Aquatic Biomes Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to aquatic biomes as presented in the lecture notes.

Salinity

The concentration of salt in water, affecting species survival and water drinkability.

Depth

The vertical distance of water that influences sunlight penetration and photosynthesis.

Flow

The movement of water that affects dissolved oxygen levels and plant survival.

Temperature

Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, impacting the amount of life it can support.

Freshwater Biomes

Biomes that include rivers, lakes, wetlands, and provide sources of drinking water.

Rivers

Freshwater bodies with high dissolved oxygen due to water movement and nutrient-rich sediments.

Lakes

Standing bodies of freshwater that can contain drinkable water.

Littoral Zone

The shallow area in freshwater biomes where emergent plants are found.

Limnetic Zone

The open water zone where sunlight penetrates and photosynthesis occurs.

Profundal Zone

The deep area of a lake with no sunlight, hence no photosynthesis.

Benthic Zone

The bottom layer of a body of water that is often murky and rich in nutrients.

Wetlands

Areas where soil is submerged or saturated with water for part of the year.

Swamps

Wetlands characterized by the presence of cypress trees adapted to submerged soils.

Marshes

Wetlands dominated by herbaceous plants such as reeds and cattails.

Bogs

Wetlands with acidic soil supporting spruce trees and sphagnum moss.

Estuaries

Biomes where freshwater from rivers mixes with saltwater from the oceans.

Coral Reefs

Biodiverse marine biomes found in warm, shallow waters composed of coral and algae.

Intertidal Zones

Coastal areas between high and low tide where species manage wave action and drying.

Open Ocean

The vast marine biome that has low productivity per unit area but is crucial for oxygen production.

Photic Zone

The upper layer of the ocean where sunlight penetrates, enabling photosynthesis.

Aphotic (Abyssal) Zone

The deep sea zone with no sunlight, where photosynthesis cannot occur.