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Freshwater Environments

Freshwater Environments. Types of Fresh Water. Above ground (surface water) Underground (ground water) Frozen water These systems are all linked together so damage to one can cause damage to another How this ties into water system: Precipitation falls

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Freshwater Environments

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  1. Freshwater Environments

  2. Types of Fresh Water • Above ground (surface water) • Underground (ground water) • Frozen water • These systems are all linked together so damage to one can cause damage to another • How this ties into water system: Precipitation falls • Turns into groundwater (soaks into ground) • Or run-off (doesn’t soak into ground or evaporate)

  3. Freshwater Environments • Classified by how water moves • rivers (fast moving)  lakes/ponds  marshes/wetlands (slow moving) • Wetlands – a lowland area saturated with moisture, a natural habitat for wildlife • Pond – sunlight shines to the bottom • Lakes – no sunlight at bottom • Lakes and ponds store run-off as a part of the water cycle, provide habitat for plants and animals, and allow rooted plants to grow and filter water through natural processes

  4. More Freshwater Environments • Stream – small, fast-flowing body of water • River – large body of moving water • Marsh – up to 2 meters deep, floating plants • Swamp – contains shrubs and trees and wet soil that is frequently flooded • Bogs – filled with decaying plant matter (peat), has piled up in layers over the years. Ground is quite spongy, there is very little life due to acidic conditions • Sloughs – small, marshy pools or lake produced by rain or melting snow that fill a depression in the land. Small “pothole” sloughs cover the prairies and are the most important nesting area for ducks on the continent

  5. Wetlands • Wetlands are found alongside other bodies of water • One quarter of all wetlands in the world are in Canada • Wetlands are very important: • The vegetation removes pollutants from the water • They act as a reservoir to prevent flooding • Many fish and animals live there • Thick vegetation helps stabilize surrounding soils • Many endangered species live parts of their lives there

  6. Run-off and Erosion Deposition • Run-off - water that is not absorbed by the ground • Erosion – the result of forces (including gravity) that act on rocks and soil to change their shape • Deposition – when eroded material is dropped or left behind; both visible and not visible • Estuaries – formed when a river empties into an area of the ocean that is partially enclosed. They are ecologically very rich because rivers carry nutrients downstream

  7. Rivers, Streams and Estuaries • There are many plants and animals living in these moving waters • What can live in these moving waters depends on: • The temperature of the water • The speed the water is moving • The turbidity of the water • Changes in variety or productivity of species in waterways can reveal potential problems • Estuaries are nutrient-rich, brackish water

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