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  • Aquatic Ecology 101

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    Adil Hossain
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    This document discusses aquatic ecology, including different types of aquatic ecosystems like rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds. It describes the hydrology and zones of lakes, including the littoral and limnetic zones. It explains the aquatic food web and how nutrient levels influence trophic states from oligotrophic to eutrophic. Phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient for algae growth in freshwater systems, but nitrogen can also limit growth depending on the nitrogen to phosphorus ratio. Managing nutrients is important for controlling algal blooms and maintaining healthy lake and pond ecosystems.

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    aquatic life - ecology of aquatic pdf

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    aquaticecology101-110223074045-phpapp01

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    This document discusses aquatic ecology, including different types of aquatic ecosystems like rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds. It describes the hydrology and zones of lakes, including the littoral and limnetic zones. It explains the aquatic food web and how nutrient levels influence trophic states from oligotrophic to eutrophic. Phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient for algae growth in freshwater systems, but nitrogen can also limit growth depending on the nitrogen to phosphorus ratio. Managing nutrients is important for controlling algal blooms and maintaining healthy lake and pond ecosystems.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    15 views21 pages

    Aquatic Ecology 101

    Uploaded by

    Adil Hossain
    This document discusses aquatic ecology, including different types of aquatic ecosystems like rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds. It describes the hydrology and zones of lakes, including the littoral and limnetic zones. It explains the aquatic food web and how nutrient levels influence trophic states from oligotrophic to eutrophic. Phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient for algae growth in freshwater systems, but nitrogen can also limit growth depending on the nitrogen to phosphorus ratio. Managing nutrients is important for controlling algal blooms and maintaining healthy lake and pond ecosystems.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 21

    Aquatic Ecology 101

    Outline
    Types of aquatic ecosystems
    Hydrology of lakes and ponds
    Lake zones and processes
    Aquatic food web
    Lake trophic states
    Concept of limiting nutrient
    Types of Aquatic Systems

    Rivers &
    Streams Lakes &
    Ponds
    Wetlands

    Estuaries

    Groundwater

    Marine system
    Lakes and Ponds
    Critical differences from
    other freshwater
    systems
    Longer residence time
    Typically not shaded
    with most of the
    surface area exposed
    to sunlight
    Florida lakes are
    typically shallow and
    well mixed
    Florida lakes are often
    highly colored, but can
    have light reaching
    much of the bottom

    Photo by Bill Wade


    Watershed / Lake Area Ratio

    Watershed area
    relative to lake area will
    influence the residence
    time of water in the
    lake.
    This ratio is also a
    factor in the nutrient
    loading to the lake
    Lake Habitat Zones
    Lake Littoral Zone
    Functions
    Intercepts Nutrients
    Refuge from Predators
    Nursery for Fish

    O lig o t r o p h ic N o r t h e r n E u t r o p h ic S o u t h e r n
    Lake Limnetic/Pelagic Zone
    Functions
    Plankton
    Zooplankton
    Lake Limnetic / Pelagic Zone
    Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV)
    Nutrient uptake
    Sediment stabilization
    Habitat
    Oxygen production
    Pond Food Web

    Algae/Plants
    Fish

    Nutrients
    Grazers

    Nutrients Algae/Plants Grazers Fish


    Relationship Between Nutrients and
    Pond Productivity
    Nutrients Algae/Plants Grazers Fish

    Nutrients Algae/Plants Grazers Fish

    Nutrients Algae/Plants Grazers Fish

    Nutrients Algae/Plants Grazers Fish

    Nutrients Algae/Plants Grazers Fish

    Habitat/Environmental Impacts
    Low nutrients
    Low primary productivity
    Low grazers and insects
    Low fish production

    Clear water
    Sandy/low organic matter on bottom
    TROPHIC
    Moderate STATE
    nutrients
    Increased primary productivity
    More grazers and insects
    More fish production

    Moderate water clarity


    More aquatic plants
    Some organic sediment accumulation
    HighTROPHIC
    nutrients STATE
    High primary productivity
    Large number of grazers and insects
    Moderate fish production

    Low water clarity, or


    Clear with aquatic plants
    High organic sediment accumulation
    Trophic State Change
    Nutrients & Productivity
    Sediment &
    Accumulation
    Species Shifts
    Species Richness
    Manipulating Pond Response to
    Nutrients

    Source of the problem

    Nutrients
    X
    Algae/Plants Grazers
    Grazers
    Fish
    Fish
    Limiting Nutrient Concept
    Plants need nutrients to grow
    Nitrogen and Phosphorus are the main nutrients
    For every unit of N you need so many units of P
    If one nutrient is not in sufficient supply it will limit
    the total production potential.

    For algae
    N:P > 17 Phosphorus Limited
    N:P < 10 Nitrogen Limited
    10 < N:P < 17 Co-Limitation

    N:P < 22 will tend to promote Cyanobacteria which are


    nitrogen fixers
    Phosphorus Limitation:
    Lake 227
    Total Phosphorus / Chlorophyll-a
    Relationship
    Phosphorus is
    typically
    liming nutrient
    in freshwater
    Nitrogen is
    typically
    limiting
    nutrient in
    marine
    system.
    Summary
    Lakes have longer residence
    time and more light than other
    freshwater systems
    Littoral Zone, Pelagic Zone,
    Submerged Aquatic
    Vegetation
    Nutrients regulate algae >
    grazers > fish
    Removing algae doesnt
    remove nutrient regulator
    Phosphorus is typical nutrient
    limiting nutrients depending on
    N:P ratio

    Stormwater ponds respond just like lakes do to nutrients


    Questions?

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