Question
how much of that freshwater is surface water available for living things
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Freshwater makes up a small percentage of the Earth's total water supply, approximately 2.5%. Out of this freshwater, a significant portion is found in glaciers and ice caps, with only a small fraction readily accessible for aquatic ecosystems and human use.
Of the total freshwater available, about 30% is stored as surface water, which is found in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. However, only around 0.3% of the total freshwater on Earth is found in lakes and rivers; the rest exists in ice, groundwater, and soil moisture.
To summarize, while freshwater constitutes a small percentage of the Earth's total water, only a small fraction of that (about 0.3%) is surface water readily available for living organisms, including aquatic life and human consumption.
Of the total freshwater available, about 30% is stored as surface water, which is found in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. However, only around 0.3% of the total freshwater on Earth is found in lakes and rivers; the rest exists in ice, groundwater, and soil moisture.
To summarize, while freshwater constitutes a small percentage of the Earth's total water, only a small fraction of that (about 0.3%) is surface water readily available for living organisms, including aquatic life and human consumption.