APES Test 2 Aquatic Biomes Midterm Review

Question 1

streams and rivers

Answer 1

reshwater, <1% salt concentration
Flowing (lotic) water
“Riparian” habitats- area adjacent to river or stream
Fast moving water= high oxygen content—supports trout
Slow moving = inc. in sediments and nutrients
deliver nutrients to ecosystems

Threats:
Diversion
Dams
Channeling

Question 2

Human Disturbance overall

Answer 2

Temperate forests - logging and habitation
Shrubland/Chaparral - habitation and favorable climate
Temperate grassland - agriculture
Tundra - harsh climate and poor soils, not alot of cities and habitation, but do mine or drill there
Taiga - loggings, tar sands, and natural gas (mining and drilling)
Tropical rain forests - some more dense and hard to explore so remain mostly intact, others are decimated by desire for timber, palm oil, soy bean, and cattle grazing

Question 3

lakes and ponds

Answer 3

freshwater, <1% salt concentration
Standing (lentic) bodies of water enclosed by land
Spring and fall overturn
May be described as
Oligotrophic
Mesotrophic
Eutrophic

Threats
pollution

Question 4

wetlands

Answer 4

Freshwater
<1% Salt concentration
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:
Drained for agriculture and development

Question 5

Estuaries

Answer 5

Fresh water meets salt water, Variable salinity
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

Threats: Drained for agriculture and development

Question 6

Coastal/ Intertidal

Answer 6

Marine
~3% salt concentration
Communities subjected to daily variation in water levels, temperature and sunlight
Animal adaptations to with stand mechanical force of waves
Areas exposed to alternately to air during low tide and high tide

Threat: Destroyed by pollution and human activity

Question 7

Coral Reef

Answer 7

Marine
~3% salt concentration
Symbiotic relationship between corals and algae
Shallow region- light penetrates- high photosynthesis
High biodiversity

Threat: Sediment pollution blocks sunlight, lower pH, warmer temperatures= coral bleaching
High nutrient load from runoff allows algae to outcompete coral

Question 8

Open Ocean

Answer 8

Marine
~3% salt concentration
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
also called pelagic region

Threat:
Plastic pollution in the gyres

Question 9

Q
2 primary abiotic factors have major impacts on the kinds of climax communities that develop in any part of the world:

Answer 9

Temperature
Patterns of precipitation.

Question 10

The distribution of terrestrial ecosystems is primarily related to precipitation and temperature.

Answer 10

Temperature is warmest near the equator and cooler toward the poles.
As altitude increases, average temperature decreases.
Moving from sea level to mountain tops, it is possible to pass through a series of biomes similar to what would be encountered moving from the equator to the North Pole

Question 11

benthos

Answer 11

Bottom portion of the ocean

Question 12

Upwellings

Answer 12

Upward flows of ocean water