The Aquatic The Aquatic EnvironmentEnvironment

EstuariesEstuaries

• A coastal body of A coastal body of water surrounded water surrounded by land with by land with access to the access to the open ocean.open ocean.• Salt water marshSalt water marsh

EstuariesEstuaries• Fed by fresh water rivers Fed by fresh water rivers and streams.and streams.

• Salinity changes based on Salinity changes based on precipitation and tides. precipitation and tides.

•Brackish water

EstuariesEstuarieso Among the most fertile in the Among the most fertile in the

world!world!o Tidal action keeps nutrients mixed and

removes wasteo Wash of nutrients from land empty hereo Shallow water allows for abundance of

light to the bottomo Roots of plants trap detritus matter

EstuariesEstuarieso Nursery for Oceanic food web

o Presence of many plantso Many fin fishes, shell fish and

crustacean spend their larval stages here

o Ecologically sensitive!Ecologically sensitive!

EstuariesEstuarieso MangroveMangrove

o (tropical equivalent to (tropical equivalent to estuaries)estuaries)

o 70% of coast line70% of coast lineo Root systems assist inRoot systems assist in

o Preventing erosionPreventing erosiono Provide a barrier Provide a barrier

against stormsagainst storms

The Open OceanThe Open Ocean

HydrosphereHydrosphere Divided intoDivided into

Intertidal Intertidal BenthicBenthicPelagic:Pelagic:

Neritic Neritic ProvinceProvince

Oceanic Oceanic ProvinceProvince

Benthic EnvironmentBenthic Environment

• Consists of sand and mudConsists of sand and mud• Shallow waters consist of:Shallow waters consist of:

• Kelp forestKelp forest• Seaweed bedsSeaweed beds• Coral reefsCoral reefs

Coral reefs are often Coral reefs are often nutrient poor!nutrient poor!

Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

• Considered to Considered to be the most be the most diverse of all diverse of all marine marine environmentsenvironments• Fish and Fish and

invertebratesinvertebrates

Neritic ProvinceNeritic Province

Neritic ProvinceNeritic Province

• Open oceanOpen ocean• Overlies the Overlies the

• Continental shelfContinental shelf• Shore line to 200m (650 ft.) deepShore line to 200m (650 ft.) deep

• Organisms are floaters and Organisms are floaters and swimmersswimmers

• The Photic zoneThe Photic zone

Oceanic ProvinceOceanic Province

• Part of the ocean Part of the ocean that covers the that covers the deep ocean basindeep ocean basin

• Largest marine Largest marine environment (75% environment (75% of Earth’s water is of Earth’s water is in this zone)in this zone)

Oceanic ProvinceOceanic Province

• Characterized byCharacterized by• Cold tempsCold temps• High hydrostatic High hydrostatic

pressurepressure• AphoticAphotic• All of these All of these

conditions are conditions are constant throughout constant throughout the yearthe year

Oceanic ProvinceOceanic Province

• Occupied by filter feeders, Occupied by filter feeders, scavengers and predatorsscavengers and predators

Oceanic ProvinceOceanic Province

• Some invertabrates reach great Some invertabrates reach great size:size:• Giant squid reaches up to 18m (59 ft)Giant squid reaches up to 18m (59 ft)

• Location of thermal vents and Location of thermal vents and ecosystems supported by high ecosystems supported by high pressure, high temps, and acidic pressure, high temps, and acidic waterwater

The Abyssal The Abyssal

Area of the Area of the ocean where ocean where the temp is the temp is coldcold And the And the

pressure is pressure is extremeextreme

Fresh Water Fresh Water EcosystemsEcosystems

Characterized by three Characterized by three ZonesZonesLittoralLittoralLimneticLimneticProfundalProfundal

Fresh Water Fresh Water EcosystemsEcosystems

Littoral zone: Littoral zone: Shallow water areas along Shallow water areas along shore line this is the most shore line this is the most productive zone of the lakeproductive zone of the lake

Fresh Water Fresh Water EcosystemsEcosystems

Limnetic zone:Limnetic zone:Open water away from the Open water away from the littoral zone.littoral zone.

Depth is as far as the light Depth is as far as the light will penetratewill penetrate

Fresh Water Fresh Water EcosystemsEcosystems

Profundal zone:Profundal zone:Non photo layerNon photo layer

No algae or other plantsNo algae or other plantsDecomposition areaDecomposition area

Mineral rich and oxygen Mineral rich and oxygen deficientdeficient

Fresh Water Fresh Water EcosystemsEcosystems

Thermal StratificationThermal StratificationMarked layering of Marked layering of temperatures at different temperatures at different depthsdepths

Fresh Water Fresh Water EcosystemsEcosystems

Thermal Stratification:Thermal Stratification:In summer cool water stays at In summer cool water stays at bottom.bottom.

In fall – as temps cool mixing In fall – as temps cool mixing occurs, causing the water at occurs, causing the water at the bottom to rise in the the bottom to rise in the water column bringing the water column bringing the nutrients with it.nutrients with it.

Thermal Thermal StratificationStratification

In Spring:In Spring:

as ice melts the water as ice melts the water reaches 4reaches 400C.C.

Surface water sinks to the Surface water sinks to the bottom and bottom water bottom and bottom water rises to the surface again.rises to the surface again.

Thermal Thermal StratificationStratification

This will This will cause the cause the water to water to have a have a “smell” and “smell” and a different a different “taste” to it.“taste” to it.