Aquatic Ecology HW Packet
Aquatic Biomes- Freshwater
Using Reading Packet 7.1 from the website to answer the following questions about Freshwater Ecosystems
1. The types of organisms in an aquatic ecosystem are mainly determined by the water’s
________________________.
2. Factors such as __________________, __________________,___________________, and ___________________ determine
which organisms live in which area of the water.
3. Aquatic ecosystems contain several type of organisms that are grouped by their __________________
and by their __________________.
4. Three groups of aquatic organisms include __________________, _________________ and __________________.
Match the description to the organism:
5. Aquatic organisms that float near the surface
of water ______________
6. Aquatic organisms that break down dead
organisms ______________
7. Microscopic plants _____________
8. Microscopic animals _____________
9. Aquatic organisms that dwell at the bottom
of the water _____________
10. Aquatic organisms that are free
swimming ___________
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
phytoplankton
plankton
nekton
benthos
decomposers
zooplankton
Write “P” on the line in front of each example of plankton, “N” on the line in front of nekton, and a “B” on the
line in front of benthos
________11. turtles
________14. fish
________17. phytoplankton
________12. worms
________15. mussels
________18. whales
________13. zooplankton
________16. barnacles
19. The types of organisms present in a lake or a pond ecosystem depend on the amount of
______________________ available.
20. The ______________________________ zone is a
shallow zone in a freshwater habitat where
light reaches the bottom and nurtures plants
and aquatic life is diverse and abundant.
21. The _______________________________ is the
region near the bottom of a pond, lake or ocean
which is inhabited by decomposers, insect
larvae and clams
Match the terms below the labels from the
diagram on the right from the reading as well as
prior knowledge:
22. aphotic _____________
23. photic _____________
24. limnetic ___________
25. littoral ____________
26. benthic ____________
27. _______________________________________ is an increase in the amount of nutrients, such as nitrates and
phosphates, in an aquatic ecosystem.
28. As the amount of plants and algae grows, the number of ______________________ feeding on the decaying
organisms also grow. This reduces the dissolved oxygen.
29. Eutrophication is a natural, slow process bus can be accelerated by ______________________________.
30. Runoff is precipitation that can carry _______________________, ____________________________ or
____________________________________ from land into bodies of water.
31. More of eutrophication! Go to the website and watch the 5 minute video over Eutrophication. Draw/take
notes in the space below:
32. Freshwater wetlands are areas of land that are covered with __________________________________ for part of
the year.
33. The two main types of freshwater wetlands are _____________________ and ____________________.
34. Marshes contain ________________________________________________________________.
35. Swamps are dominated by _____________________________________________________.
36. Wetlands act as ___________________________________ that absorb and remove pollutants from the water.
Therefore wetlands ______________________________ water quality of lakes, rivers and reservoirs downstream.
37. They also _______________________ ______________________________ by absorbing extra water when rivers
overflow which protect farms, urban and residential areas from damage.
38. Wetland vegetation also ________________________________________ that would otherwise be released into
the atmosphere.
39. __________________________________________________ is the largest freshwater wetland in the United States.
40. Freshwater marshes tend to occur on _________________________________________ and have little
_________________________________________.
41. Brackish marshes have __________________________________________ while salt marshes contain
______________________________________.
42. Swamps occur on ______________________________ often near _________________ and are dominated by woody
shrubs or water loving trees.
43. ______________________________ swamps are the ideal habitat for ___________________________ because of the
__________________________________________________________________.
44. Wetlands were previously considered _____________________________ that provided breeding grounds for
______________________.
45. The Florida Everglades once covered ________________________ acres but now covers less than
_________________________ acres.
46. Many rivers originate from _______________________________________________________.
47. At its headwaters a river is usually ___________________ and full of __________________________. As it flows
down a mountain a river may broaden, become _______________________________, wider, and
_____________________________ decrease in _______________________________.
48. Plankton do not live in headwaters because the current is ______________________________. However,
_____________________ and _______________________________ are adapted to the cold, oxygen-rich headwaters.
49. ________________________________ use river water in manufacturing processes and as
________________________________________ for waste.
50. Runoff from the land puts _______________________________ and other poisons into rivers and coats
riverbeds with toxic sediments.
Aquatic Biomes- Saltwater
Using Reading Packet 7.2 from the website to answer the following questions about Marine Ecosystems
51. Marine ecosystems are located in mainly in _______________________________________ and
________________________________________.
52. Coastal land areas that are covered by ________________________________ for all of part of the time are
known as _________________________________________
53. Coastal wetlands absorb ________________________________, which protects areas from ___________________.
They also _____________________________________________________________ and provide recreational areas for
_____________________________, ________________________________ and ___________________________________.
54. An estuary is an area where ____________________________ from rivers mixes with
_______________________________ from the ocean.
55. As the two bodies of water meet currents form and cause ____________________________ mud and other
nutrients to fall to the bottom. Because of this an estuary is considered a nutrient ___________________.
