Wetlands in Agricultural Areas in Sweden to Improve Water Quality and Increase Biodiversity

Abstract

Eutrophication of lakes and seas with algae blooms, changes in fish stocks and deteriorating swimming water has been a severe environmental problem in Sweden for many years. The reason for this is the increased nutrient losses from arable land due to intensive agriculture, but also the to man-made changes of the hydrology and landscape, particularly during the past two centuries. Community development with the expansion of settlements and roads, and the rationalization of agriculture and forestry, among other things had a major impact on our water and wetland habitats. The area of wetlands has been drastically reduced, lakes have been lowered or drained, and many streams have deepened, straightened or put in tubes. The water is efficiently transported out of the catchment, which implies a decrease of the natural retention capacity of nutrients and an increase of nutrient loads to lakes and the sea. This has also resulted in a drastic loss of biodiversity as many wetland dependent plant and animal species have disappeared. Also the accessibility of areas for human recreation and outdoor activities has declined.