Did you know that Canada is home to 25% of the world's wetlands, and they store over 150 gigatons of carbon? That's the same amount as over four years of all human CO2 emissions!
Wetlands are an essential part of our environment and are often overlooked! The Faculty of Science's very own Dr. Rebecca Rooney and Dr. Nandita Basu were featured on the latest episode of The Water Brothers to discuss the importance of preserving wetlands and their economic and environmental benefits.
"Wetlands in Ontario are extremely threatened, particularly in Southern Ontario," says Rooney. "We've lost between 70% and 90% of the wetlands that were here in pre-European settlement."
"Wetlands protect us against a range of contaminants," says Basu. "Anything you can think of... antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, nutrients, you name it, wetlands help purify."
Hear more of what they have to say and discover why these habitats are so vital to us on the latest episode of The Water Brothers!
For the original article, please visit Dr. Rooney and Dr. Basu on The Water Brothers on Waterloo Science News.