Tiểu luận DESCRIBE AND COMPARE WETLAND CLASSIFICATION BETWEEN VIETNAM AND THE U.S

In general, wetlands are lands where water saturation is the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and the types os plant and animal communities living in the soil and on its surface. The single feature that most wetlands share is soil or substrate that is at least periodically saturated with or covered by water.

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HANOI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE - GROUP WORK REPORT DESCRIBE AND COMPARE WETLAND CLASSIFICATION BETWEEN VIETNAM AND THE U.S Subject: Wetland biology and regulations Instructor: Master Nguyen Thi Loan Students : Vuong Tran Quang Nguyen Son Tung Vu Tuan Tai Nguyen Hanh Mai Tran Thi Hanh Phuc K55 Advanced Undergraduate Program of Environmental Science Hanoi - 2013 Contents Table Contents Figure Contents ~2~ Introduction In general, wetlands are lands where water saturation is the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and the types os plant and animal communities living in the soil and on its surface The single feature that most wetlands share is soil or substrate that is at least periodically saturated with or covered by water The water creates severe physiological problems for all plants and animal except those that are adapted for lofe in water or in saturated soil According to the RAMSAR Convention, wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or human made, permanent or nonpermanent, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters The importance of wetland environments to the development and sustainability of cultures throughout human history is unmistakable Domestic wetlands, such as rice paddies, feed an estimated half of the world’s population Moreover, peatlands can be considered as a source of energy on small-scale production and in large-scale extraction processes In addition, wetlands have been the focus of several countries’ attempts to increase tourist flow into their countries (Mitsch and Gosselink, 2007) Thus, wetland scientists and managers have found it necessary to categorize the different types of wetlands existing and to determine their extent and distribution In Vietnam and the U.S, there are various wetlands which are diverse not only in types, functions, ecosystems and biodiversity but also in resources (biota, water, mineral, tourism, transportation, etc.) which are favorable for many economic sectors, e.g fishery, agriculture, forestry, etc Therefore, the purposes of wetland classification are: 1) to provide the scientific ~3~ basis for researches, management and sustainable development and 2) to protect the multiple ecological and economic values of wetlands Study methodology Collecting, inheritting, systemizing documents, datas and information sources, and aggregating from many different sources related, books, articles in journals, dissertations, thesis from the library and the internet After that, making comparison and giving conclusions Results and discussion a) Wetland classification systems The table and figure below describe wetland classification systems in Vietnam and the US Table Vietnamese Wetland Classification System (VWCS) Marine/ coastal wetland (salty/ brackish wetlands) Subsystems Classes Vietnamese symbols Name of wetland types 1.1 Natural wetlands 1.1.1 Permanent Vb Permanent shallow marine waters less than six meters deep at low tide Vv Gulfs and bays Tv Marine sub-tidal aquatic beds, includes kelp beds, sea-grass beds, tropical marine meadows Sh Coral reefs Dp Lagoons Cs Estuarine Cns Submerged estuarine sandy islets ~4~ 1.1.2 Nonpermanent 1.2 Artificial wetlands 1.2.1 Permanent 1.2.2 Nonpermanent Inland wetland (freshwater wetlands) 2.1 Natural wetlands 2.1.1 Permanent 2.1.2 Nonpermanent Cbs Estuarine barrier islands BD Rocky marine shores, includes rocky offshore islands, sea cliffs, benches Bc 10 Beaches Bcs 11.Intertidal shingle or pebble shores Bcb 12 Intertidal muddy sand shores Bbc 13 Intertidal sandy mud shores R 14 Mangrove forests Dl 15 Intertidal marshes Kb 16 Marine/ coastals karsts and other subterranean hydrological systems Tl 17 Salty/ brackish aquaculture ponds Tvk 18 Sedge farms Tlk 19 Aquaculture tidal flats Mu 20 Salt exploitation sites S 21 rivers/streams/creeks H 22 Permanent freshwater lakes (over ha) D 23 Permanent freshwater marshes/pools (below ha) O 24 Freshwater oases Nk 25 Geothermal wetlands, hot springs, mineral springs Sk 26 Seasonal/ intermittent/ irregular rivers/ streams/ creeks Tb 27 Non-forested peatlands Tbr 28 Forested peatlands ~5~ Permanent 2.2 Artificial wetlands 2.2.1 Permanent 2.2.2 Nonpermanent Cl 29 Freshwater, tree- dominated wetlands Cn 30 Seasonal/ intermittent freshwater marshes/ pools Cb 31 