4 4 aquatic ecosystems(biology)
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Transcript of 4 4 aquatic ecosystems(biology)
4-4 Aquatic Ecosystems
Plankton
• Tiny, free-floating organisms that occur in aquatic environments
phytoplankton
• Population of algae and other small, photosynthetic organisms found near the surface of the ocean and forming part of plankton.
zooplankton
• Tiny animals that form part of the plankton.
wetland
• Ecosystem in which water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface of the soil for at least part of the year.
estuary
• Wetlands formed where rivers meet the ocean.
detritus
• Particles of organic material that provide food for organisms at the base of an estuary’s food web
Salt Marsh
• Temperature-zone estuary dominated by salt-tolerant grasses above the low-tide line and by seagrasses under water.
Mangrove swamp
• Coastal wetland dominated by mangroves, salt-tolerated woody plants.
Photic zone
• Well-lit upper layer of the oceans
Aphotic zone
• Permanently dark layer of the oceans below the photic zone
zonation
• Prominent horizontal banding of organisms that live in a particular habitat
Coastal ocean
• Marine zone that extends from the low-tide mark to the end of the continental shelf.
Kelp forest
• Coastal ocean community named for its dominant organism-kelp, a giant brown alga
Coral reef
• Diverse and productive environment named for the coral animals that make up its primary structure.
benthos
• Organisms that live attached to or near the ocean floor
Key concept
• Aquatic ecosystems are determined primarily by the depth, flow, temperature, and chemistry of the overlying water.
Key concept
• Freshwater ecosystems can be divided into two main types: flowing-water ecosystems and standing-water ecosystems.
Key Concept
• In addition to the division between the photic and aphotic zones, marine biologists divide the ocean into zones based on the depth and distance from the shore: the intertidal zone, the coastal ocean, and the open ocean.