apes studying

Aquatic Biomes

Categories of ecosystems found in water, classified based on physical characteristics such as salinity, depth, and water flow. Broken down into two categories, freshwater and marine.

Freshwater Biomes

Aquatic ecosystems including streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands with low salinity.

Marine Biomes

Aquatic ecosystems including estuaries, coral reefs, mangrove swamps, and open ocean with higher salinity.

Littoral Zone

Shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow.

Limnetic Zone

Open water zone in lakes and ponds where light penetrates and supports photosynthesis.

Profundal Zone

Region of water in deep lakes where sunlight does not reach, located below the limnetic zone.

Benthic Zone

Muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean that supports various organisms.

Freshwater Wetlands

Aquatic biomes submerged or saturated by water for part of the year, supporting emergent vegetation.

Swamps

Wetlands dominated by emergent trees.

Marshes

Wetlands primarily containing non-woody vegetation, like cattails and sedges.

Bogs

Acidic wetlands that typically contain sphagnum moss and spruce trees.

Mangrove Swamp

Marine biome along tropical coasts, characterized by salt-tolerant trees with submerged roots.

Salt Marsh

Marine biome with non-woody emergent vegetation found in temperate coastal areas.

Coral Reef

Earth’s most diverse marine biome found in warm shallow waters, formed by coral animals.

Intertidal Zone

Coastal area between high and low tide, featuring diverse organisms accustomed to varying conditions.

Photic Zone

Upper layer of ocean water that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis.

Aphotic Zone

Deeper layer of ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis.