Wetland Degradation Characteristics and Restoration Strategies in Fenhe River Watershed of Shanxi Province

Wetlands in Fenhe River watershed are composed of various kinds of wetland,including wetland in inland estuary,river wetland,lake wetland,reservoir wetland,swamp wetland,and meadow wetlands.The total area of the wetlands is 930.51 km2.The eco-environmental characteristics of the wetlands are of broad distribution,various types,and abundant biodiversity.They are severely degraded because of human activities and other natural causes.Polluted water from mining coal,chemical engineering,and metallurgical enterprises results in the faster deterioration of wetland eco-environment.Unsuitable exploration of flooding plain and lakes causes the gradually decreased wetland area and seriously damaged vegetation of wetland.Over-reclamation of the wetlands destroys the habitat for waterfowl and over-prey and illegal hunting lead to greatly decreased biodiversity.Over-exploration of underground water and coal mining accelerate the deterioration of wetland eco-environmental functions.