Wet LandsFresh Water Marine

Aquatic Biome

Earth: The Water PlanetEarth: The Water Planet

The freshwater The freshwater biome includes:biome includes:o pondspondso lakeslakeso streams streams o riversrivers

¾ of the Earth is covered ¾ of the Earth is covered in waterin water

Freshwater BiomeFreshwater Biome The fresh water biome is part The fresh water biome is part

of the Aquatic biome that by of the Aquatic biome that by its nature its nature contains little saltcontains little salt. . (low salinity) Usually less (low salinity) Usually less than 1%.than 1%.

One of the most important One of the most important abiotic factors that influences abiotic factors that influences the freshwater biome is the freshwater biome is sunlight,sunlight, which is necessary which is necessary for photosynthesis.for photosynthesis.

Water absorbs sunlight, so Water absorbs sunlight, so there is only enough sunlight there is only enough sunlight for photosynthesis near the for photosynthesis near the surface or in the shallow surface or in the shallow water.water.

Algae are the main producers Algae are the main producers of the fresh water biome.of the fresh water biome.

Energy Transformation: radiant chemical (radiant energy is converted to chemical energy as plants make their food in the process of photosynthesis)

Freshwater LocationFreshwater Location

Freshwater can be found all over the world and covers 1/5 of the Earth’s surface.

Pick a Partner Pick a Partner (sitting next to you)(sitting next to you)

Person on the left-Tell your partner what a Person on the left-Tell your partner what a BIOTICBIOTIC

factor is.factor is.

Person on the right- Give 3 examples of Person on the right- Give 3 examples of BIOTIC BIOTIC factors.factors.

Person on the right- Tell your partner what an Person on the right- Tell your partner what an ABIOTIC ABIOTIC factor is.factor is.

Person on the left- Give 3 examples of Person on the left- Give 3 examples of ABITOIC ABITOIC factors.factors.

Abiotic and BioticAbiotic and BioticFactors of theFactors of the

Freshwater Biome Freshwater BiomeAbiotic Factors Abiotic Factors

(non-living)(non-living) the speed of the the speed of the

water flowwater flow Climate (average Climate (average

weather)weather) and amount of and amount of

sunlight.sunlight.

Biotic Factors Biotic Factors (living)(living)

Freshwater biomes Freshwater biomes contain about 12 contain about 12 percent of the worlds percent of the worlds known known animals animals

40 percent of the 40 percent of the worlds fish species worlds fish species are located in the are located in the Freshwater biome.Freshwater biome.

Many types of plants Many types of plants also live in the also live in the freshwater biome.freshwater biome.

Ponds and LakesPonds and Lakes

Ponds and lakes are bodies of standing (still) fresh Ponds and lakes are bodies of standing (still) fresh water.water.

Many have limited biodiversity Many have limited biodiversity (the number of and (the number of and variety of organisms found in an areavariety of organisms found in an area) because ) because they are isolated from one another and from other they are isolated from one another and from other water sources such as rivers and oceans.water sources such as rivers and oceans.

Ponds and lakes are divided into zones based on the Ponds and lakes are divided into zones based on the depth and distance from the shoreline.depth and distance from the shoreline.– Littoral ZoneLittoral Zone– Limnetic ZoneLimnetic Zone– Profundal ZoneProfundal Zone

Pond and Lake ZonesPond and Lake Zones

The Littoral zone- is the warmest zone because it is the most shallow and can absorb much of the sun’s heat. It has a fairly diverse population of plants and animals which serve as food for other creatures such as snakes, turtles, and ducks.The Profundal zone- is the deepest zone, very little light penetrates this area. This zone is occupied by decomposers which get their energy from feeding on the remains of dead organisms that have sunk to the bottom of the pond or lake.

The Limnetic zone is a well-lit zone that is dominated by plankton which are tiny organisms that serve as the basis of the aquatic food chain.

Streams and RiversStreams and Rivers

Streams and rivers consist of Streams and rivers consist of bodies of bodies of movingmoving water. water.

Rivers begin at an area called Rivers begin at an area called headwaters and end at an area headwaters and end at an area called the mouth. called the mouth.

The water content towards the origin or The water content towards the origin or beginning of the stream (headwaters) tends to beginning of the stream (headwaters) tends to have a higher oxygen content and be clearer. have a higher oxygen content and be clearer. As a result many freshwater fish, such as trout As a result many freshwater fish, such as trout are found “up stream” in this area.are found “up stream” in this area.

