Wetlands — swamps, marshes and other water-saturated lands — link organisms in land and water in a way that allows them to coexist naturally. Unfortunately, wetlands are rapidly being replaced for agriculture or urban development, which takes away some of the ecosystem services that these ecosystems provide for various species, including humans. On World Wetlands day , take a look at five facts you might not know about these unique ecosystems. 1. Wetlands are the “kidneys of the landscape” Similar to human kidneys, the organs that extract waste from our blood and balance body fluids, wetlands have the ability to clean the water that flows through them, mitigate large flood events and recharge underground aquifers. Wetlands can also provide fisheries and timber resources, habitat for biodiversity , and protect coastal communities from extreme events, such as typhoons and hurricanes. They also make lucrative destinations for ecotourism, shoring up the bottom line for local economies across the globe. 2.…