An estimated 126,000 described species rely on freshwater
habitats, including species of fishes, molluscs, reptiles,
insects, plants, and mammals. With the inclusion of undescribed
species, this number could rise to over one million. Species
richness in relation to area of habitat is extremely high in
many freshwater groups. Freshwater fishes comprise almost 45% of
all fishes and freshwater molluscs about 25% of all molluscs. An
estimated 15,000 fish (including brackishwater species), 4,300
amphibians, 5,600 Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), and
5,000 mollusc species depend on freshwater habitats. Other major
groups dependent upon freshwater include reptiles, insects,
plants, and mammals. The importance of freshwater species,
ecosystems and services to human livelihoods and wellbeing is
increasingly being recognised, and the FBU works in a number of
areas to provide the information to support decisions for the
protection of wetland species and livelihoods. To conserve and
manage freshwater biodiversity,