Located at the confluence of five Ocean currents, the Cold Humboldt Current from the South, the Cool Peruvian Counter Current , Cromwell Equatorial Under Current , the tropical Panama Current and South Equatorial Current , conditions in the islands depend on the prevailing current and where the island is relatively located in the current. This mix of water temperatures and nutrient rich upwelling of Antarctic waters gives the Galapagos Islands their unique climate and diverse marine life. The islands volcanic make- up also adds to the complexity of the environment. The porous lava provides small fish the protection they would normally receive from coral reefs, which are few in these tropical waters.