1. Aquatic Ecosystems -Determined by WATER characteristics -depth -flow -temperature -dissolved chemicals

2. Freshwater Biomes -Salt concentration < 1% -Ponds and Lakes (standing-water) -Streams and Rivers (flowing-water) -Wetlands (can be either)

3. Ponds and Lakes -Lentic Systems= non-flowing water -Range in size -Limited species diversity -”Zones” determined by depth

4. Ponds and Lakes Food webs based on plankton Zooplankton: feed on phytoplankton Phytoplankton: glean nutrients from water or sun

5. Ponds and Lakes Littoral Zone Limnetic Zone Profundal Zone

6. Streams and Rivers -Lotic Systems = flowing water -Moves in one direction -Characteristics change from source to mouth -High species diversity

7. Wetlands -Areas of standing water that support aquatic life -Highest species diversity -May be dry part of year

8. Wetlands Bog: forms in depressions, very acidic and mossy Marsh: along rivers, has tall grasses Swamp: slow water flow, has trees and shrubs

9. Marine Ecosystems -Saltwater ecosystems -Oceans -Coral Reefs -Estuaries

10. Marine Ecosystems -Horizontal zones divided into intertidal, coastal, open ocean -Longitudinal zones determined by depth -Benthic zone: ocean floor

11. Marine Ecosystems • 3/4 of world’s surface • major impact on climate, wind patterns, • algae supply most of world’s oxygen

12. Marine

13. Zoning in Marine Ecosystems • Photic (200 m), aphotic zones (vertical) • Intertidal • wetted, dried from tides • Zonation of organisms • Coastal -shallow regions over continental shelves • Lots of photosynthesis • Kelp forests • Oceanic-beyond shelves - open ocean • Covers 90% of the ocean • productivity is in photic zone • At depths: cold, high water pressure, no light

14. Deep sea fishes

15. Oceans Benthic Zone: The ocean floor (no matter the depth) Detritivores feed on litter from above Abyssal producers feed on hydrothermic vent chemicals

16. Coral Reefs -Found in warm, shallow, salty water -High productivity -Dominant organism is coral (similar to jellyfish, but secrete a hard calcium carbonate skeleton) - Coral and algae have mutualistic relationship

18. Estuaries -Where ocean water meets fresh water “Brackish” water

19. Estuaries • Freshwater rivers merge with oceans • Lots of detritivores (clams, worms, sponges) • Salt marshes: grasses above low tide line • Mangrove swamps: in tropical regions

20. Estuaries • Not very diverse - few species tolerant of salinity • BUT Very productive (supports lots of biomass)- oysters, crabs, fish, waterfowl • Most in danger from water pollution