The types of organisms in an aquatic ecosystem are mainly determined by the water’s Salinity
What is Salinity? The amount of dissolved salts that water contains
Biotic factors in an aquatic Ecosystem
1. Plankton: organisms that cannot swim against the current, so they are called drifters.
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton- Drifting plants that are the food base for most aquatic ecosystems; Most are microscopic
Benthos
Bottom dweller organisms Mussels, worms & barnacles Many benthic organisms live attached to hard
surfaces.
Lakes & Ponds Structured into Horizontal and vertical Zones
Littoral Zones-Nutrient rich; aquatic life is diverse and abundant; plants are rooted in the mud underwater.
Benthic Zone: The bottom of the pond or lake; cooler water ; little sunlight, bacteria and decomposers live on dead plants and animals that drift down from above
How do nutrients affect a lake Eutrophication- is an increase in the amount
of nutrients in an aquatic ecosystem. Algae and plants grow due to nutrients in the body of water. As the amount of algae and plants grow, so does the amount of bacteria and decomposer. These bacteria use the oxygen dissolved in the lake, eventually reducing the amount available for oxygen-loving organisms.
Freshwater wetlands
They are covered with fresh water for at least part of the year.
There are two types: Marshes-contain non-woody plants such as
cattails Swamps- dominated by woody plants, such as
trees and shrubs.
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