1. Categorized by depth, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen
Freshwater : streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands
Marine: estuaries, intertidal zones, coral reefs and open oceans
Aquatic Biomes

2. Originate from underground springs or as runoff from rain or melting snow.
Few plants or algae to act as PP. Inputs of organic matter are from terrestial biomes (falling leaves)
Rivers & Streams

3. Lakes and Ponds Standing water. Divided into several zones
Littoral Zone: Shallow area near shore where emergent plants and algae grow. Photosynthesis occurs
Limnetic Zone: Open water. Rooted plants can no loner survive. Phytoplankton are the only photosynthetic organisms. Extends as deep as sunlight penetrates
Profundal Zone: No sunlight. Producers cannot survive. Bacteria decompose detritus, consuming oxygen in the process. DO levels not sufficient to support large organisms.
Benthic Zone: Muddy bottom of the lake or pond.
Lakes and Ponds

4. Lake Zones

5. Freshwater Wetland Swamps: emergent trees
Marshes : nonwoody vegetation
Bogs: acidic wetlands – sphagnum moss and spruce trees
Take in large amounts of rainwater and release slowly into groundwater or streams. Therefore, reducing flooding
Filter pollutants
Recharge groundwater
Migration and breeding ground for birds and fish
½ of US wetlands have been drained for agriculture or urbanization
Freshwater Wetland

6. SWAMP MARSH

7. Salt Marshes Many organisms found in estuaries: Very productive areas
Where freshwater of a river meets saltwater of the ocean
Very productive areas
2/3 of marine fish and shellfish spend larval stages in an estuary
Salt Marshes

8. Coral Reefs Found in warm shallow waters Large diversity of organisms
Great Barrier Reef:
400 sp. Of coral
1500 sp of fish
200 sp of birds
Coral Bleeching: Algae inside the coral dies. w/o the algae the coral die, turning the reef white.
Coral digests food, releasing CO2. The algae use the CO2 during photosynthesis and produce sugar for the coral. Symbiotic relationship.
Coral Reefs

9. Coral Bleeching

10. Coastline between high tide and low tide
Lowtide:Organisms have a high tolerance for exposure to direct sunlight, high temperatures and desiccation.
Hightide: Organisms must anchor themselves against the force of wave motion
Intertidal Zone

11. Open Ocean

12. Euphotic Zone: Upper layer of the ocean with available sunlight
Euphotic Zone: Upper layer of the ocean with available sunlight. Phytoplankton found here. Rich in DO. Many large predatory fish. Low in nutrients (unless ‘upwelling’ area)
Bathyl Zone: Mid-layer, twilight, no photosynthetic organisms, Low DO. Small fish and zooplankton.
Abyssal Zone: No sunlight, Plenty of nutrients. “Marine Snow”
The deeper the water : less sunlight, DO and temperature falls
Open Ocean

13. phytoplankton

14. Ocean food chain

15. Bioaccumulation: the accumulation of toxins in the tissue of living organisms (Toxins cannot be broken down )
Biomagnification: the increasing concentration of toxin molecules at successively higher trophic levels in a food chain.
Biomagnification