A wetland is a place in which the land is covered by water—salt, fresh, or somewhere in between—either seasonally or permanently. It functions as its own distinct ecosystem. You can recognize wetlands from other types of land or bodies of water primarily by the vegetation that has adapted to wet soil.

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Mammals like otters, beavers, and even tigers rely on wetlands to find food and shelter. 

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Situated in the heart of South America, the Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland. At 42 million acres, the Pantanal covers an area slightly larger than England and sprawls across three countries—Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.

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Wetlands trap pollutants such as phosphorus and heavy metals in their soils, transform nitrogen into a form that’s easier for plants to take in, and physically and chemically break down bacteria.

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Wetlands can store 50 times more carbon than rain forests, helping to keep the heat-trapping gas that contributes to climate change out of the atmosphere. Wetlands pull leaves, animal waste, and other high carbon matter down from the surface of the water.

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