Around 6% of the Earth's land surface is covered by wetlands. Wetlands play a key role in hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, delivering multiple benefits to society: sources of water supply, flood regulation, water purification, agriculture, fisheries, and biodiversity. Hence, wetland systems are of immense socio-economic as well as ecological importance. In this research, the focus was on the Abras de Mantequilla (AdM) wetland in the tropical coastal region of Ecuador, a RAMSAR site and case study area for the EU-FP7 WETwin project. The research in this thesis involves a combination of field data collection, multivariate analysis techniques, as well as numerical modelling studies. The goal was to explore the effects of changes in hydrological forcing on the hydrodynamic and ecohydraulic responses of the wetland. The study aims to contribute to the understanding of how a tropical river-wetland system functions in terms of hydrodynamics, water quality, primary production, and biotic communities. Spatial patterns of biotic communities and environmental variables are obtained as well as spatio-temporal variability of hydrodynamics, water quality, primary productivity and fish habitat-suitability conditions. In data scarce areas and countries with financial constraints, the combination of field measurements with numerical models was extremely useful and relevant, confirming that these techniques complement each other in obtaining a better understanding of the dynamics of freshwater river–wetland systems. Studies like the present research can be used to enhance awareness about the environmental services of wetlands and stimulate cooperation between all stakeholders in order to achieve more sustainable wetland management.

Wetlands for Water Pollution Control, Second Edition, covers the fundamental science and engineering principles relevant to the drainage and treatment of both storm and wastewater. Standard and novel design recommendations for predominantly constructed wetlands and related sustainable drainage systems are also provided to account for the interests of professional engineers and environmental scientists. This revised edition deals with the design, operation, maintenance, and water quality monitoring of traditional and novel wetland systems, but also provides information on the analysis of asset performance and modeling of treatment processes, along with performances of existing infrastructures in predominantly developed, but also developing countries, and the sustainability and economic issues involved. This new edition contains 10 new chapters, along with multidisciplinary, experimental, and modeling-orientated case study topics that include natural wetlands, constructed treatment wetlands for pollution control, sustainable drainage systems, and specific applications, such as wetlands treating hydrocarbon and ammonia, as well as ecological sanitation systems recycling treated. - Contains a broad overview of water and environmental engineering aspects relevant for the drainage and treatment of storm water and wastewater, respectively - Includes standard and novel design, operation, monitoring and maintenance recommendations for predominantly constructed wetlands and related sustainable drainage systems - Provides detailed solutions to pressing water quality challenges associated with constructed treatment wetlands, integrated constructed wetlands, sustainable flood retention basins, farm constructed wetlands and storm water ponds, and other sustainable biological filtration and treatment technologies linked to public health engineering

Wetland Systems covers broad water and environmental engineering aspects relevant for the drainage and treatment of storm water and wastewater. It provides a descriptive overview of complex ‘black box’ treatment systems and the general design issues involved. Standard and novel design recommendations for predominantly constructed wetlands and related sustainable drainage systems are given to take into account the interests of professional engineers and environmental scientists. Wetland Systems deals comprehensively with not only the design, operation, maintenance and water quality monitoring of traditional and novel wetland systems, but also covers: • Analysis of asset performance • Modelling of treatment processes • Performances of existing infrastructure • Sustainability and economic issues Solutions to pressing water quality problems associated with constructed treatment wetlands, integrated constructed wetlands, farm constructed wetlands and storm water ponds, and other sustainable biological filtration and treatment technologies linked to public health engineering are explained. Case study topics are diverse: natural wetlands and constructed treatment wetlands; sustainable water management; and specific applications, such as wetlands treating hydrocarbons. The research projects discussed are multi-disciplinary, holistic, experimental and modelling-orientated. Wetland Systems is a useful reference for the design and operation of wetland systems by engineers and scientists working for the water industry, non-governmental organisations, local authorities and governmental bodies. It is also a valuable text for undergraduate and postgraduate students, lecturers and researchers in civil and environmental engineering fields.

Selected proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Wetland Systems for Water Pollution Control, held in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA, 11-16 November 2000. Wetlands are now considered as a widely applicable low-cost alternative for treating municipal, industrial and agricultural effluents. Increasing numbers of wetland projects have come into operation over the last decade, notably those in Florida. IWA's 7th Wetlands conference provided a forum for the synthesis and interpretation of the current status of treatment wetlands. The conference reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the topic, with a diversity of delegates from scientific and engineering disciplines contributing. It addressed research information on current understanding of treatment wetlands, and the need to transfer basic research information to managers involved in solving applied problems; and identified future directions for design and management of treatment wetlands. From a very large programme (of over 200 oral and poster presentations), 86 papers have been selected for these proceedings. As well as authoritative keynote presentations, there are papers on: phosphorus removal and transformations; nitrogen removal and transformations; pathogen removal; optimisation and modelling; ecological considerations; subsurface flow wetlands; surface flow wetlands; industrial wastewaters; agricultural wastewaters; and stormwater. They constitute an outstanding summary of our current knowledge of wetland systems in management of the water environment.

