The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands has requested advice on the determination of reference conditions for assessing change and establishing the range of natural variability of wetlands. Palaeoecological approaches provide a ready means of considering the trajectories of change, and the nature and drivers of change over time, and can be used along with contemporary techniques.

We describe the role and value of palaeoecology to wetland management. We present examples of palaeoecology being used to support site-based conservation decisions for wetlands in the UK and discuss how knowledge of past ecological conditions can help with: landscape-scale conservation, a focus on ecosystem services and natural capital, and an interdisciplinary approach to managing social–ecological systems.

Paleoecological records show how climate, environmental factors and human activities influenced the origin and development of the Everglades, the largest Ramsar wetland in the USA. This review highlights research and describes how paleoecological data are used in restoration plans and ecological models for Everglades management. Paleoecological studies of Ramsar wetlands can enhance our understanding about properties that determine the ecological character of wetlands, and can guide restoration and conservation activities.

The Gippsland Lakes is one of the largest Ramsar-listed wetlands in south-eastern Australia. The ecology of the Lakes has changed markedly over the past 120+ years as a result of the permanent opening to the ocean at Lakes Entrance and the regulation of inflowing rivers. Sea-level rise will exacerbate these changes, and how to manage them is a daunting challenge to natural-resource managers.

Changing climate threatens to exacerbate impacts of water extraction upon Australia’s high value aquatic ecosystems. This study of the Riverland Ramsar site suggests that individually, climate change and water extraction will each change the ecological character of the site. Results suggest that future management of wetlands in south-eastern Australia will need to consider regional vulnerability, refuge prioritisation and ecological returns-on-water-investments.

Sedimentary records recovered from saline playa lakes offer unique opportunities to investigate environmental and climatic variation in arid and semi-arid zones. Multiproxy records and multiple dating techniques are applied to derive a very high resolution record of environmental and climatic variability from the Two Mile Lake playa in southern Western Australia. Palaeorecords can define environmental baseline conditions and variability that can be utilized in managing playa systems.

Towra Point Nature Reserve, in Sydney’s Botany Bay, is an internationally important wetland which is at risk due to human activities. This research aimed to check whether contamination from industry and urbanisation of the region have had negative impact, and found that levels of arsenic, lead and zinc are elevated on the southern side of the embayment. We propose that trigger levels outlined in water and sediment quality guidelines should be included in the Towra Point Plan of Management, so that elevated levels will initiate a management response from relevant authorities.

Natural channel change has caused parts of the Macquarie Marshes to be abandoned in the 20th Century and other wetland areas to form. Historical analysis shows that natural wetland changes lead to anachronistic conservation reserve boundaries where reserves include only a small portion of the floodplain. Adaptive management is required to recognise the natural dynamics of floodplain wetlands within static conservation reserve systems.

Reference condition and historical variability of aquatic ecosystems are key features of wetland systems. Based on diatom records from 10 Yangtze lakes, this study defined their ecological and chemical reference conditions, the historical variability and its controlling factors. This study demonstrates the robustness of palaeolimnological techniques in reconstructing the historical ecological characters of lake ecosystems, which may provide essential information for the management of wider types of wetland.

This paper examines formation and development of the only known subtropical, Southern Hemisphere patterned fen wetlands from Fraser Island, Queensland, through the examination of swamp sediments and fossil pollen. The development of these globally important wetlands occurs within the broader Wire Rush wetlands, which formed from 12 000 years ago and are important refuge areas for the region’s unique animals.

Freshwater wetlands in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, are increasingly under threat from human activities. In the two studied wetlands substantial ecosystem service loss has occurred over the last ~30 years. These results highlight the need for better wetland conservation measures in Nigeria.

Globally, estuaries are focal points of industry and human activity, leading to alteration and contamination. By looking at the sediment archive, we trace the major impacts on the Barwon Estuary through time, pinpointing major historical events in the system. This approach can be applied to estuaries worldwide to understand the natural state of the system and trajectory of change.

Many developing countries have significant biological and socio-cultural diversity but substantial development pressures. Addressing these challenges for three internationally significant wetlands in Tanzania, Colombia and Papua New Guinea will require increased commitment and resourcing, comprehensive stakeholder engagement, and locally tailored approaches that integrate natural resource regulation, conservation and the development needs of local communities.