Aquatic EcosystemsAquatic Ecosystems

Freshwater EcosystemsFreshwater Ecosystems• LakesLakes• PondsPonds• RiversRivers• StreamsStreams• MarshesMarshes• SwampsSwamps• BogsBogs

• Very small to very largeVery small to very large• Can be seasonalCan be seasonal• Zones according to depth and Zones according to depth and

distance from shoredistance from shore• Plankton and AlgaePlankton and Algae• May be less diverse due to May be less diverse due to

isolation; lakes are more diverse isolation; lakes are more diverse than ponds (size)than ponds (size)

Lakes and pondsLakes and ponds

Rivers and StreamsRivers and Streams• Flowing waterFlowing water• Young-higher altitude, Young-higher altitude,

fast flowing, clear, fast flowing, clear, high oxygen contenthigh oxygen content

• Old-lower altitude, Old-lower altitude, slower, muddy, lower slower, muddy, lower oxygen contentoxygen content

• Meanders and Meanders and changes shapechanges shape

• Oxbow LakesOxbow Lakes

WetlandsWetlands• Ecosystems in which the roots of Ecosystems in which the roots of

plants are submerged under water plants are submerged under water at least part of the year.at least part of the year.

MarshesMarshes• Very shallowVery shallow• Land occasionally exposedLand occasionally exposed• Soil saturatedSoil saturated• Often little or no oxygen in waterOften little or no oxygen in water• Primarily grasses, rushes, cattailsPrimarily grasses, rushes, cattails• Fresh, Salt, or BrackishFresh, Salt, or Brackish• Everglades are largest freshwater Everglades are largest freshwater

marsh in U.S.marsh in U.S.

SwampsSwamps

• Along rivers and flat land Along rivers and flat land • Water soakedWater soaked• Poor drainagePoor drainage• Trees and shrubsTrees and shrubs• Mangroves are tropical costalMangroves are tropical costal

BogsBogs• InlandInland• Little in or out flow of Little in or out flow of

waterwater• Sphagnum mossSphagnum moss• Accumulates as peatAccumulates as peat• Soil acidicSoil acidic• Slow decaySlow decay• Bog bodiesBog bodies

• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bog/

Benefits of WetlandsBenefits of Wetlands

• Breeding, feeding, and resting for waterfowlBreeding, feeding, and resting for waterfowl• Central flywayCentral flyway

• Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (salt marsh) Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (salt marsh) • Wetlands of International Importance (2002)Wetlands of International Importance (2002)• http://www.naturalkansas.org/quivira.htm

• Cheyenne Bottoms National Wildlife Refuge (fresh Cheyenne Bottoms National Wildlife Refuge (fresh water marsh)water marsh)

• Wetlands of International Importance (1988) Wetlands of International Importance (1988) • http://www.naturalkansas.org/cheyenne.htm• 19,857 acres19,857 acres• 45-90% of all North American birds stop here45-90% of all North American birds stop here

Benefits of Wetlands con’t.Benefits of Wetlands con’t.

• Act as filtersAct as filters• Flood protectionFlood protection• Refilling aquifersRefilling aquifers• Carbon trapsCarbon traps• Commercial productsCommercial products

Marine EcosystemsMarine Ecosystems• EstuariesEstuaries• Salt MarshesSalt Marshes• Mangrove SwampsMangrove Swamps• Coral ReefsCoral Reefs• Open OceanOpen Ocean

EstuariesEstuaries• Fresh water meets salt water Fresh water meets salt water

(brackish)(brackish)• Subject to tidesSubject to tides• Salinity varies Salinity varies

• depth, time of year, rate of flow, tidesdepth, time of year, rate of flow, tides• Very productiveVery productive

• Mix of water, lots of sun, high in Mix of water, lots of sun, high in nutrients (from land and ocean)nutrients (from land and ocean)

• Tides bring in oxygen and nutrient rich Tides bring in oxygen and nutrient rich water and take away wasteswater and take away wastes

• Breeding ground for many organismsBreeding ground for many organisms

Salt MarshesSalt Marshes• Flat, muddy wetlands often Flat, muddy wetlands often

surrounding Estuariessurrounding Estuaries• Formed by Formed by SubsidenceSubsidence• Influenced by tidesInfluenced by tides

