Exploring aquatic life

Aquatic ecosystemsEcosystem- natural unit consisting of all

plants, animals, and micro-organisms (biotic factors) in an area functioning together with all the non-living physical (abiotic) factors of the environment

Aquatic ecosystem- all that in or around watertwo types

Marine Freshwater

FunctionRecycle nutrients- Carbon cycle, Nitrogen

cycle, etc.Purify waterPrevent floodingRecharge ground waterProvide habitat for wildlife.Human recreation

Ecosystem Diversity3 different types of ecosystems

SwampSaltmarshPondControl

Biodiversity- the variation of species in that ecosystemHigh biodiversity may contribute to greater resilience

of an ecosystemFocus on aquatic microorganism diversity

Important for Nutrient cycling Food chain

Comparing aquatic ecosystemsSwamp PondTree

vegetationNaturalShallow Subject to

natural impacts

Subject to pollution

Contain fish, algae, micro-organisms

Grass and tree vegetation

Natural or man made

Varying depthSubject to

natural impacts

Subject to pollution

Contain fish, algae, micro-organisms… etc

Intracoastal

Control

•Grass and tree vegetation•Man made•Human impacted•Subject to pollution•High salinity•Contains fish, algae, micro-organisms

•Tap water

Comparing aquatic ecosystemsCreate a hypothesis about how you think the

three ecosystems will be different or similar.Compare the three ecosystems and the

control ecosystem using the microfishing slides.

Questions to think about: How are the microorganisms alike and how

they are different?Is one ecosystem more diverse? Support your

thought.

HydrasIn the family with sea

anemones, corals, and jellyfish

One opening surrounded by tentacles. Takes in food and eliminates waste

Tentacles contain nematocysts

Move by use of foot

Green hydra Color comes from algae living in body

Brown hydra- tenticles three or four times the length of body

RotifersHave cilia on the

front of body that “rotate”

Found in all types of quiet waters

1,700 speciesAttach to surfaces

by secreting “glue” from foot

Collotheca

Sessile, long cilia that capture food

Keratella

Don’t have a tail, but are fast swimmers

Kellicottia

Lives in open waters, long spines help avoid predation

Microscopy-UK

Microscopy-UK

Microscopy-UK

CrustaceansMostly scavengers and

herbivores, can be predators or parasites

Marine and freshwater species

Water fleas (Cladocera)Abundant in freshwaterJerky movementsEat algae, microscopic

animals, and organic debris

Bosmina longirostris

Chydorus sphaericus

Daphnia pulex

Pictures courtesy of http://www.friendsofwarnhamlnr.org.uk/pondlife.html

CopepodsShallow and open

waterFemales carry egg 5-6 nauplius stages

before maturityEat algae, bacteria

and organic debris

Calanoids- Diaptomus, live in plankton and filter feed

Cyclopoid- cyclops, live in open water and seize prey

Nauplius- larvae of CyclopsPictures courtesy of

http://www.friendsofwarnhamlnr.org.uk/pondlife.html