plankton
weekly swimming, free floating organism, important because they form the basis on food chains
phytoplankton
unicellular, plants
produce 50% of atmospheric oxygen and much of the dissolved oxygen for aquatic ecosystem
zooplanktons
animal, from unicellular consumer up to large animals like jellyfish
nekton
can swim, are consumers
benthos
live on the bottom on ocean
euphoric zone
upper layer in deep water habitats aka ‘‘photic zone’’ where sunlight can penetrate and photosynthesis can occur
aphotic zone
lower layer in deep water habitats, no photosynthesis
3 main aquatic biomes
marine, estuary, freshwater
example of estuary
costal wetlands, salt marshes, mangrove swamps
pelagic zone
open sea
benthic zone
on the bottom
intertidal zone
area of shoreline between hide and low tides
estuaries
where fresh and salt water meet
brackish
description of water that is fresh and salty mix
eco services of estuaries
filter toxic pollutants, excess plant nutrients, etc
reduce storms by absorbing waves and access water
that provide food, habitat, and nursery sites for organisms
how are mangroves being destroyed
seaside property, aquaculture, salt farming
barrier islands
low, narrow sandy islands that form offshore from costal line
swamps
wetland with trees
marshes
no trees
bogs
acid present, cranberries
littoral zone
shallow area of soil and water near the shore where plants can grow
limnetic zone
open water zone w algae but no plants
profundal zone
below limnetic zone, no photosynthesis
oligotrophic lakes
deep, nutrient poor, rocky bottom lakes
eutrophic lakes
shallow, increase nutrients
biosphere
the region of our planet on where life resides
geochemical cycle
elements and compounds cycling through the atmosphere and earth
biogeochemical cycle
nutrients cycling in a continuous flow in various forms from the environment to organisms and back
Major biogeochemical cycle
hydrologic cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle
carbon sinks
atmosphere, ocean, land
phosphorus cycle
The phosphorus cycle is a biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the Earth's ecosystems. It involves the transfer of phosphorus from the lithosphere (rock and soil) to plants, then to animals, and eventually back to the environment through decomposition and weathering processes. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for living organisms and plays a crucial role in processes such as DNA and RNA synthesis, energy transfer, and bone formation.
transpiration
water vapor from the surface of the leaves
evatranspiration
describes all water vapor, mostly from evaporation
infiltration
water entering soil
percolation
water filtering downwards
topography
changes in elevation
why do organisms need carbon
to provide energy
why do organisms need phosphorus
needed for DNA; component for ATP
why do organisms need nitrogen
needed both for DNA and amino acids which were the building blocks of protein
why do organisms need sulfur
needed for amino acids
gross primary productivity
total amount of energy (glucose) produced by photosynthesis in an area
net primary productivity
total amount of photosynthesis-cellular respiration