The Freshwater Biome accounts for one fifth of the area of the Earth and provides half of the drinking water, one third of the water used for irrigation, and nearly ninety percent of the world's bathwater. The biome consists of inland lakes, streams, brooks, creeks, and rivers--as well as ditches, sloughs, gutters, puddles and canals.

Major Plant and Animal Life Supported by the Freshwater Biome Algae Cattails Brine-Spike Swamp frond Tamarack Deer flower Myrtle False Ivy Flagellates and Wrigglers Diatoms Leeches River rats Muskrats Otters and Minks Sunfish and Bass Bowfin Catfish species Hendrickson Turtle Painted turtle

Threats to the freshwater biome Water withdrawal for human use shrinks and degrades habitats. Runoff from agricultural and urban areas hurts water quality. Draining of wetlands for development depletes habitats. Overexploitation and pollution threaten groundwater supplies. Invasion of exotic species can harm native animals and plants. Global warming may lead to devastating floods and droughts. The creation of dams and water-diversion systems blocks migration routes for fish and disrupts habitats.