Marsh photo: Deborah Boyd

Diversity doesn’t end at the water’s edge. In fact, an incredible variety of living things inhabits the world’s lakes, rivers, wetlands, and oceans. A single coral reef, for example, can support more than 3,000 species of fish and invertebrates, such as giant clams, sea urchins, sea stars, and shrimp.

And, acre for acre, there can be more life in a healthy wetland than in almost any kind of habitat. Take mangroves, for instance. These rich wetlands, which are found along many of the world’s coasts, are nurseries for a host of aquatic creatures. They also provide a variety of ecosystem services including flood control, water purification, and food and shelter for some of our most commercially important species, including shrimp, crabs, oysters, and fish.