Aquatic Biomes - week 2 - Lecture notes 2 PDF

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Ecology Week 2 Aquatic Biomes “Water depth / Salinity / Water Flow” 1. Freshwater Streams & Rivers; -Iotic, flowing systems -Transports sediments and pollutants -riparian zone [band of terrestrial vegetation, attached by flooding and exchanges nutrients] -Allochthonous inputs external organic matter [riparian tree leaves fall into the water] -Autochthonous inputs internal organic matter [algae and aquatic plants] -Issues; pollution/desiccation [use of water] /Dams/Overfishing/Stocking on nonnative fish for recreation. -Adaptions; morphology changes to fight the current. 2. Freshwater Ponds & Lakes; -Lentic, not flowing systems -Formed as glaciers retreat, form zones; -littoral zone; shallow area [edge] with rooted vegetation -pelagic / limnetic zone; open water, dominant photosynthetic organisms -Benthic zone; Area of sediment at the bottom of the lake or pond -Profundal zone; part of the lake too deep to receive sunlight. Stratification; no mixing of water [warm flows on top of cool dense water → fish may die-off or rapid plankton growth [blocks sunlight]] Adaption; webbed feet or air bubbles 3. Freshwater Wetlands; -Standing water / water-saturated soil -swamps/marshes/bogs [natural water filters] -peat bogs for carbon storage [major carbon emissions when disturbed.] -Adaptations; aerenchyma [roots always under water] are hollow and spongy tissue to allow air to flow through them. 4. Salt Marshes & Estuaries; -Some water flows but a mix of freshwater and salt. -Estuaries receive sediments from rivers -Tidal marshes create productive habitats full of nutrients. Rapidly degraded with coastal developments. -Adaptions; eurhalinity [ability to cope with a variety of salinity conditions] 5. Mangrove Swamps; -Saltwater and salt-tolerant trees -marine nurseries; prevent coastal erosion

Ecology Week 2 -Adaption; aerial roots [ group together to share O2] 6. Intertidal Zones; -land under the influence of the ocean/sea tides -species are adapted to changing conditions [flooded /dry] -shorebirds specialise in feeling here -Adaption; shells/anchors to prevent wave action 7. Coral Reefs; -underwater, warm, shallow -Coral & Algae mutualism, high biodiversity -Issue; coral bleaching due to higher sea temperatures Adaptations; maneuverability; laterally compressed bodies with fins to move quickly between the reefs. 8. Open Ocean; a. Neritic Zone; lowest tidal level to depths of 200m [region of high productivity. b. Oceanic Zone; beyond the neritic, sparse nutrients, production limited c. Photic Zone; top part of the ocean with light for photosynthesis d. Aphotic Zone; no light / very little production e. Benthic; sea floor -Adaptions; bioluminescence for vision -Issues; conservation is hard as the oceans are not owned or enforced....