Biodiversity Resources of Tropical Inland Wetlands: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64321/jcr.v3i3.04Keywords:
Tropical wetlands, freshwater biodiversity, conservation, systematic review, ecosystem servicesAbstract
Tropical inland wetlands represent some of the most biodiverse and ecologically significant ecosystems on Earth, yet they remain among the most threatened and understudied freshwater systems. This systematic review synthesizes current knowledge on the biodiversity resources of tropical inland wetlands, examining patterns of biological diversity, drivers of change, conservation challenges, and emerging monitoring approaches. Following PRISMA guidelines, 147 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025, spanning major tropical regions including Southeast Asia, South America, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific were considered. Findings reveals that tropical inland wetlands harbour exceptional species richness across all taxonomic groups, with particularly high endemism in fish, macroinvertebrates, and aquatic plants. The study identified that traditional taxonomic approaches are insufficient for capturing cryptic diversity, and emerging tools such as environmental DNA metabarcoding, remote sensing, and community-based monitoring offer promising pathways for addressing knowledge gaps. Conservation efforts are hindered by inadequate policy frameworks, limited capacity, and the persistently low priority afforded to freshwater biodiversity in tropical regions. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge, identifies critical research priorities, and proposes an integrated framework for advancing the conservation and sustainable management of tropical inland wetland biodiversity resources.
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