Topic 3 -The Aquatic Environment Flashcards
Aquatic ecosystems cover _______making them the most dominant habitat
75% of the planet
All living things contain a large percentage of _____ and most physiological processes depend on _____
water, water
almost all living ____ of animals evolved in an aquatic environment
phyla
what property of water allows freshwater organisms to live below ice
water becomes less dense when it freezes
Aquatic environments despite being the dominant habitat on earth has
low microclimate variability, divided by depth
mean ocean depth is 3.7km, max 11km
Aquatic environments are divided by
salinity
Saltwater (Oceans 97%)
Freshwater (Lakes, Rivers 1%)
75% of the Ocean is 3-6km deep so solar radiation is
reflected back into the atmosphere
Absorbed or reflected by suspended particles (Dead or alive)
Absorbed by water
Solar radiation declines exponentially with depth along with
light, temperature, oxygen, but pressure increases
plants are restricted to grow within the
top 100m of water
Herbivores in the ocean are restricted to depths where
plants reside
animals inhabiting deep water greater than 200m have adaptations such as
lack pigment
larger eyes for gathering light
organs that produce bioluminescence
organisms that undergo chemosynthesis in the ocean depths
Thermocline
most rapid decline in temperature in the ocean, after temperature steadily declines at a slower rate
some form of _____________ occurs in all open bodies of water
thermal stratification
permanent stratification occurs in the _____, no mixing can take place
tropics
describe the fall turnover
the mixing of the thermal stratification of a water column due to the seasonal change of surface temperatures
