AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMSAQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

•FreshwaterFreshwater– Characterized by abiotic factorsCharacterized by abiotic factors

• how quickly water moveshow quickly water moves

• amount of sunlightamount of sunlight

Freshwater BiomesFreshwater Biomes

Ponds and LakesPonds and Lakes

standing or still waterstanding or still water– Littoral ZoneLittoral Zone (area closet to the edge) (area closet to the edge)

• Algae are your major producersAlgae are your major producers

– Open Water ZoneOpen Water Zone (as far as sun can (as far as sun can reach) reach) •Plankton, insects, snails, amphibians, fish, are Plankton, insects, snails, amphibians, fish, are

some of your animals.some of your animals.

– Deep Water ZoneDeep Water Zone (no sunlight) (no sunlight) •Catfish are scavengers and bacteria are Catfish are scavengers and bacteria are

decomposersdecomposers

Deep Zone

Slow Moving WaterSlow Moving Water•Marsh:Marsh: Freshwater found in shallow Freshwater found in shallow

areas along lakes, ponds and rivers and areas along lakes, ponds and rivers and streams (treeless)streams (treeless)

•Swamp:Swamp: Freshwater found in low-lying Freshwater found in low-lying areas and beside slow-moving riversareas and beside slow-moving rivers

•Estuary:Estuary: Salt and freshwater mixed Salt and freshwater mixed found where a river meets the ocean. found where a river meets the ocean.

WetlandsWetlands

Wetland AnimalsWetland Animals

River

Ocean

Estuary

Rivers and StreamsRivers and Streams

Moderate to Fast Moving waterModerate to Fast Moving water

Tributary Stream

River

•MarineMarineCharacterized by abiotic Characterized by abiotic

Factors: Factors: -amount of -amount of sunlight sunlight -temperature-temperature

-depth of water-depth of water

The ZonesThe Zones

IntertidalIntertidal

- where ocean meets land

- exposed to air part of the day

-crashing waves

-Examples: mud flats, sandy beaches, and rocky shorelines

Neritic Zone: Neritic Zone: • The part of the ocean that extends The part of the ocean that extends

over the continental shelf. over the continental shelf.

• Water temperature is warmWater temperature is warm

• Lots of sunlightLots of sunlight

• Contains many schools of fish, coral Contains many schools of fish, coral reefs, and algaereefs, and algae

Oceanic Zone:Oceanic Zone:

• The area of the ocean in which light The area of the ocean in which light penetrates (from surface to ~4000m penetrates (from surface to ~4000m deep)deep)

• This zone contains the oceans producersThis zone contains the oceans producers

Benthic Zone:Benthic Zone:

• Deepest part of the oceanDeepest part of the ocean

• Water temperature is coldWater temperature is cold

• Lacks sunlightLacks sunlight

• Most animals feed on animals that sink Most animals feed on animals that sink down from the surface down from the surface

• Some organisms get energy from Some organisms get energy from chemicals released from thermal ventschemicals released from thermal vents

The Deep/Benthic ZoneThe Deep/Benthic Zone

• Link to the DeepLink to the Deep

• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/16924-earths-major-life-zones-hsw/16924-earths-major-life-zones-marine-biomes-video.htmmarine-biomes-video.htm

QuestionsQuestions

1. Water temperature…1. Water temperature…a.a. has no affect on marine organisms.has no affect on marine organisms.

b.b. affects the type of organism that can affects the type of organism that can live in a marine ecosystem.live in a marine ecosystem.

c.c. increases as water gets deeper.increases as water gets deeper.

d. is warm in the benthic zone.d. is warm in the benthic zone.

2. A major abiotic factor in freshwater 2. A major abiotic factor in freshwater ecosystems isecosystems is

a.a. the source of the water.the source of the water.

b.b. the width of the stream or river.the width of the stream or river.

c.c. the speed of the water. the speed of the water.

d.d. the salinity of the water. the salinity of the water.

3. In what major ocean zone are plants 3. In what major ocean zone are plants and animals exposed to air for part of and animals exposed to air for part of the day?the day?

a. intertidal zonea. intertidal zone

b. neritic zoneb. neritic zone

c. oceanic zonec. oceanic zone

d. benthic zoned. benthic zone

4. Which area would you find plants 4. Which area would you find plants that can tolerate water that has that can tolerate water that has constantly changing salt content?constantly changing salt content?

a. a streama. a stream

b. a pondb. a pond

c. a coral reefc. a coral reef

d. an estuaryd. an estuary

5. Why are phytoplankton (a tiny organism 5. Why are phytoplankton (a tiny organism that uses the sun to make food) found only that uses the sun to make food) found only near the surface of the oceanic zone? near the surface of the oceanic zone? a. They are to light to sink deeper.a. They are to light to sink deeper.b. This region of the ocean is very shallow. b. This region of the ocean is very shallow. c. Large organisms along the ocean floor c. Large organisms along the ocean floor will eat will eat them.them.d. Sunlight penetrates only for a few d. Sunlight penetrates only for a few hundred hundred meters. meters.