A groundbreaking study published in Nature titled One-quarter of freshwater fauna threatened with extinction reveals the urgent threats facing freshwater ecosystems. Despite covering less than 1% of Earth’s surface, these habitats host over 10% of all known species, including one-third of vertebrates and half of all fish species.

The study, which used recently completed “red lists” for freshwater fish, dragonflies, and damselflies, reveals that freshwater biodiversity is declining faster than that in terrestrial or marine ecosystems. Since 1970, 35% of monitored wetland areas have been lost—three times the deforestation rate—with 65% of remaining wetlands under moderate-to-high threat levels. Moreover, 37% of rivers over 1,000 km no longer flow freely along their entire length.

Researchers emphasize the critical role freshwater ecosystems play in biodiversity, economic growth, and livelihoods. However, conservation efforts have disproportionately focused on land and ocean species, leaving these vital ecosystems neglected.

The findings aim to shift global conservation priorities toward preserving freshwater habitats, highlighting their ecological and economic significance.