APES 1.3 - Aquatic Biomes

aquatic biomes

an aquatic region characterized by a combination of salinity, depth, and water flow

salinty

salt content in a body of water; determines which species can survive and usability for drinking

depth

influences how much sunlight can penetrate and reach plants below surface (for photosynthesis)

flow

determines which plants and organisms can survive and how much O2 can dissolve into water

temperature

warmer water holds less dissolved O2 so it supports fewer aquatic organisms (“thermal pollution”)

rivers

have high O2 due to flow mixing air and water; carry nutrient rich sediments

lakes

standing bodies of freshwater (key source of drinking water)

littoral

shallow water with emergent plants

limnetic

light can penetrate (photosynthesis possible); no rooted plants, only phytoplankton

profundral

too deep for sunlight (photosynthesis not possible)

benthic

murky bottom where invertebrates (bigs) live; has nutrient-rich sediments

wetland

area with soil submerged/saturated in water for at least part of the year, shallow enough for emergent plants

benefits of wetlands ($$$)

• stores excess water during storms, lessening floods

• recharges groundwater by absorbing rainfall into soil

• roots of wetland plants filter pollutants from water draining through

• high plant growth due to lots of water and nutrients (dead organic matter) in sediments

estuaries

mix of fresh and saltwater from rivers emptying into oceans

high productivity due to nutrients in sediments deposited in estuaries by river

salt marshes

estuary habitats along coast in temperate climates; breeding ground for fish and shellfish species

mangrove swamps

estuary habitats along coast of tropical climates

trees have long, stilted roots to stabilize shoreline and to provide habitat for many species of fish and shellfish

coral reef

warm shallow waters beyond shoreline; most diverse marine biome

coral is a mutualistic relationship between coral and algae

intertidal zones

narrow bond of coastline between high tide and low tide

open ocean

low productivity per area, algae and phytoplankton can survive in most of ocean

large enough that algae and phytoplankton of ocean produce a lot of earths O2 and absorb atmospheric CO2

photic zone

where sunlight can reach (photosynthesis)

aphotic zone

abyssal; too deep for sunlight