FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM Flashcards
it contain standing water, some of
which is too deep for emergent vegetation
lakes and ponds
larger than ponds, but there is no
strict defined boundary.
lakes
near the shore and contains
shallow, sunlit waters.
littoral zone
plants that are rooted to the
bottom and emerge above the water’s surface
emergent vegetation
photic open water area where rooted plants cannot survive
limnetic zone
are the only photosynthetic
organisms.
phytoplankton
This zone extends only as deep as
sunlight lican penetrate.
limnetic zone
directly below the limnetic zone
profundal zone
is the bottom of the lake or pond
benthic zone
Food webs are based around
_____ (dead matter and waste) that falls down from above.
detritus
Oxygen levels are low, limiting the size of any nekton.
benthic zone
Ecologists will classify lakes based on their ______ and _______
nutrient levels ; biological productivity.
who will classify lakes based on its nutrient levels and biological productivity?
ecologists
lakes are very low in nutrients, limiting plankton populations and leaving the water very clear
oligotrophic
lakes have much greater concentrations of nutrients, resulting in heavy growth of phytoplankton.
eutrophic
narrow channels that carry
small amounts of water
streams
wider (than streams) and carry more water
rivers
Form when streams combine
with runoff water from the surrounding land.
rivers
divided into zones, each with different characteristics
rivers
the 3 river zones
source zone
transition zone
floodplain zone
original point from which a river
flows – a spring, lake, glacier, or wetland
source
river zone characteristics
high oxygen content
low nutrient levels
cold water temperature
low turbidity
As the water moves through the _______, the river widens, become deeper, and are warmed by the sun
transition zone
Low-lying areas, called the _____, will occasionally flood and deposit material from upstream
floodplains
river eventually ends at a larger body of water. This is called
river mouth
Freshwater mixes with saltwater, forming _____
brackish water
areas of land regularly saturated with water
wetlands
areas of low-lying wetland that
do not support the growth of trees
marshes
forested wetlands.
swamps
emergent vegetation is found in what zone?
littoral zone
it is aphotic
profundal zone
_______ are based around detritus (dead matter and waste) that falls down from above.
food web
what happened to the oxygen level, nutrient level and temperature in transition zone?
oxygen level decreases, nutrient level rise, temperature increases
oxygen, nutrient, and water temperature condition in flood plain
oxygen content is low, nutrient rich, water is warm
characteristics of wetlands
hydric soils that are completely saturated with water, and low oxygen content
hydropyhtes, plants that only grow in water
high amount of water flowing in from surrounding areas
