AQUATIC HABITATS Rivers & Lakes Coral Reefs

Open Ocean

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

We have these habitats here in Cleveland!

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

All the rivers in the United States

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

The Great Lakes are the largest concentration of freshwater in the world!

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

The Great Lakes of Africa have the second largest

concentration of freshwater

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

The Nile is the longest river in the world at 4,258 miles

The Amazon is the second longest river in the world at

3,977 miles

The Amazon has the largest watershed of any river

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

Fish in Ohio’s Rivers & Lakes tend to be dull, dark colors to camouflage with plants

and rocks

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

Fish in flowing rivers typically have streamlined bodies and

wedge tails

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

Some fish do not play well with others and have bright color patterns as a warning sign.

Freshwater Rivers & Lakes

Rivers and Lakes often have plants, rocks, and logs

Coral Reefs

Coral Reefs are saltwater habitats found in the ocean

Coral Reefs

Swimming out from shore, you would see mangrove habitat, sea grass habitat, coral reef habitat, and finally open ocean habitat.

Coral Reefs

Most coral reefs are found in warm water along the equator

Fringing Reef

Barrier Reef

Atoll reef

There are different types of coral reefs.

Coral may look like plants, but are actually animals!

Coral Reefs

Coral feed with tentacles

Coral Reefs Coral have a symbiotic relationship with algae

called zooxanthellae

Corals provide structure & protection

Algae provide food

Coral Reefs

The color of a coral is actually the color of the zooxanthellae

Coral Reefs

There are 2 categories of corals: Hard & Soft

Coral Reefs

Hard corals build the rocky reef structure with their skeleton

Coral Reefs

The Great Barrier Reef coral structures are so massive they can be seen from an airplane

Coral Reefs

Soft corals live on the reef

structure but do not build it

Jellyfish

Coral

Coral are similar to sea anemones and jellyfish. They belong to the phylum cnidaria

Sea Anemone

Jellyfish Coral

Coral Reefs

Reef fish are often colorful to blend in with

bright coral

Coral Reefs

These fish have diverse body shapes to navigate

through the reefs

Coral Reefs

They are the 2nd most diverse habitat after the rainforest

Coral reefs contain 25% of all marine life Yet take up less than 1% of the ocean floor

Open Ocean

The Open Ocean is another saltwater habitat

Open Ocean

The Open Ocean consists of several zones

Open Ocean

Fish in the open ocean are good at swimming

constantly

Many small fish school together for

protection

Open Ocean

Most open ocean fish have

streamlined rocket shaped bodies

Open Ocean

There are no plants or corals in the open ocean. Fish often have no place to hide

Open Ocean

Or by blending in with their friends

Open ocean fish camouflage using countershading

Open Ocean

The open ocean is HUGE and much is still unexplored