The mouth of the river water tends to be The mouth of the river water tends to be murkier from the sediments and it contain less murkier from the sediments and it contain less oxygen. Catfish and carp are found in this area.oxygen. Catfish and carp are found in this area.Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition occurs in rivers

when rocks are broken into pieces (weathering), carried away by the running water (Erosion), and

dropped off at the mouth of the river (deposition).

Animals Animals

Some animals that can be found in a Some animals that can be found in a freshwater biome are trout, catfish, freshwater biome are trout, catfish, bass, mosquitoes, black flies, ticks, bass, mosquitoes, black flies, ticks, frogs, snakes, salamanders, and frogs, snakes, salamanders, and alligators.alligators.

Plants and Animals

Aquatic AdaptationsAquatic Adaptations

What is an adaptation?

What is the purpose of an adaptation?

What types of adaptations would you expect to find in plants and animals that live in the water?

Aquatic AdaptationsAquatic Adaptations

Adaptations are characteristics of an organism that help Adaptations are characteristics of an organism that help itit

survive in its environment or reproduce.survive in its environment or reproduce.

o Streamlined body reduces friction when the animal moves through the water. (Fish)

o Dense fur helps streamline the bodies of some aquatic mammals and keeps them warm. (river otter)

o Webbed feet, formed from thin skin between the toes, work like paddles. (duck-billed platypus, ducks, and other aquatic birds)

o Certain plants that are submerged (underwater) have reduced or absent xylem. The xylem is an internal tube structure that transports water to other regions of the plant from the roots. (Elodea is a submergent plant that has no xylem.)

oFlattened tails serve as paddles. (beaver)

oEyes positioned on top of the head allow animals to hide almost fully submerged in water and still detect predators or prey above the water. (hippos)

Energy PyramidEnergy Pyramid

For the ecosystem to function energy must beFor the ecosystem to function energy must be

available and it must be transferred.available and it must be transferred.

The Law of Conservation tells us that energy is not created or destroyed, but simply changes forms. Evidence of this can be seen in the Energy Pyramid.

An energy pyramid shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web. The most energy is available at the producer (base) level of the pyramid.

As you move up the energy pyramid from base to top, less energy is available, because organisms at each level use some of the energy to carry out life processes.*In general only about 10% of the energy contained in one level of a food web/pyramid is transferred to the next level.

PRODUCERS

1st level consumer

2nd level consumer

3rd consumer

4th level consumer

Human InfluenceHuman Influence The freshwater biome is seriously The freshwater biome is seriously

threatened by pollution from farm threatened by pollution from farm runoff, industrial discharges, runoff, industrial discharges, recreational boating, and fast-food recreational boating, and fast-food packaging.packaging.

2 types of pollution that affect the aquatic biome

1) Chemical pollution- the introduction of toxic chemicals into the water. (oil spills, pesticides, bio-hazardous materials, illegal dumping etc.)

2) Thermal pollution -A common cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a coolant by power plants and industrial manufacturers. When water used as a coolant is returned to the natural environment at a higher temperature, the change in temperature (a) decreases oxygen supply, and affects ecosystem composition.

It’s your turn!It’s your turn!Which of the following describes

a pond?

A.a moving body of water that is rich in oxygen

B.small organisms that provide food for the rest of the aquatic food chain

C.a body of water that is rich in salt content

D.a still body of water that is divided into zones based on the depth and distance from the shoreline.

An abiotic factor of the An abiotic factor of the freshwater biome is freshwater biome is

____.____.A.A. DucksDucks

B.B. ElodeaElodea

C.C. WaterWater

D.D. WaterlilyWaterlily

Which of the following Which of the following has headwaters and a has headwaters and a mouth?mouth?A)A) LakeLake

B)B) PondPond

C)C) AlligatorAlligator

D)D) RiverRiver

What energy What energy transformation takes transformation takes place when plants make place when plants make their food from the sun their food from the sun during photosynthesis?during photosynthesis?

A) Thermal mechanical

B) Radiant chemical

C) Radiant mechanical

D) photosynthesis

What level of the energy What level of the energy pyramid is represented by pyramid is represented by the arrow?the arrow?

2nd level consumer

Which of the following Which of the following would would NOTNOT be found in be found in the freshwater biome?the freshwater biome?A)A) A plant that requires a lot of saltA plant that requires a lot of salt

B)B) OtterOtter

C)C) A plant that requires little saltA plant that requires little salt

D)D) TroutTrout