• Exposed during dry periods and low tidesExposed during dry periods and low tides• Covered during wet periods and high Covered during wet periods and high

tidestides• Similar role to inland wetlandsSimilar role to inland wetlands• Provide detritus to the ocean and Provide detritus to the ocean and

estuariesestuaries

Mangrove SwampsMangrove Swamps• Mangroves are tropical costalMangroves are tropical costal• 800 species world-wide, 10 in U.S.800 species world-wide, 10 in U.S.• Mud and water are low in oxygenMud and water are low in oxygen

• Roots can grow up from below or down Roots can grow up from below or down from the branches to provide oxygenfrom the branches to provide oxygen

• Roots trap sediments and cause land Roots trap sediments and cause land growthgrowth

Coral ReefsCoral Reefs• Built on continental shelfBuilt on continental shelf• Found in warm, tropical watersFound in warm, tropical waters• High productivity, ‘tropical High productivity, ‘tropical

rainforests of the ocean’rainforests of the ocean’• Breeding and feeding groundsBreeding and feeding grounds

• 1/3 of all fish live on or depend on 1/3 of all fish live on or depend on coral reefscoral reefs

• Medicinal valueMedicinal value

Coral Reefs con’t.Coral Reefs con’t.• Very fragileVery fragile

• Skeletons made of calcium carbonate Skeletons made of calcium carbonate • Animal and alga in symbiotic relationshipAnimal and alga in symbiotic relationship• Need proper light, temps., and nutrientsNeed proper light, temps., and nutrients

• Can’t grow below a certain depthCan’t grow below a certain depth• Water quality indicatorWater quality indicator

• Human impactHuman impact• Blasting, collecting corals and fish, Blasting, collecting corals and fish,

pollution (chemicals and sediments)pollution (chemicals and sediments)

More About Corals!More About Corals!• Corals grow from shore outward or Corals grow from shore outward or

in a circle around an islandin a circle around an island• Outer corals get the oxygen and Outer corals get the oxygen and

nutrients and thrivenutrients and thrive• Inner corals die and form barrier Inner corals die and form barrier

reefs and lagoonsreefs and lagoons

Kelp ForestKelp Forest

• Cold-water counterpart to Coral ReefsCold-water counterpart to Coral Reefs• Types of Algae (Protists)Types of Algae (Protists)

• Green, Brown, and RedGreen, Brown, and Red• Red and Brown used in manufacturingRed and Brown used in manufacturing

• Ice cream, marshmallows, lotion, paintIce cream, marshmallows, lotion, paint• High productivityHigh productivity• Breeding, feeding groundsBreeding, feeding grounds• Holdfasts anchor in heavy wavesHoldfasts anchor in heavy waves• Bladders hold kelp uprightBladders hold kelp upright

• Also called Open OceanAlso called Open Ocean• Located beyond the continental shelfLocated beyond the continental shelf

• 90% of surface area of world ocean90% of surface area of world ocean• Very deep (up to 11,000 m)Very deep (up to 11,000 m)• Low productivityLow productivity

• Photic zone to 100 m deepPhotic zone to 100 m deep• Phytoplankton and ZooplanktonPhytoplankton and Zooplankton• Large herbivores and carnivoresLarge herbivores and carnivores

• Aphotic zone is ‘desert of the ocean’Aphotic zone is ‘desert of the ocean’• Scavengers feed on Scavengers feed on detritusdetritus

• Deep ocean ventsDeep ocean vents• Black SmokersBlack Smokers• Lots of lifeLots of life

OceanOcean

Ocean CurrentsOcean Currents• Surface Currents—control local climateSurface Currents—control local climate• Deep Currents—control global climateDeep Currents—control global climate

• MOC-Meridional Overturning Circulation MOC-Meridional Overturning Circulation • Density variesDensity varies

• Warm water is less dense so risesWarm water is less dense so rises• Cold water is more dense so sinksCold water is more dense so sinks• Salty water is more dense so sinksSalty water is more dense so sinks

• Salinity variesSalinity varies• More saline at equator-high evaporation More saline at equator-high evaporation

raterate• Less saline at poles-fresh water added by Less saline at poles-fresh water added by

melting icemelting ice

Deep Sea CreaturesDeep Sea Creatures