E

Wetlands represent 13.4% of the global land area and occur across all latitudes. They are hotspots of biodiversity and can store important amounts of carbon in the case of peatlands. However, human activities, such as the conversion of land by drainage (due to the need for agricultural and forestry space) and peat extraction, as well as the undergoing global warming (causing frequent wildfires, droughts and species invasions), have led to the degradation of those ecosystems. This session aims to bring together research from diverse disciplines to explore the impacts of climate change and human activities on wetlands worldwide, from tropical regions to polar landscapes, and from coastal zones to mountain environments. In this, bio-, hydro-, pedo-logy, chemistry and biochemistry, as well as climate prediction and modeling, history and social sciences dealing with the degradation of wetland ecosystems and their impacts (environmental and social) are welcome. During this session, we invite discussion around subjects including (but not limited to) the drought of wetlands, the release of previously trapped carbon in permafrost peatland, the change of vegetation and biodiversity in both soil and water, the more frequent wildfires, and the need and change of practices of the local communities relying on those rich ecosystems to sustain their life. This session may be a good time for all of us to open new perspectives and collaborations with disciplines that we had never considered before on our journey to wetland science and to establish a wider and more holistic picture of the future of wetland ecosystems.