Praise for the previous editions of Wetlands: "Wetlands, the field of study, would not be what it is without Wetlands, the book." ——Bill Streever, Wetlands, 2001 "The Third Edition of this highly successful book manages to set new standards in presentation and content to confirm its place as the first point of reference for those working or studying wetlands." ——Chris Bradley, University of Birmingham, UK, Regulated Rivers: Research and Management "This book is the wetlands bible...the most wide-ranging [book] on the subject." ——Carl Folke, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Land Use Policy "The single best combination text and reference book on wetland ecology." ——Joseph S. Larson, University of Massachusetts, Journal of Environmental Quality "First on my list of references to recommend to someone new to wetland policy management or science." ——Jay A. Leitch, North Dakota State University, Water Resources Bulletin For more than two decades, William Mitsch and James Gosselink's Wetlands has been the premier reference on wetlands for ecologists, land use planners, and water resource managers worldwide—a comprehensive compendium of the state of knowledge in wetland science, management, and restoration. Now Mitsch and Gosselink bring their classic book up to date with substantial new information and a streamlined text supplemented with a support web site. This new Fourth Edition maintains the authoritative quality of its predecessors while offering such revisions as: Refocused coverage on the three main parts of the book: 1. An introduction to the extent, definitions, and general features of wetlands of the world; 2. Wetland science; and 3. Wetland management. New chapter on climate change and wetlands that introduces the student to the roles that wetlands have in climate change and impact that climate change has on wetlands. Increased international coverage, including wetlands of Mexico and Central America, the Congolian Swamp and Sine Saloum Delta of Africa, the Western Siberian Lowlands, the Mesopotamian Marshland restoration in Iraq, and the wetland parks of Asia such as Xixi National Wetland Park in eastern China and Gandau Nature Park in Taipei, Taiwan. This expanded coverage is illustrated with over 50 wetland photographs from around the world. Several hundred new refer?ences for further reading, up-to-date data, and the latest research findings. Over 35 new info boxes and sidebars provide essential background information to concepts being presented and case studies of wetland restoration and treatment in practice.

Wetland Systems to Control Urban Runoff integrates natural and constructed wetlands, and sustainable drainage techniques into traditional water and wastewater systems used to treat surface runoff and associated diffuse pollution. The first part of the text introduces the fundamentals of water quality management, and water and wastewater treatment. The remaining focus of the text is on reviewing treatment technologies, disinfection issues, sludge treatment and disposal options, and current case studies related to constructed wetlands applied for runoff and diffuse pollution treatment. Professionals and students will be interested in the detailed design, operation, management, process control and water quality monitoring and applied modeling issues.* Contains a comprehensive collection of timely, novel and innovative research case studies in the area of wetland systems applied for the treatment of urban runoff * Demonstrates to practitioners how natural and constructed wetland systems can be integrated into traditional wastewater systems, which are predominantly applied for the treatment of surface runoff and diffuse pollution * Assesses the design, operation, management and water treatment performance of sustainable urban drainage systems including constructed wetlands

Constructed Wetlands in Water Pollution Control documents the proceedings of the International Conference on the Use of Constructed Wetlands in Water Pollution Control, held in Cambridge, UK, 24-28 September 1990. This volume contains 70 papers that are organized into 12 parts. Part 1 includes papers such as the need for hydrophyte-based systems in the treatment of waste water from small communities and soil oxygenation in constructed reed beds. Part 2 contains studies on nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The papers in Part 3 are devoted to sewage treatment while Part 4 deals with sludge treatment. Part 5 presents case studies on wetlands, wastewater, and reed bed treatment systems. Part 6 focuses on agricultural waste treatment. Part 7 contains papers on wetland and waste treatment for small populations. Part 8 covers industrial waste treatment while Parts 9 and 10 deal with mining waste treatment. Part 11 takes up the design of treatment systems. Part 12 contains 20 poster papers.

An understanding of environmental gradients (physical, chemical, hydrological, and biological) is a prerequisite to the accurate delineation of wetland boundaries. Presenting the wide-ranging views of academicians, environmentalists, policy makers, consultants, planners, engineers, hydrologists, biologists, geochemists, ecologists, and conservationists, Wetlands: Environmental Gradients, Boundaries, and Buffers focuses on current topics and research related to wetland delineation; summarizes the main issues of concern; and provides recommendations on research needs. In addition to integrating the most important research and theoretical aspects, this book includes a strong prescriptive component, providing practicing professionals with specific guidance on defining the true dimensions of a wetland area.

This book on wetlands ecosystems in Asia deals with function and management. It is the first volume in the Developments in Ecosystems series.