Chapter 6-AQUATIC BiomesChapter 6-AQUATIC BiomesMajor Ecosystems of the WorldMajor Ecosystems of the World

Questions of the day:Questions of the day:o Name five unique characteristics of Name five unique characteristics of

aquatic biomes.aquatic biomes.

o Name some adaptations of aquatic Name some adaptations of aquatic organisms.organisms.

o Name two-three human impacts on Name two-three human impacts on aquatic systems.aquatic systems.

Great Barrier ReefGreat Barrier Reefo http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014

/10/28/353290458/as-great-barrier-reef-ails-australia-scrambles-to-save-it

Earth’s Major BiomesEarth’s Major Biomeso BiomeBiome

• A large, relatively distinct terrestrial region A large, relatively distinct terrestrial region with a similar climate soil, plants, and animals, with a similar climate soil, plants, and animals, regardless of where it occurs in the worldregardless of where it occurs in the world

• Nine major biomes Nine major biomes o Location of each biome is primarily Location of each biome is primarily

determined by:determined by:• Temperature (varies with both latitude and Temperature (varies with both latitude and

elevation)elevation)• PrecipitationPrecipitation

o Biomes can also be defined byBiomes can also be defined by• Winds, rapid temperature changes, fires, Winds, rapid temperature changes, fires,

floods, etc.floods, etc.

Aquatic EcosystemAquatic Ecosystemo Fundamental DivisionFundamental Division

• Freshwater Freshwater • Saltwater Saltwater

o Aquatic Ecosystems also affected byAquatic Ecosystems also affected by• Dissolved oxygen level, light penetration, Dissolved oxygen level, light penetration,

pH, presence/absence of currentspH, presence/absence of currentso Three main ecological categories of Three main ecological categories of

organismsorganisms• Plankton- free floatingPlankton- free floating• Nekton- strong swimmingNekton- strong swimming• Benthos- bottom dwellingBenthos- bottom dwelling

Freshwater EcosystemsFreshwater Ecosystemso Includes:Includes:

• Rivers and streams (lotic)Rivers and streams (lotic)• Lakes and ponds (lentic)Lakes and ponds (lentic)• Marshes and swampsMarshes and swamps

o Represent 2% of earth’s surfaceRepresent 2% of earth’s surfaceo Assist in recycling water back to the Assist in recycling water back to the

oceansoceans

Rivers and Rivers and StreamsStreams

o Changes greatly Changes greatly from headwater to from headwater to mouthmouth

o HeadwatersHeadwaters• Shallow, cool, swiftly Shallow, cool, swiftly

flowing, high flowing, high oxygenatedoxygenated

o MouthMouth• Not as cool, slower Not as cool, slower

flowing, less oxygen flowing, less oxygen in waterin water

Lakes and PondsLakes and Pondso Body of freshwater that does not flowBody of freshwater that does not flowo Three zonesThree zones

• LittoralLittoral• LimneticLimnetic• ProfundalProfundal

o Experience thermal stratification Experience thermal stratification (depending on depth)(depending on depth)

Lakes and PondsLakes and Pondso Littoral Zone - shallow water area along Littoral Zone - shallow water area along

the shorethe shoreo Limnetic Zone - open water beyond the Limnetic Zone - open water beyond the

littoral zonelittoral zoneo Profundal Zone - beneath the limnetic Profundal Zone - beneath the limnetic

zone of deep lakeszone of deep lakes

Thermal StratificationThermal Stratificationo Temperature Temperature

changes sharply changes sharply with depthwith depth

o ThermoclineThermocline• Temperature Temperature

transition between transition between warmer surface warmer surface water and colder water and colder water at depthwater at depth

• Only present in Only present in warm monthswarm months

Fall TurnoverFall Turnover

WetlandsWetlandso Examples: marshes, swamps, bogsExamples: marshes, swamps, bogso Lands that shallow, fresh water covers for at least part Lands that shallow, fresh water covers for at least part

of the yearof the year• Characteristic soil- water logged and anaerobic for periods of Characteristic soil- water logged and anaerobic for periods of

timetime

• Water tolerant Water tolerant vegetationvegetation

o Were once regularly filled Were once regularly filled inin• More recently their More recently their

ecosystem services ecosystem services have been better have been better recognizedrecognized

• Flood protection, waterFlood protection, waterfiltering, etc.filtering, etc.

EvergladesEvergladeso What do you know about the What do you know about the

everglades?everglades?

o What kinds of animals live there?What kinds of animals live there?

o Has anyone ever been to the Has anyone ever been to the everglades?everglades?

