APES Study Guide- Aquatic Ecosystems

Vocabulary Understand and be able to apply each of these terms. 1. Salinity The saltiness or dissolved salt content (sodium chloride, magnesium, calcium sulfates, bicarbonates) of a body of water or in soil. 2. Plankton Organisms that live in the water column, can not swim against a current and provide a crucial source of food to many large aquatic organisms, such as fish and whales. 3. Nekton Refures to the aggregate of actively swimming aquatic organisms in a body of water able to move independently of water currents. 4. Benthos Community of organisms that live on near or in seabed, a.k.a benthic zone. Also live in, on, or near marine sedimentary environments from tidal pools along the foreshore, out to the continental shelf and then down to the abyssal depths. 5. Littoral Zone Part that is close to shore which extends from high water marks in the coastal environment. The meaning of littoral zone extends beyond the inter tidal zone. 6. Benthic Zone Ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water. Organisms that live in this zone are called benthos, generally living in close relationship with substrate bottom. 7. Eutrophication An ecosystems response to the addition of artificial or natural substances, like nitrate and phosphate. Eutrophication (Algae bloom) 8. River Source /Course Upriver- direction leading to the source of the river, that is against the direction of the flow. Downriver- direction towards the mouth of the river. 9. River Mouth Part of a stream where it flows into another stream. A delta can form causing sediment pileup.

10. Marsh Type of wetland that is dominated by herbaceous instead of woody plant species. Can be found at edges of lakes, where they form a transition between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem. Dominated by grass, reeds, and rushes. 11. Swamp Wetland that is forested. 12. Bog Wetland that collects peat (deposite of dead plant material) it is one of the four main types of wetlands. 13. Lagoon- Shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands or reefs. 14. Estuary Form a transition zone between river environments and ocean environments. They are a subject to both marine influences (tides, waves, influx of saline water) and riverine influences (flows of fresh water and sediment). Both provide high levels of nutrients, making estuary the most productive natural habitats in the world. 15. Abundance Having more than enough of something. 16. Diversity Condition of having or being composed of differing elements. 17. Watershed - Carries water shed from the land after rain falls and snow melts. 18. Hydrophytes- A.k.a aquatic macrophytes, which are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments, they require to live at water's surface of submerge in water. 19. Halophytes- Plants that grow in waters of high salinity by contacting with saline going through its roots or by salt spray. Critical Thinking Read, analyze, and give complete answers to these questions. 1. What are the three important benefits (ecosystem service) provided by wetlands? Wetlands prevent flooding because they hold water in. They also bring in water during storms and whenever water levels are high. In rivers wetlands release vegetable matter and when the water levels are low they release water. 2. What causes high and low tides? Explain. Due to gravitational forces of the moon and sun and the rotation of the Earth causes the rise and fall of the sea levels. 3. Where would you find an estuary? What type of organisms would you expect to find there? Estuary's are found where a stream or river flows into the ocean. The organisms found there would commonly be plants, birds, and fish. 4. What is the definition of freshwater? Water that does not contain salt. 5. The mouth of a river can sometimes become murky because of all of the sediments that are washed

downstream. Name 3 problems are caused by murkiness? Water pollution can be a big one, the murkiness kills off some algae resulting to less fish, and finally poor water quality makes water undrinkable. 6. Name 2 types of fish that can live in low oxygen environments: Betta fish, and Catfish. 7. Explain why reefs are so important to preserve. What are some of the dangers to coral reefs? Name 2. Coral reefs are important to protect because they serve as shelter and or protection for other marine organisms. Dangers to coral reefs include high levels of carbon dioxide and pollution. 8. There are different types of marine reef environments. Define the following: a. Fringing Reefs: Coral attracted to mainland. b. Barrier Reefs: Long coral or rock line parallel to a coastline separated usually by a lagoon. c. Atolls: Coral reefs shaped like a ring circling a lagoon. d. Coral Reefs: Calcium carbonate created areas underwater that serve as a shelter for marine organisms. 9. Draw a diagram of a marine environment and define the following: a. Intertidal: An area on the shore line covered at high tide but revealed at low tide. b. Pelagic: Relating to the sea. c. Abyssal: Depths between 10,000 and 20,000 feet downward. d. Benthic: Region at the lowest level of a body of water like an ocean or a lake. In this zone organisms called benthos live there.

10. What is winterkill in a lake? What happens? When there isn't enough oxygen in the water of a lake. In the area fish and animals begin to die, because of the low oxygen level from the exchange of gases that occur in the winter when lakes are frozen. 11. Describe the differences in the types of food webs found in the two ocean light zones, euphotic and aphotic. Where does the initial energy input for each come from? Euphotic is the part of the ocean that can receive sunlight while aphotic is the area in the ocean does

not receive sunlight preventing photosynthesis. 12. Explain how lakes turn-over yearly and what this process causes. Name one positive and one negative aspect of turn-over. A lake turn over is the process that happens when water in the lake turns over from top to bottom. During this process ice in the springs melt and the late water turn out becomes the similar temerature regardless of how deep the lake its. 13. Draw a diagram of a lake and define the following: a. Littoral Zone: Part of the lake that is closes to the shore. b. Limnetic Zone A well lit and open water away from the shore in a lake. c. Profundal Zone An area that is below effective light penitration.

14. Complete this summary table of aquatic ecosystems: Location Coral Reefs Sandy Beach Mangrove Swamp Salt Marsh Mudflat Rocky Shore Near the equator Coastlines of islands and continents Tropical, subtropical, and estuaries Near estuaries Near salt marsh Coastline where there is an abundance of solid rock.

Physical Characteristics They vary in size, but they are made out of calcium carbonate. Mostly sand where it's very warm. Soft and muddy, where there are very little waves. Water changes from salty to fresh. They are drained and filled when there are tides. A lot of rocks and waves.

Use the data provided to construct a climatograph. Temperature should be displayed as a line graph and precipitation as a bar graph.

Month January Febuary March April May June July August September October November December

Precipitation 10 3 2 5 13 9 2 2 2 8 18 7

Temperature (C) 35 37 39 40 42 44 45 44 42 40 37 35

What type of biome do you believe this is? Give specific observations from your graph to justify this answer. I believe this biome is a desert because of the high temperature and the very low precipitation. Looking at the data chart I see the highest it's been is 45 degrees Celsius which is 113 degrees Fahrenheit which is extremely hot. All year round temperatures stay between 35 to 45 degrees Celsius. As for the precipitation the highest number is 18 the lowest being 2. 2 is the number that occurs the most on this chart which again supports my theory that this biome is a desert.