Special issue: Ecological function, value and conservation of small and micro wetlands

Introduction:

The function and conservation of wetlands has been widely recognised under the Ramsar Convention. However, small and micro wetlands are often overlooked and unprotected, due to their omission from wetland inventories. In October 2018, the 13th Conference of the Parties to the International Convention on Wetlands adopted the draft resolution on conservation and management of small and micro wetlands submitted by the Chinese government. It has raised government and public awareness of these areas’ functions, values and conservation. This special issue aims to gain a better understanding of the significant functions and values of small and micro wetlands that are usually ignored by international wetland protection lists.

Topics covered:

• Definition, distributionand protection status of small and micro wetlands around the world
• Biological functions of small and micro wetlands (e.g., biodiversity, habitatand refugia)
• Biogeochemical functions of small and micro wetlands (e.g., greenhouse gas emission, pollutant retentionand carbon sequestration)
• Hydrological functions of small and micro wetlands (e.g., floodwater storage and releaseand hydrological connectivity)  
• Ecological function and conservation of small and micro wetlands in urban settings (e.g., urban wetland parks, lakes, aquacultureand constructed wetlands)
• Ecological function and conservation of small and micro wetlands in natural settings (e.g., ephemeral wetlands in dry areasand isolated wetlands)
• Degradation and restoration of small and micro wetlands

Important deadlines:

• Submission deadline: 30 October 2022
• Publication date: 31 March 2023

Submission instructions

Please read the Guide for Authors before submitting. All articles should be submitted online; please select Small wetlands as the article type on submission.

All submissions will be subject to peer review.

Guest Editors:

• Baoshan Cui, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
• Shuqing An, Nanjing University, Jiangsu, China
• Xingzhong Yuan, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
• Xiaolin Liao, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China.
• Jing Yuan, Michigan State University, USA.