Chapter 7 Flashcards
Wetland
land consisting of marshes or swamps; saturated land.
Plankton
Many animals are adapted to feed on plankton, especially by filtering the water.
Nekton
aquatic animals that are able to swim and move independently of water currents.
Benthos
the flora and fauna found on the bottom, or in the bottom sediments, of a sea, lake, or other body of water.
Littoral Zone
nearshore is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore.
Benthic Zone
is one of the ecological regions of a body of water. It comprises the bottom—such as the ocean floor or the bottom of a lake—the sediment surface, and some sub-surface layers.
Eutrophication
excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen.
Estuary
the tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream.
Salt Marsh
are coastal wetlands that are flooded and drained by salt water brought in by the tides.
Mangrove Swamp
is a distinct saline woodland or shrubland habitat formed by mangrove trees in brackish tidal water.
Barrier Island
are coastal landforms and a type of dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast.
Coral Reef
is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals.