Download Ecology Chapter 7

Ecology
Chapter 7
Aquatic Ecosystems
Standard 5 - Biomes
Examine the major freshwater and marine
ecosystems
{CLE 3255.5.3,.4,.5}
Obj:
Describe the factors and characteristics
that determine each water biome and the
organisms that live there
Freshwater Biome*
Sec. 1: Freshwater
Ecosystems
Wetland - land that is periodically under
water
Factors that determine which
organisms live in an area are:
salinity, temperature, oxygen, sunlight,
and nutrients
Include: lakes, ponds, swamps, and
marshes
Types of Organisms
Plankton: float near the surface
2 Types:
1.) Phytoplankton - microscopic plants;
2.) Zooplankton - microscopic animals
Nekton: free swimming organisms fish, turtles, whales, etc.
Benthos: bottom dwellers - muscles,
worms, bacteria, etc.
Lakes and Ponds
Lakes, ponds, wetlands, rivers, streams
2 Zones:
1.) Littoral - near the shore;
2.) Benthic - bottom of the lake or pond
- decomposers, insect larvae, and
clams
Eutrophication - increase in the
amount of nutrients in an aquatic
ecosystems
Can cause damage to the lake and life
Swamps and Marshes
Swamps: dominated by woody plants
such as trees and shrubs
Occur on flat, poorly drained land often
near streams
Variety of plant and animal life exists
Swamp
Marshes
Contain non-woody plants such as
cattails
Florida Everglades is the largest
freshwater wetland in US
Occur in low, flat lands and have little
water movement
Several kinds of marshes each with it’s
own characteristics and salinity
Freshwater Marsh
Rivers
Most originate from snow melt in
mountains
Changes with the land and climate
through which it flows
Runoff effects the growth and health of
the water and organisms
Life adapts to the different parts of the
river (flow, temp, etc.)
Standard 5 - Biomes
Examine the major freshwater and marine
ecosystems
{CLE 3255.5.3,.4,.5}
Obj:
Describe the factors and characteristics
that determine each water biome and the
organisms that live there
Marine Biome*
Sec. 7-2: Marine Ecosystems
Located mainly in coastal areas and in
the open ocean
Organisms in coastal areas adapt to
changes in water level and salinity
In open ocean they adapt to
temperature, amount of sunlight and
nutrients
Coastal Wetlands
Covered by salt water for all or part of
the time
Estuaries, Marshes, and Swamps
Provide habitat and nesting for many
fish and wildlife
Absorb excess rain, protects areas
from flooding
Estuaries
An area in which fresh water from rivers
mixes with salt water from the ocean
Very productive ecosystems because
they constantly receive fresh nutrients
Estuaries: Plants and Animals
Receives lots of sunlight and plenty of
nutrients for plants and animals
Provide protected harbors and access
to the ocean, and connection to the
river
Threats to Estuaries
In populated areas, used as places to
dump wastes
Pollutants can destroy; breaks down
over time, but estuaries cannot cope
with the amounts produced by large
human populations
Salt Marshes
Develop in estuaries where rivers dump
mineral rich mud
Breeding ground for clams, fish, birds,
shrimps, and crabs
Absorb pollutants and protect inland
areas
Mangrove Swamps
Located along coastal areas of tropical
and subtropical zones
Mangrove trees dominate these areas
Grow partly submerged in warm
shallow waters
Help protect the coastline from erosion
and reduce damage from storms
Rocky and Sandy Shores
Rocky shores have more plants and
animals than sandy shores
Rocks provide anchors and protection
to the organisms
Sandy shores often dry out and
organisms get stranded
Coral Reefs
Built by tiny coral animals that secrete
limestone which slowly accumulate to
form the coral reef
Live only in clear and warm salt water
with sunlight for photosynthesis
Among the most diverse ecosystem on
Earth
Two types of Corals
Hard Coral
Brain Coral and
elkhorn coral
Build coral reefs
Soft Coral
Sea fingers and sea
whips
Do not build coral
reefs
Types of Reefs
Fringing reefs are reefs that form along a
coastline. They grow on the continental shelf in
shallow water.
Barrier reefs grow parallel to shorelines, but
farther out, usually separated from the land by a
deep lagoon.
Coral Atolls are rings of coral that grow on top
of old, sunken volcanoes in the ocean.
Humans and coral reefs
Fragile ecosystem
27% of coral reefs in the world are in
danger of destruction from human
activities
Oil spills, sewage, pesticides, and silt
runoff have been linked to coral reef
destruction
Human interaction (cont.)
Over fishing can deplete fish
populations and upset the reefs
balance
Reefs grow slowly so may not be able
to overcome repair the damage
Oceans
Sunlight that is usable only goes to about
100m (330ft) into the ocean before the
sunlight is absorbed
Much of the oceans life is concentrated in the
shallow, coastal waters
Seaweed and algae grow anchored to rocks,
phytoplankton float near the surface,
invertebrates that feed on these are also
concentrated near the shore
Plants and Animals of the
Ocean
In open ocean; least productive of all
ecosystems
Phytoplankton only grow in area where there
is enough sunlight
Zooplankton live near the surface with the
phytoplankton they feed on
The larger organisms come closer to the
surface to feed on these organisms
Decomposers, filter feeders that do not
depend on sunlight dwell in the depths
Sunlit zone or the Euphotic zone
Plants
Primary Producers
Free-floating algae -often called seaweed
Red algae
Green algae
Brown algae
Phytoplankton -- tiny,
one-celled
photosynthetic plankton
like diatoms,
dinoflagellates,
Animals
include most
ocean
fishincluding:
sharks and rays,
man-o'-war,
jellyfish, sea
turtles, seals,
coral, and
zooplankton
Intertidal zone: where the land and
sea meet
Threats to Oceans
Steadily becoming polluted
Most pollution come from activities on land
due to runoff
Over-fishing and certain fishing methods also
destroying fish populations
Nets can drown or strangle animals that must
return to the surface to breathe when they
get caught in them
Artic & Antartic Ecosystems
Artic Ocean gets nutrients from the
surrounding land masses
Supports whales, seals, ocean birds, polar
bears, and provide food for people
Antartic only continent never colonized by
humans - used mainly for research
Only a few plants grow
Artic plankton feed the fish, whales, and
penguins that live there