratory, scientists at our Ecosystems Center have been studying these vital ecosystems for more than 40 years.
This year’s World Wetlands Day theme, Wetlands Action for People and Nature, highlights the importance of actions that ensure that wetlands are conserved and sustainably used.
“Wetlands are productive and vital ecosystems that enhance water quality, store carbon, maintain surface water flows, and can help control stream erosion,” said Anne Giblin, director of the MBL Ecosystems Center.
Marshes—both freshwater and saltwater—act as nurseries to a number of vital species and aid in the reduction of storm surge. They reduce nitrogen loads from land, helping to alleviate coastal eutrophication. With atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rising, wetland ecosystems, which store more carbon per area than almost any other ecosystem on earth, are more vital than ever.
MBL research on coastal water quality is developed in partnership with federal and state agencies, resource managers, and other stakeholders. The Plum Island Ecosystems LTER, which is administered by the MBL Ecosystems Center, is an integrated research, education, and outreach program aimed to understand the long-term response of a wetland ecosystem to changes in climate, land use, and sea level rise.
The goal of this long-term research is to be able to apply lessons learned to the wise management and development of policy designed to protect the natural resources of the coastal zone.