Aquatic BiomesAquatic Biomes

• Aquatic biomes represent the marine Aquatic biomes represent the marine ecosystem on Earthecosystem on Earth

Characteristics:Characteristics:

• Temperatures do not vary as much Temperatures do not vary as much as land biomes (water absorbs and as land biomes (water absorbs and releases heat)releases heat)

• Organisms must maintain water Organisms must maintain water balancebalance

There are two types of Aquatic There are two types of Aquatic Biomes:Biomes:Marine Biomes-OceansMarine Biomes-Oceans

• Salt waterSalt water

• Composes 70% of the earths surfaceComposes 70% of the earths surface

• Contains many different organismsContains many different organisms

• Provides most of the earths food nutrientsProvides most of the earths food nutrients

• Most oxygen is produced hereMost oxygen is produced here

Fresh water BiomesFresh water Biomes - ponds, lakes, - ponds, lakes, rivers and streamsrivers and streams

Marine EcosystemsMarine Ecosystems• The ocean is home to a number of different The ocean is home to a number of different

ecosystems. Factors such as water temperature ecosystems. Factors such as water temperature and the amount of sunlight determine what types and the amount of sunlight determine what types of organisms can live in each zone.of organisms can live in each zone.

Ocean Zones and Ocean Zones and ConditionsConditions• Ocean zones include the intertidal Ocean zones include the intertidal

zone, the neritic zone, and the zone, the neritic zone, and the open-ocean zone.open-ocean zone.

- Ocean Habitats

Rocky ShoresRocky Shores•Organisms that live in the rocky Organisms that live in the rocky intertidal zone must be able to tolerate intertidal zone must be able to tolerate the pounding of the waves and the pounding of the waves and changes in both salinity and changes in both salinity and temperature. They must also withstand temperature. They must also withstand periods of being underwater and periods of being underwater and periods of being exposed to the air.periods of being exposed to the air.

- Intertidal Zone

Conditions in the Neritic Conditions in the Neritic ZoneZone• The shallow water over the continental shelf The shallow water over the continental shelf

receives sunlight and a steady supply of nutrients receives sunlight and a steady supply of nutrients washed from the land into the ocean. The light and washed from the land into the ocean. The light and nutrients enable large plantlike algae to grow. These nutrients enable large plantlike algae to grow. These algae serve as food and shelter for other organisms.algae serve as food and shelter for other organisms.

- Neritic Zone and Open Ocean

Conditions in the Open Conditions in the Open OceanOcean• The open ocean differs from the neritic zone The open ocean differs from the neritic zone

in two important ways. First, only a small in two important ways. First, only a small part of the open ocean receives sunlight. part of the open ocean receives sunlight. Second, the water has fewer nutrients.Second, the water has fewer nutrients.