Wetlands are among the most productive and biologically diverse ecosystems on earth. Their very diversity has produced a fragmented area of study where each wetland type is considered in isolation. This work provides a synthesis of the existing field of wetland ecology using such central themes as basic characteristics of wetlands, key environmental factors that produce wetland community types, and some unifying problems such as assembly rules, restoration, and conservation. The volume draws on a complete range of wetland habitats and geographic regions including Californian vernal pools, Amazonian floodplains and Russian peat bogs. This book provides ecological syntheses over the entire geographical and habitat range of wetlands, making Wetland Ecology essential reading for anyone planning research or management in wetland habitats, regardless of specific area of interest.