Check this out!Check this out!

EstuariesEstuarieso Where freshwater and saltwater mixWhere freshwater and saltwater mixo Highly variable environmentHighly variable environment

• Temperature, salinity, depth of light Temperature, salinity, depth of light penetrationpenetrationo Highly productiveHighly productive

• Nutrients transported Nutrients transported from landfrom land

• Tidal action promotes Tidal action promotes rapid circulation of rapid circulation of nutrientsnutrients

• High level of light High level of light penetrates shallow waterpenetrates shallow water

• Many plants provide Many plants provide photosynthetic carpetphotosynthetic carpet

Marine EcosystemsMarine Ecosystemso Subdivided into life zonesSubdivided into life zones

• Intertidal zoneIntertidal zone• Benthic zoneBenthic zone• Pelagic environmentPelagic environment

• Neritic ProvinceNeritic Province• Oceanic ProvinceOceanic Province

Marine EcosystemsMarine Ecosystems

Intertidal ZoneIntertidal Zoneo Area of shoreline between low and high tidesArea of shoreline between low and high tideso HabitatHabitat

• Sandy or Sandy or rockyrocky

o MusclesMuscleso CrabsCrabso AlgaeAlgaeo OystersOysterso BarnaclesBarnacleso Animals Animals

must adapts must adapts to changing to changing conditionsconditions

Benthic ZoneBenthic Zoneo Ocean floor, extending from tidal zone Ocean floor, extending from tidal zone

to deep sea trenchesto deep sea trencheso Sediment is mostly mudSediment is mostly mud

• Burrowing worms and clamsBurrowing worms and clamso Three zoneThree zone

• Bathyal: 200m - 4000m deepBathyal: 200m - 4000m deep• Abyssal: 4000m -6000m deepAbyssal: 4000m -6000m deep• Hadal: 6000m – bottom of deep sea Hadal: 6000m – bottom of deep sea

trenchestrenches

Sea grass bedsSea grass beds

Kelp forestsKelp forests

Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

Productive Benthic CommunitiesProductive Benthic Communitieso Seagrass BedsSeagrass Beds

• Present to depth of 10 mPresent to depth of 10 m• Provide food and habitat to ecosystemProvide food and habitat to ecosystem

o Kelp ForestKelp Forest• 60-m long brown algae found off rocky shores60-m long brown algae found off rocky shores• Diversity of life supported by kelp rivals coral Diversity of life supported by kelp rivals coral

reefsreefso Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

• Built from accumulated layers of CaCOBuilt from accumulated layers of CaCO33• Colonies of millions of tiny coral animalsColonies of millions of tiny coral animals

• Found in shallow warm waterFound in shallow warm water• Most diverse of all marine environmentsMost diverse of all marine environments

Productive Benthic CommunitiesProductive Benthic Communities

Left: Seagrass BedLeft: Seagrass Bed

Right: Kelp ForestRight: Kelp Forest

Coral Reef Coral Reef EnvironmentsEnvironments

o Three types of Three types of coral reefscoral reefs• Fringing reef- Fringing reef-

directly attach to directly attach to continent- no continent- no lagoonlagoon

• Atoll- circular reef Atoll- circular reef in a lagoonin a lagoon

• Barrier reef- Barrier reef- separates lagoon separates lagoon from oceanfrom ocean

Human Impact on Coral ReefsHuman Impact on Coral Reefso SedimentationSedimentation

• From clear-cutting upstreamFrom clear-cutting upstreamo OverfishingOverfishingo Coral bleachingCoral bleachingo Mining of corals as building materialsMining of corals as building materialso Runoff pollutionRunoff pollution

Pelagic EnvironmentPelagic Environmento All the open ocean waterAll the open ocean watero Two main divisionsTwo main divisions

• Neritic ProvinceNeritic Province• Water that overlies the continental shelf (to Water that overlies the continental shelf (to

depth of 200 m)depth of 200 m)• Organisms are all floaters or swimmersOrganisms are all floaters or swimmers

• Oceanic ProvinceOceanic Province• Water that overlies depths greater than 200 mWater that overlies depths greater than 200 m• 75% of world’s ocean75% of world’s ocean• Most organisms are dependent on marine snowMost organisms are dependent on marine snow• Organisms are filter feeders, scavengers and Organisms are filter feeders, scavengers and

predatorspredators

Human Impacts on the OceanHuman Impacts on the Ocean