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Protection and restoration of wetlands requires correct evaluation of their ecological and trophic state, i.e. detection and verification of appropriate indicators. The aim of the study is to clarify the role of planktonic communities (phytoplankton and bacterioplankton) in eutrophication processes in shallow landslide-dammed lakes and to apply routine indicators of eutrophication processes for a case study of Dragichevo lake. From May 2001 through September 2002 a bathometric map and map of macrophyte distributions was constructed, changes in the main hydrochemical parameters, phyto- and bacterioplankton were tracked, and the Carson's trophic state index determined. The results suggested that re-suspension processes and active interaction between sediments and water significantly influence both the plankton communities and chemical parameters of these wetlands.

In the Ukrainian steppe zone, erosion processes expose shallow water tables creating wetlands in gully bottoms and river valley terraces. Here, small birch-aspen woods (“koloks”) replace pine forests on sandy soils with high moisture. In the Western-Donbass coalfield, similar ecotopes form in artificial hollows caused by mining subsidence. Detailed examination of soil and hydrological characteristics demonstrate that, despite major differences in water qualities, these mining-subsidence induced “koloks” provide useful insights into the processes and evolution of their natural equivalents.

Water detention and water storage during storm events, and water release during dry periods, are some of the main functions wetlands can provide in order to help reduce peak flow and increase low flow runoff into streams. However, wetlands can also be effective in retaining and remediating contaminants. Results of the case study on a constructed wetland that mitigates urban storm-water are discussed. The effectiveness of metal reduction in water is highly variable and not all metals are detained and reduced at the same rate. Concentrations of certain metals in the sediments were not sufficiently reduced, which remains a challenge that can likely be resolved by improving the wetland design. A sediment detention pond could be constructed before the runoff enters the wetland and the sediments accumulated in this pond would then have to be removed and treated on a regular basis. As urban development continues to encroach on hills and sloping terrain, the use of wetlands to regulate water flow and retain contaminants will became more viable.

Headwaters are very vulnerable parts of natural ecosystems. Climate change in general creates an increase in natural disasters. Today, many hazards, such as snow avalanches or land slides, start in headwaters. Therefore, science should be engaged in the study of headwaters' sustainability, short and long-term weather forecasting (of precipitation, wind in particular), and the practical questions of how to prevent or diminish the influence of natural disasters in headwater environments In this paper, natural disasters, their causes, and observations of natural disasters in Slovenia will be discussed with special reference to prevention and prediction.

Landslide-dammed lakes in alpine valleys are often subject to intense silting due to the sediment transport of the tributary: sediment-related problems are thus of major importance in their environmental management. This paper describes the formation and evolution of an alpine landslide-dammed lake formed in 1771 (Alleghe Lake, Dolomites, Northern Italy) and also takes into account its significance to the economy of local communities. Since its formation, Alleghe Lake has been subjected to silting due to sediment transport of the tributary. Present problems regarding the Alleghe Lake arise from the need to remove and relocate deposited sediment in order to restore satisfactory environmental conditions. Sediment removal operations carried out over recent years are described and prospects for future management programmes are briefly outlined.

The Pian di Spagna wetland remained a flood prone area until 1858, when the Adda River was canalized into Como Lake forming the new separated Mezzola Lake. Its ecological value was recognized in the framework of the Ramsar Convention, leading to the approval of a natural reserve conservation plan in 1996. The protected area covers 1586 hectares, including Mezzola Lake, which is affected by critical concentrations of chromium. Still, little attention has been paid to the protection of the Valtellina region based on wetland rehabilitation and policies for flood prone area recovery. Ecological networks, focused on the prevention of natural hazards, are a key issue in the context of Alpine valleys. In response to the increasing local vulnerability to upland’ renaturation‘ processes, multi-sectoral strategies are to be targeted to land use planning, in addition to enhancing coordination among land based protection measures.

The environmental education concept developed for the village of Galtür, Austria, places emphasis on sustainability, global change and geography. With the dualism of headwater as both a resource and a hazard being of highest public interest and relevance in the Alps, ‘headwater’ is one of the core themes of the concept. In a case study, it is shown how this theme can be implemented in environmental education programmes, which focus on the sustainable development of mountain regions. Ways of transferring the concept to other headwater areas are discussed.

African headwater wetlands (so-called dambos) play a significant role in the formation of the hydrological regime of great rivers in Central Africa. They act as spongy reservoirs capable of absorbing water during the rainy season and releasing it slowly during the dry season. The hydrological role of dambos, discussed in this paper, has been based on experiments performed in Zambia, as well as the research results accomplished elsewhere in Africa. Controversial opinions and conclusions concerned with the hydrological regime of dambos are commented and discussed.

This review makes clear the need for the development of sustainable use regimes in wetlands to achieve a balance between environmental and socio-economic needs. However, the extreme perspectives of pure conservation and total development are still held by many actors. In addition, wetlands fall under the jurisdiction of different agencies which have varying perspectives on how these areas should be used, and are often in conflict with each other. In many countries, governments still do not have clear policies on wetlands and are torn between what they need to do to meet production and development goals and what they feel is required for responding to environmental concerns. Experience in Eastern and Southern Africa suggests that two key areas, in particular, require attention if headwater wetlands are to be managed in an ecologically sound and economically viable way. One of the key challenges is for the development of appropriate government policies which identify the need for a balanced approach to wetlands. Rather than taking one of the extreme positions on the continuum of views and imposing a blanket policy, it is necessary to recognise the diversity of wetlands. This means that some wetlands may need to be preserved in a pristine condition or with minimal transformation, but others may be suitable for careful transformation to a mix of uses and some may be transformed completely. To develop the land and water management regimes needed to achieve sustainable use will require using all of the resources available. This includes both the local knowledge and local institutions rooted in the communities, as well as more recent technologies from the extension services and research stations. Further, in line with decentralisation, which is occurring in many countries today, it will be necessary for local communities to be empowered and given appropriate responsibilities in relation to government agencies in the integrated management of watersheds. Only in such a way can economically attractive and ecologically efficient management of headwater wetlands be achieved.

The environmental role of headwater wetlands is increasingly influenced by human interventions in many parts of the developing world. The way in which wetlands and their catchments are managed is affected by the perception of these areas by people and by their abilities to obtain benefits from them using varying technologies in response to changing opportunities. Wetland use in western Ethiopia appears to have a long history although the evidence for this is fragmentary. During the 20 century wetland cultivation has increased to different degrees in different parts of the region. Agricultural development has been most intense in the north and east of the study area. Agricultural development of wetlands has been stimulated through the 20 century by technological innovations, demographic change, commercialisation and government policies. Other aspects of government policy have also affected wetlands. The extension policy since the mid 1980s has stressed the need for improving food security. In the wet south-west highlands this has focused upon the draining of wetlands. Today wetlands are a significant part of the resource base in south-west Ethiopia and are used by virtually every household in some way. A recent assessment of the role of wetlands throughout much of the study area (ref) has shown that wetlands play a critical role in food security. Research findings suggest that degradation of wetlands is not only, or necessarily, linked to increasing intensity of use. Other factors such as catchment land use, wetland soil depth, and local geomorphological features strongly influence the eco-hydrological characteristics of each wetland, and hence their capacity to support different forms of wetland use. Therefore to get sound environmental management need to recognise the economic role which wetlands play in these headwaters and how they interact with the catchments and downstream.