Shrub- dominated wetlands Kn 32 Karsts and other subterranean hydrological systems, inland Tn 33 Freshwater aquaculture ponds Km 34 Channels, canals Tr 35 The other water storage areas X 36 Wastewater treatment areas Nn 37 Cultivated wetlands Mo 38 Excavations, mining pools The VWCS is built based on legal matters, specific research results and reality in order to ensure uniformity throughout the whole country and be useful for individuals and organizations with interests and objectives related to wetlands Besides, the VWCS is an important basis for wetland management in Vietnam Modifiers can be added by users to serve special objectives because of an open system Furthermore, the VWCS is convenient for mapping and international integration ~6~ Subtidal rock bottom,unconsolidated bottom, aquatic bed, reef Marine Intertidal aquatic bed, reef , rocky shore, unconsolidated shore Subtidal rock bottom, unconsolidated bottom, aquatic bed, reef Estuarine Intertidal aquatic bed, reef, streambed, rocky store, unconsolidated shore, emergent wetland, scrub-shrub wetland, forested wetland Tidal rock bottom,unconsolidated bottom, aquatic bed, rocky shore, unconsolidated shore, emergent wetland Lower Perennial rock bottom, unconsolidated bottom, aquatic bed, rocky shore, Riverine unconsolidated shore, emergent wetland USCWDH Upper Perenial rock bottom, unconsolidated bottom, aquatic bed, rocky shore, unconsolidated shore Intermittent Limnetic streambed rock bottom, unconsolidated bottom, aquatic bed Lacustrine Littoral Rock bottom, unconsolidated bottom, aquatic bed, rocky shore, unconsolidated shore, emergent wetland Rock bottom, unconsolidated bottom, aquatic bed, unconsolidated shore, moss-lichen Palustrine wetland, emergent wetland, scrub-shrub wetland, forested wetland Figure United States Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats (USCWDH) ~7~ The USCWDH is scientific classification based on natural properties and not an evaluating system developed for regulatory purposes Thus, it does not focus on factors relating to environmental, social, or economic importance b) Comparison between two wetland classification systems The table below compares two wetland classification systems in Vietnam and the U.S Table Comparison between VWCS and USCWDH VWCS Similarity USCWDH Being hierarchical approach Based upon actual features rather than on interpretations of the various uses of wetlands Being analogous to classification used to identify plant and animal species Describing in detail of wetland types including: marine and inland systems, natural and artificial sub-systems Generally describing several wetland types divided into systems: marine, estuarine, riverine, lacustrine, palustrine subsystems: subtidal, intertidal, tidal, lower perennial, upper perennial, intermittent, limnetic, litorial The structure is hierarchical with systems at the most general level, subsystems, classes, and 38 types of wetlands The units are classified based on geomorphologic, geologic features and origin of wetlands, the dominant life form of vegetation or physiography and composition of subtrate features Describing ecological taxa, arranging them in an useful system for resources managers, furnishing units for mapping, and providing uniformity of concepts and terms Wetlands are defined by plants (hydrophytes), soils (hydric soils), and frequency of flooding Ecologically related areas of deep water and traditionally not considered wetlands are classified as deepwater habitats Differenc e Conclusion The Vietnamese Wetland Classification System (VWCS) and the United States Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats (USCWDH) are based on the best available science Classifications (which are definitions of different ~8~ wetland types) enable wetland managers to deal with wetland regulations and protection consistently from region to region and from time to time In addition, classifications also enable wetland managers to pay selective attention to those wetland types that are threatened or functionally valuable Although these classification systems are useful planning tools, they are not structured by the requirements of management-that is, the need to make choices about relative social priorities and values By knowing similarities and differences between wetland classification of Vietnam and the U.S, we can give suggestions and recommendations to enrich, improve and complete our wetland classification for better use and management References The Vietnamese Wetlands Classification System, Science, Earth Sciences 24 (2008) 96-103, Mai Trong Nhuan et al., 2008 Wetlands 4th edition, William J Mitsch and James G Gosselink, 2007 Ramsar Convention Secteriat, Ramsar Convention key documents, http://www.ramsar.org 1995 ~9~ VNU Journal of