Whenever water levels fall in a pond, lake or reservoir, drawdown zones are revealed around their margins. These ephemeral habitats support a range of specialised plant and animal species that can survive and thrive in situations with frequent water level fluctuations.

This site provides an introduction to the ecology of drawdown zones, bringing together research on their characteristic wildlife with advice on how to manage them for conservation. It also deals with the potential impacts that climate change will have on these important ecosystems.

In 2010 we held a conference on the conservation and management of drawdown zones at the Linnean Society in London. Presentations from the meeting are available on the conference page.