5/30/2017 Water Biomes Water Biomes • There are two different types of water biomes 1) Marine Biomes 2) Freshwater Biomes • Water biomes are characterized by the type of water (salt or fresh) and how fast the water is moving. 1 5/30/2017 Marine Biomes • Almost 75% of the Earths surface is covered by water. • 97% of the worlds water supply comes from Marine Biomes • Some of the largest animals on earth inhabit them • Marine ecosystems have salty water, which is the most impacted abiotic factor in these systems. Marine Biomes • Similar to land biomes, here are some abiotic factors that help shape marine biomes: 1) Temperature of the water 2) Amount of sunlight 3) Distance from land 4) Amount of salt 2 5/30/2017 Marine Food Chains • Producers (can make own food) in marine biomes usually are at the top of the water where sunlight can reach. • Phytoplankton- microscopic photosynthetic organisms Here is phytoplankton starting the food chain Marine Food Chains • Zooplankton are very small animal-like protists which feed on phytoplankton 3 5/30/2017 Zones of the Marine Biomes 4 5/30/2017 Zones of the Ocean Intertidal Zone Oceanic Zone Neritic Zone Benthic Zone A) Intertidal Zone • Area where the ocean meets the land. • Above water when the tide is out and under water when the tide is in. • Mud flats, rocky shores, and sandy beaches • Sea grasses, snails, sea stars, crabs, birds, and clams are all common in the intertidal zone. 5 5/30/2017 B) Neritic Zone • Water gradually becomes deeper toward the edge of the continental shelf. • Less than 200 meters in depth • Receives a lot of sunlight • Coral reefs- sea turtles, colorful fish, coral, sponges, and dolphins C) Oceanic Zone • Past the continental shelf • To a depth about 200 meters • No light penetrates so organisms rely on organic material that falls from the surface. 6 5/30/2017 Oceanic Zone Continued • Animals are adapted to survive in darkness and high pressure of deep water. • Sharks, squids, whales, and fish. D) Benthic Zone • The sea floor. • Organisms mostly consume material that filters from above. • Can have ocean vents where heat escapes through the cracks of Earth’s crust. Hydrothermal Vent on the bottom of ocean 7 5/30/2017 Benthic Zone Continued • Worms, sea urchins, and bacteria live there. Bacteria around a vent Sea Urchins Sea Cucumber Coral Reefs • Located near sunny, warm, tropical waters. • Coral reefs are the most biologically diverse water biomes. • Fluctuating temperatures and increase pollution can severely affect the health of coral reefs. 8 5/30/2017 What is Coral? • Coral- a rocklike structure of calcareous (calcium) skeletons that is built up over thousands of years. • Coral contains polyps that have small stinging cells. • Belong to the Phylum Cnidaria. Coral Reefs Continued • Coral live in a close relationship with single-celled algae. • Algae produce nutrients for coral and coral give algae a place to grow. • Coral reef is the home to many different marine species. 9 5/30/2017 The Future of Coral Reefs • The two biggest challenges for coral reefs are pollution and dredging off the coast. • Pollution causes bleaching of coral and can affect all the organisms around it. Estuaries • The area where freshwater from streams and rivers flows into the ocean. • The salinity (amount of salt) in the water is controlled by the tide. • Fresh water supplies nutrients to phytoplankton which support larger consumers. 10 5/30/2017 Freshwater Biomes Freshwater Biomes • Freshwater biomes are characterized by the speed at which the water is moving. • Brooks, streams, and rivers are ecosystems based on moving water. • Tributary-a trickle or stream that joins a larger stream. 11 5/30/2017 Freshwater Biomes • Organisms that live in Melting Snow fast moving water have special Waterfall adaptations to avoid being swept away. Tributary • Insect larvae live under rocks, and tadpoles use suction disks to hold onto rocks. Lake or Ocean Zones of Freshwater System • Ponds and Lakes have different ecosystems than streams and rivers. • Lake Superior is Open-water zone the largest lake in Litoral zone the world. Deep-water zone 12 5/30/2017 Zones of Freshwater Zones of Freshwater • A) Littoral Zone- area where the water meets the land. -Plants include: cattails, rushes, water lilies -Animals include: snails, small arthropods, insects, clams, worms, frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes and various kinds of fish 13 5/30/2017 Zones of Freshwater • B) Open-water zone- extends from the littoral zone across the top of the water. Only goes as deep as light can reach - Plants include: mostly phytoplankton - Animals include: bass, blue gill, trout, and other fish Zones of Freshwater • C) Deep-water zone- part of the water where no light reaches and organisms feed on dead organic material. - Plants include: none - Animals include: catfish, carp, worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, fungi and bacteria. 14 5/30/2017 Types of Freshwater Systems Other types of freshwater ecosystems that we will discuss are: 1. Wetlands 2. Marshes 3. Swamps Wetlands • An area of land where the water level is near or above the surface for most of the year. • Plays an important role in flood control • Support a variety of plant and animal life 15 5/30/2017 Marshes • A treeless wetland ecosystem where plants such as cattails and rushes grow. • Some organisms nest near wetlands to escape large predators. Swamps • Type of wetland characterized by flooded trees. • Spanish moss and vines grow on the trees. • Water is very slow moving and causes lots of growth on top of the water. 16 5/30/2017 17.