56. Rivers supply ___________________ and because the water is shallow ________________________ can reach all
the way to the bottom of the estuary.
57. The __________________________________________ is the largest estuary in the United States.
58. Estuaries exist in populated areas are often used as places to _________________________________________
59. Salt marshes can be found on the shoreline of ______________________________________ and the Atlantic Coast
of the United States.
60. Salt marshes like, like other wetlands, also ____________________________________________ to help protect in
land areas.
61. Mangrove swamps are located along the coastal areas of ______________________________ and
_______________________________ zones.
62. Mangrove trees grow partly ____________________________ in warm, ___________________________ and protected
_______________________ water.
63. The largest mangrove swamp is _________________________ acres and located in ______________________________.
64. A _________________________________________ is a long ridge of sand or narrow island that lies parallel to the
shore and helps protect the mainland.
65. Coral reefs are _____________________________ ridges found in tropical climates and are composed of coral
fragments that are deposited around organic remains.
66. Corals only live in __________________ and ___________________ salt water where there is enough light for
photosynthesis.
67. An estimated _________ percent of the coral reefs in the world are in danger of destruction from
________________________________________________
68. Coral reefs are productive but fragile. If the water surrounding a reef is too ___________ or too __________
it can kill the coral. If ________________________________ drains into the water surrounding the reed the corals
may die. If the water is too _______________________, ___________________________ or high in ________________________
the algae that live within the coral could die or grow out of control. If the algae grow out of control it may
kill the coral.
69. Because water absorbs light, sunlight that is usable by plants for photosynthesis penetrates only
____________ into the ocean before all of the sunlight is absorbed.
70. As a result, much of the ocean’s life is concentrated in the _______________________, ____________________
waters.
71. Phytoplankton in the open ocean only grow in areas where there is enough _______________________ and
_________________________. As a result the open ocean is one of the _________________ _______________________ of all
ecosystems.
72. The depths of the ocean are perpetually dark, so most food on the ocean floor consist of
_________________ ________________________ that fall from the surface.
Aquatic Biomes Chart
Read the salinity, characteristics and threats and determine which aquatic biome it is: streams and rivers,
lakes and ponds, wetlands, estuaries, coastal/intertidal, coral reef, open ocean
Biome
Salinity Type
Distinguishing Characteristics
-
Marine
~3% salt
concentration
Marine
~3% salt
concentration
Freshwater
<1% Salt
concentration
Marine
~3% salt
concentration
Fresh water
meets salt
water
Variable
salinity
Freshwater
<1% Salt
concentration
Freshwater
<1% Salt
concentration
-
Symbiotic relationship between corals and
algae
Shallow region- light penetrates- high
photosynthesis
High biodiversity
Communities subjected to daily variation
in water levels, temperature and sunlight
- Animal adaptations to with stand
mechanical force of waves
- Standing (lentic) bodies of water enclosed
by land
- Spring and fall overturn
- May be described as
Oligotrohic
Mesotrophic
Eutrophic
- Waters constantly mixed by currents
- Plankton live in photic zone
- Includes benthic and abyssal zones with no
light, and little nutrients
- Large free swimming organisms
- Highly productive due to high nutrient
content
- Area essential for fish nurseries, bird
nesting/ reproduction
- Ecosystem services- filter pollutants
- Mangrove forests- decrease erosion and
provide habitats for marine organisms
- Flowing (lotic) water
- “Riparian” habitats
- Fast moving water= high oxygen content--supports trout
- Slow moving = inc. in sediments and
nutrients
- deliver nutrients to ecosystems
- Lowland areas saturated where soils are
saturated with water at least part of the
time of a year.
Marshes- wetlands with emergent
grasses
Swamps- wetlands with emergent
woody vegetation
Bogs – wetlands rich in decomposing
plant material- acidic soils, mosses
Essential Ecosystem services- flood control,
water filtration and purification
-
Threats
-Sediment
pollution blocks
sunlight, lower
pH, warmer
temperatures=
bleaching
-High nutrient
load from runoff
allows algae to
outcompete coral
-Destroyed by
pollution and
human activity
-pollution
Plastic pollution
in the gyres
-Drained for
agriculture and
development
Diversion
Dams
Channeling
-Drained for
agriculture and
development
Plankton
Bottom Dwellers
Lakes
Open ocean
Still
Coastal
Freshwater
Abyssal
Salt water
Coral reefs
Oligotrophic, mesotropic, eutrophic
Decomposers
Photosynthetic productivity
Free floating
Mostly bacteria
Benthos
Chemosynthetic productivity
Littoral, limnetic, profundal, benthic
Nekton
Moving
Temperature, sunlight, dissolved oxygen and
available nutrients
Use the word bank to fill in the concept map below.