Aquatic Ecosystem

ESTUARIES

THIS HAPPENS WHEN A RIVER FLOWS INTO AN OCEAN.

THE ORGANISMS THAT LIVE THERE MUST BE ABLE TO TOLERATE WIDE SALINITY LEVELS AS IT CHANGED A LOT. THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES GREATLY AS WELL.

THE ESTUARIES ARE PLACES WHERE FISH GO TO LAY THERE EGGS AS THE AREA PROVIDES SHELTER FOR THEM TO GROW. THESE ESTUARIES BECOME EXTREMELY FULL IN CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR WHERE MANY FISH COME TO LAY EGGS.

MANY PEOPLE GO TO VISIT ESTUARIES AND LIVE ON THE COAST. THIS IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE POLLUTION AND AS WELL AS HOW MUCH SPACE THEY TAKE.

AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM DEPENDS ON THE SALINITY OF THE WATER. (HOW MUCH SALT IS IN THE WATER)

SALTWATER, FRESHWATER, OR BRACKISH.

THE AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT IS IMPORTANT FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS. THIS DEPENDS ON DEPTH AND WATER CLARITY.

AQUATIC ZONES: PHOTIC, APHOTIC, AND BENTHIC. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM

THESE ARE BODIES OF WATER THAT FLOW DOWN AND EVENTUALLY, REACH AN OCEAN OR SEA.

RIVERS AND STREAMS

WETLANDS ARE AREAS OF LAND THAT HAVE BEEN COVERED BY WATER. INCLUDES MARSHES, SWAMPS, BOGS, AND FENS.

WETLANDS

SALINITY IS VERY LOW.

THE FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS ARE NOT AS LARGE AS THE SALTWATER ECOSYSTEMS, THEREFORE IT IS HARDER TO FIND PLACES TO LIVE.

FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS HAVE THREE ZONES WHICH ARE DIVIDED HORIZONTALLY.LITTORAL AND LIMNETIC.

FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS

INTERTIDAL - THE SALINITY AND TEMPERATURE CHANGE A LOT.NERITIC - KELP FORESTS AND CORAL REEFS. THE NERITIC ZONES ALSO PREVENT EROSION.OPEN OCEAN - NOT AS MANY ANIMALS BECAUSE OF LOW LIGHT PENETRATION.

HORIZONTAL ZONES: INTERTIDAL, NERITIC, AND OPEN OCEAN.VERTICAL ZONES: PHOTIC, APHOTIC, AND BENTHIC.

OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS