An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem located in water bodies. An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical ( A body of water is any significant accumulation of Water, usually covering the Earth or another planet Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. A biocoenosis (alternatively biocoenose or biocenose) termed by Karl Möbius in 1877 describes all the interacting Organisms living together Biota is the total collection of Organisms of a geographic region or a time period from local geographic scales and instantaneous temporal scales all the way up to whole-planet The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems. Marine ecosystems are among of the earth's Aquatic ecosystems They include Oceans Salt marshes estuaries Lagoons, rocky Subtidal [1]
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Types of aquatic ecosystems
Aquatic ecosystems can be divided into two general types: marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems.
Neritic (the relatively shallow part of the ocean that lies over the continental shelf); profundal (bottom or deep water); benthic (bottom substrates); intertidal (the area between high and low tides); estuaries. The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each Continent and associated Coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such The profundal zone is a deep zone of a Body of water, such as an Ocean or a Lake, located below the range of effective light penetration The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a Body of water such as an Ocean or a Lake, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open
Salt Water Ecoystems
Marine ecosystems cover approximately 71% of the Earth's surface and contain approximately 97% of the planet's water. They generate 32% of the world's net primary production. See also Primary production (economics Primary production is the production of Organic compounds from atmospheric or aquatic Carbon dioxide, [1] They are distinguished from freshwater ecosystems by the presence of dissolved compounds, especially salts, in the water. A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed proportion by Mass. Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Approximately 85% of the dissolved materials in seawater are sodium and chlorine. Seawater is Water from a Sea or Ocean. On average seawater in the world's oceans has a Salinity of about 3 Sodium (ˈsoʊdiəm is an element which has the symbol Na( Latin natrium, from Arabic natrun) atomic number 11 atomic mass 22 Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and Seawater has an average salinity of 35 parts per thousand (ppt) of water. In Chemistry, concentration is the measure of how much of a given substance there is mixed with another substance Actual salinity varies among different marine ecosystems. [2]
Marine ecosystems can be divided into the following zones: oceanic (the relatively shallow part of the ocean that lies over the continental shelf); profundal (bottom or deep water); benthic (bottom substrates); intertidal (the area between high and low tides); estuaries; salt marshes; coral reefs; and hydrothermal vents (where chemosynthetic sulfur bacteria form the food base). An ocean (from Greek, ''Okeanos'' (Oceanus) is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the Hydrosphere. The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each Continent and associated Coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such The profundal zone is a deep zone of a Body of water, such as an Ocean or a Lake, located below the range of effective light penetration The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a Body of water such as an Ocean or a Lake, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open A salt marsh is a type of Marsh that is a transitional intertidal between land and salty or Brackish water (e Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water A hydrothermal vent is a Fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated Water issues Chemosynthesis is the biological conversion of one or more carbon molecules (usually Carbon dioxide or Methane) and nutrients into organic matter using the Oxidation Sulfur or sulphur (ˈsʌlfɚ see spelling below) is the Chemical element that has the Atomic number 16 The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have [1]
Classes of organisms found in marine ecosystems include brown algae, dinoflagellates, corals, cephalopods, echinoderms, and sharks. A class is the Taxonomic rank in the Biological classification of organisms in Biology below phylum and above order. The Phaeophyceae or brown algae, (singular alga is a large group of mostly marine multicellular Algae including many Seaweeds of colder The dinoflagellates are a large group of Flagellate Protists Most are marine Plankton, but Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many The cephalopods ( Greek plural (kephalópoda "head-feet" are the Mollusc class Cephalopoda characterized by Echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata) are a phylum of marine Animals (including Sea stars) Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body Fish caught in marine ecosystems are the biggest source of commercial foods obtained from wild populations. [1]
Environmental problems concerning marine ecosystems include unsustainable exploitation of marine resources (for example overfishing of certain species), water pollution, and building on coastal areas. Overfishing occurs when Fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level Water pollution is the contamination of Water bodies such as Lakes Rivers Oceans and Groundwater caused by human activities [1]
Freshwater ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems cover 0. 8% of the Earth's surface and contain 0. 009% of its total water. They generate nearly 3% of its net primary production. [1] Freshwater ecosystems contain 41% of the world's known fish species. [3]
There are three basic types of freshwater ecosystems:
- Lentic: slow-moving water, including pools, ponds, and lakes. A pond is a body of water smaller than a Lake, both being examples of Terrain features Although the term pond is universally used to describe waterbodies that A pond is a body of water smaller than a Lake, both being examples of Terrain features Although the term pond is universally used to describe waterbodies that A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the
- Lotic: rapidly-moving water, for example streams and rivers. A stream is a body of Water with a current, confined within a bed and stream-banks "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there
- Wetlands: areas where the soil is saturated or inundated for at least part of the time. A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog [4]
Lake ecosystems can be divided into zones: pelagic (open offshore waters); profundal; littoral (nearshore shallow waters); and riparian (the area of land bordering a body of water). Any water in the sea that is not close to the bottom is in the pelagic zone. "Riparian" redirects here For the legal doctrine see " Riparian water rights. Two important subclasses of lakes are ponds, which typically are small lakes that intergrade with wetlands, and water reservoirs. A reservoir is most broadly a place or hollow vessel where Fluid is kept in Reserve, for later use Many lakes, or bays within them, gradually become enriched by nutrients and fill in with organic sediments, a process called eutrophication. Eutrophication is an increase in chemical Nutrients -- typically compounds containing Nitrogen or Phosphorus -- in an Ecosystem, and may occur Eutrophication is accelerated by human activity within the water catchment area of the lake. [1]
The major zones in river ecosystems are determined by the river bed's gradient or by the velocity of the current. Faster moving turbulent water typically contains greater concentrations of dissolved oxygen, which supports greater biodiversity than the slow moving water of pools. These distinctions forms the basis for the division of rivers into upland and lowland rivers. In studies of the Ecology of Freshwater Rivers habitats are classified as upland and lowland. The food base of streams within riparian forests is mostly derived from the trees, but wider streams and those that lack a canopy derive the majority of their food base from algae. The canopy is one of the uppermost levels of a Forest, below the emergent layer, formed by the Tree crowns Canopy trees refers to the trees Anadromous fish are also an important source of nutrients. Many types of fish undertake migrations on a regular basis on time scales ranging from daily to annual and with distances ranging from a few meters to thousands of kilometers Environmental threats to rivers include loss of water, dams, chemical pollution and introduced species. [1]
Wetlands are dominated by vascular plants that have adapted to saturated soil. Vascular plants (also known as tracheophytes or higher plants) are those Plants that have lignified tissues for conducting Wetlands are the most productive natural ecosystems because of the proximity of water and soil. Due to their productivity, wetlands are often converted into dry land with dykes and drains and used for agricultural purposes. A ditch is usually defined as a small to moderate depression created to channel Water. Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from a given area Their closeness to lakes and rivers means that they are often developed for human settlement. [1]
Pond ecosystems
This is a specific type of freshwater ecosystem that is largely based on the autotroph algae which provide the base trophic level for all life in the area. An autotroph (from the Greek autos = self and trophe = nutrition is an Organism that produces complex Organic compounds from simple Algae ( sing. alga are a large and diverse group of simple typically Autotrophic organisms ranging from Unicellular to Multicellular forms The largest predator in a pond ecosystem will normally be a fish and in-between range smaller insects and microorganisms. It may have a scale of organisms from small bacteria to big creatures like water snakes, beetles, water bugs, and turtles.
Functions of aquatic ecosystems
Aquatic ecosystems perform many important environmental functions. For example, they recycle nutrients, purify water, attenuate floods, recharge ground water and provide habitats for wildlife. In Ecology and Earth science, a biogeochemical cycle is a circuit or pathway by which a Chemical element or Molecule moves through both biotic [5] Aquatic ecosystems are also used for human recreation, and are very important to the tourism industry, especially in coastal regions. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel [3]
The health of an aquatic ecosystem is degraded when the ecosystem's ability to absorb a stress has been exceeded. A stress on an aquatic ecosystem can be a result of physical, chemical or biological alterations of the environment. Physical alterations include changes in water temperature, water flow and light availability. Chemical alterations include changes in the loading rates of biostimulatory nutrients, oxygen consuming materials, and toxins. Biological alterations include the introduction of exotic species. Human populations can impose excessive stresses on aquatic ecosystems. [5]
Abiotic characteristics of aquatic ecosystems
An ecosystem is composed of biotic communities and abiotic environmental factors, which form a self-regulating and self-sustaining unit. Abiotic environmental factors of aquatic ecosystems include temperature, salinity, and flow. [5]
The amount of dissolved oxygen in a water body is frequently the key substance in determining the extent and kinds of organic life in the water body. Fish need dissolved oxygen to survive. Conversely, oxygen is fatal to many kinds of anaerobic bacteria. See also Fermentation (biochemistry Anaerobic respiration (anaerobiosis refers to the Oxidation of molecules in the absence of Oxygen to produce [6]
The salinity of the water body is also a determining factor in the kinds of species found in the water body. Organisms in marine ecosystems tolerate salinity, while many freshwater organisms are intolerant of salt. Freshwater used for irrigation purposes often absorb levels of salt that are harmful to freshwater organisms. Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops [6] Though some salt can be good for organisms.
Biotic characteristics of aquatic ecosystems
The organisms (also called biota) found in aquatic ecosystems are either autotrophic or heterotrophic. [6]
Autotrophic organisms
Autotrophic organisms are producers that generate organic compounds from inorganic material. An autotroph (from the Greek autos = self and trophe = nutrition is an Organism that produces complex Organic compounds from simple Algae use solar energy to generate biomass from carbon dioxide and are the most important autotrophic organisms in aquatic environments. [6] Chemosynthetic bacteria are found in benthic marine ecosystems. These organisms are able to feed on hydrogen sulfide in water that comes from volcanic vents. Hydrogen sulfide (or hydrogen sulphide) is the Chemical compound with the formula H 2 S. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the Great concentrations of animals that feed on this bacteria are found around volcanic vents. For example, there are giant tube worms (Riftia pachyptila) 1. Giant tube worms, Riftia pachyptila, are marine Invertebrates in the phylum Annelida ref> (formerly grouped in phylum Pogonophora 5m in length and clams (Calyptogena magnifica) 30cm long. [7]
Heterotrophic organisms
Heterotrophic organisms consume autotrophic organisms and use the organic compounds in their bodies as energy sources and as raw materials to create their own biomass. A heterotrophs, or chemoorganotrophy ( Greek heterone = (another and trophe = nutrition is an Organism that requires Biomass refers to living and recently dead Biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production [6] Euryhaline organisms are salt tolerant and can survive in marine ecosystems, while stenohaline or salt intolerant species can only live in freshwater environments. Euryhaline organisms are able to adapt to a wide range of salinities Stenohaline describes an organism usually Fish, that cannot handle a wide fluctuation in the Salt content of Water. [2]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Alexander, David E. An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " (1999-05-01). Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. Springer. ISBN 0-412-74050-8.
- ^ a b United States Environmental Protection Agency (2006-03-02). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Marine Ecosystems. Retrieved on 2006-08-25. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1248 - The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III the
- ^ a b Daily, Gretchen C. (1997-02-01). Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Nature's Services. Island Press. Island Press was established in 1984 as a nonprofit nonpartisan Publisher, based in Washington DC specializing in Natural history, Ecology, and ISBN 1-559-63476-6.
- ^ Vaccari, David A. (2005-11-08). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Environmental Biology for Engineers and Scientists. Wiley-Interscience. John Wiley & Sons Inc, also referred to as Wiley, is a global Publishing company that markets its products to professionals and consumers students and instructors ISBN 0-471-74178-7.
- ^ a b c Loeb, Stanford L. (1994-01-24). Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Systems. CRC Press. The CRC Press, LLC is a publishing group which specializes in producing technical books in a wide range of subjects ISBN 0-873-71910-7.
- ^ a b c d e Manahan, Stanley E. (2005-01-01). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Environmental Chemistry. CRC Press. The CRC Press, LLC is a publishing group which specializes in producing technical books in a wide range of subjects ISBN 1-56670-633-5.
- ^ Chapman, J. L. ; Reiss, M. J. (1998-12-10). Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Ecology. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge University Press (known colloquially as CUP is a Publisher given a Royal Charter by Henry VIII in 1534 ISBN 0-521-58802-2.
External links
- Aquatic Ecosystems at Environment Canada
- The Aquatic Biome
- Pond Life - Video
- Fish Aggregating Devices as Instrumented Observatories of pelagic ecosystems (FADIO) - Video Canal IRD
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