apes 1.3 Flashcards
salinity
how much salt there is in the water, determines which species can survive and usability for drinking
depth
influences how much sunlight can penetrate and reach plants below the surface for photosynthesis
flow
determines which plants and organisms can survive, how much 02 can dissolve into water
temperature
warmer water holds less dissolved 02 so it can support fewer aquatic organisms
rivers
high 02 due to flow mixing water and air, also carries nutrient-rich sediments (deltas and floodplains = fertile soil)
littoral zone
shallow water with emergent plants
limnetic zone
where light can reach rooted plants, only phytoplankton
profundal zone
too deep for sunlight (no photosynthesis)
Benthic zone
murky bottom where bugs live, nutrient-rich sediments
wetland
area with soil submerged/saturated in water for at least part of the year, but shallow enough for emergent plants
-plants living there have to have adaptations to living with roots submerged in standing water (cattails, lily pads, reeds)
benefits of wetlands
-stores excess water during storms, lessening floods
-recharges groundwater by absorbing rainfall into soil
-roots of wetlands plants filter pollutants from water draining through
-high plant growth due to lots of water and nutrients (dead organic matter in sediments)
Estatuaries
areas where rivers empty into the ocean
-mix of fresh and saltwater
-high productivity (plant growth) due nutrients in sediments deposited in estaturies by river
salt marshes
estuary habitat along coast in temperate climates; breeding ground for many fish shellfish species
mangroves
estuary habitat along coast of tropical climates, mangrove trees have long stilt roots stabilize shoreline and provide habitat for many species of fish and shellfish
Name saltwater biomes
intertidal zones, coral reefs, open ocean
Intertidal zones
narrow bond of coastline between high and low tide; organisms must be adapted to survive crashing waves, direct sunlight, nd heat during low tide (ex. shells and tough outer skin to prevent drying out)
coral reefs
warm shallow waters beyond shoreline; most diverse marine biome, mutualistic relationship between coral and algae
open ocean
low productivity, only algae and phytoplankton can survive in most of the ocean; algae and phytoplankton of ocean produce a lot of earth’s O2 and absorb a lot of atmospheric CO2; photic zone= area where sunlight can reach photosynthesis, aphotic zone (abyssal) area too deep for sunlight
