What role do freshwater wetlands play during flooding events?

Freshwater wetlands play a crucial role during flooding events by reducing flood intensity and buffering impacts. When excessive rainfall or rapid snowmelt occurs, wetlands can absorb large amounts of water, effectively acting like a sponge. This ability to hold water helps to mitigate the volume of water flowing into nearby rivers and streams, which can contribute to lower flood peaks downstream. As a result, wetlands not only help protect populated areas from flood damage but also maintain the overall health of aquatic ecosystems by reducing erosion and maintaining water quality.

The other roles that wetlands may play, such as absorbing pollutants or releasing stored nutrients, are indeed important aspects of their overall function in ecosystems, but they do not primarily address the specific impact of flooding events. Additionally, wetlands are typically affected during flooding, rather than being unaffected, therefore highlighting their dynamic role during such occurrences.