Ch.7 Flashcards
How are organisms in an aquatic ecosystem grouped
location and adaption
Where do many benthic organisms live?
attached to hard surfaces
Most of the food for an aquatic ecosystem is produced by ____________________.
phytoplankton
aquatic organisms that float near the surface of the water.
plankton
aquatic organisms that break down dead organisms
decomposers
microscopic plants
phytoplankton
microscopic animals
zooplankton
benthos
aquatic organisms that dwell at the bottom of the water.
nekton
aquatic organisms that are free-swimming.
littoral zone
nutrient rich zone near the shore, aquatic life is diverse and abundant.
bonthic zone
bottom of a lake inhabited by decomposers, insect large and small
eutrophication
increase in the amount of nutrients in an aquatic ecosystem.
increases in algae, increase in decomposer feeding on decaying organisms, bacteria use dissolved oxygen (DO) in water, organisms are killed or stressed by low DO
What are the 4 things that the Eutrophication can do?
wetlands
an area of land that is periodically underwater or whose soil contains a great idea of moisture
salinity
a measure of the amount of dissolved salts in a given amount of liquid.
plants and animals
What types of organisms do estuaries support?
How do oysters, barnacles, and clams feed?
filtering plankton out of the water
What do dolphhins, seals, and other mammals eat?
freshwater and saltwater
How many of the world’s 10 largest urban areas are built on estuaries?
tokyo, new york, shanghai, buenos aires, rio de jenia, bombay
the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce carbohydrates and oxygen
photosynthesis
an area in which fresh water from a river mixes with salt water from the ocean.
estuary
contains large amounts of plants as a result of high levels of nutrients.
eutrophic lake
areas of land that are covered with fresh water for at least part of the year.
freshwater wetlands
contain non-woody plants
marshes
