Answer:
Wetlands are among the most productive habitats on earth
providing shelter and nursery areas for commercially and
recreationally important animals like fish and shellfish,
as well as wintering grounds for migrating birds. Coastal
marshes are particularly valuable for preventing loss of
life and property by moderating extreme floods and
buffering the land from storms; they also form natural
reservoirs and help maintain desirable water quality.
Aquatic habitats like those along the Gulf of Mexico are
vital to seabirds, fish, and shellfish; economically the
gulf alone contributes billions to the economy. Riverine
deep water—like the Mississippi River and its many
channels—is not only essential for navigation, industry,
and recreation and therefore responsible for billions of
dollars to the economy, but is also invaluable for natural
resources. Songbirds and waterfowl use rivers as migratory
guides, and rivers and lakes are both essential to
countless species of fish,amphibians like frogs and
salamanders, and reptiles like turtles, snakes, and
alligators.
