1. Aquatic Biome By Darnell Battle & T.J. Dombroski Fall 2009

2. Introduction SPLASH! A dolphin flies through the air and lands in the seemingly endless ocean. A shark lurks in the deep ocean searching for its prey. The aquatic biome holds many animals and is the largest biome on Earth. It covers over 70% of the Earth. There are many bodies of water, including a place where freshwater and saltwater meet. Most of the aquatic biome is ocean, however a small part of the aquatic biome consists of rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. We are students exploring the aquatic biome. Come join us on our journey.

3. Geographical Characteristics Oceans are very deep. Their depth ranges from over 3000 feet to almost 14,000 feet. Oceans are broken up into four zones. The inertial zone, the pelagic zone, the abyssal zone, and the benthic zone. The inertial zone is the zone closest to the shore. It is underwater at high tide and above water at low tide. The intertidal zone is also well lit by the sun. The pelagic zone is further away from the shore. It is mostly open ocean. The benthic zone is deep but is not the deepest part of the ocean. The abyssal zone is the deepest part of the ocean. It is dark and very cold. Estuaries are where freshwater streams and rivers merge with the ocean. A small part of the aquatic biome is rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. Most rivers and streams flow down from the tops of mountains. Ponds and lakes are broken up into three zones. The highest zone is the littoral zone. That zone is nearest to the shore and has shallow water. The water near the surface that is surrounded by the littoral zone is the limonitic zone. That zone is well lit by the sun. The deepest part of lakes and ponds is the profundal zone.

4. Climate As we swim through the water the water suddenly gets colder and we swim about two meters more the water gets warmer The temperature of the surface waters of the ocean varies mainly with latitude. While the Polar seas can be -2° C or 28.4° F, the Persian gulf can be 36° C or 96.8° F. However the average surface temperature is 17° C or 62.6° F. There is a boundary between the surface and the deep water. At that boundary the temperature is around 0° C. Most of the ocean water near or below that is between 0° and -3° C. The temperature of ponds and lakes is slightly colder than that of the ocean. The top layer of ponds and lakes has a temperature range between 65° and 75° F. The center of ponds and lakes have a temperature that is usually between 45° and 65° F. Light doesn’t penetrate the bottom, so it is very cold. The temperature there is between 39° and 45° F.

5. Our Diet The aquatic biome is filled with many different kinds of fish. For example if we explored the Atlantic ocean we would eat the delicious Atlantic salmon. The Atlantic salmon darts around many parts of the Atlantic Ocean, including waters from Greenland to Cape Cod, the arctic coast of Russia and Northern to Southern Spain. We would eat great barracuda if we explored any tropical ocean except the eastern Pacific Ocean. The great barracuda is best in the Caribbean and the western Atlantic Ocean. We would also eat skipjack tuna. skipjack tuna dashes through every tropical ocean. There are also many kinds of fish in the freshwater part of the aquatic biome. If we explored ponds and lakes in southeastern Canada or the northern United States we would dine on large mouth bass. Finally if we explored small river beds in the northern United States and Canada we would eat delicious rainbow trout. The aquatic biome is filled with many different kinds of fish. For example if we explored the Atlantic ocean we would eat the delicious Atlantic salmon. The Atlantic salmon darts around many parts of the Atlantic Ocean, including waters from Greenland to Cape Cod, the arctic coast of Russia and Northern to Southern Spain. We would eat great barracuda if we explored any tropical ocean except the eastern Pacific Ocean. The great barracuda is best in the Caribbean and the western Atlantic Ocean. We would also eat skipjack tuna. skipjack tuna dashes through every tropical ocean. There are also many kinds of fish in the freshwater part of the aquatic biome. If we explored ponds and lakes in southeastern Canada or the northern United States we would dine on large mouth bass. Finally if we explored small river beds in the northern United States and Canada we would eat delicious rainbow trout.

6. Aquatic Survival As we continue to explore the aquatic biome we discover that there it can be a very dangerous place for humans. For example under water, humans can’t breathe so we need oxygen tanks to breathe underwater. Even with an oxygen tank there is a limit to how much time we can stay underwater. There are also some dangerous animals. For example there are jellyfish. Jellyfish have powerful tentacles which can give us a nasty sting. There is also the sting ray. The sting ray can kill us with its powerful stinger. And we have not even mentioned sharks, whales and many other mighty dangerous species in this biome. Finally, in the deep ocean the temperature is always very low. In fact it is always below 0°C. These are only some of the many dangers lurking as we explore.

7. Shelter Since we are exploring the aquatic biome we can’t stay in the water for long. We need in a shelter to protect us from the freezing waters. We have decided that we will use a submarine with a single propeller for shelter. Our submarine has a small propeller like a helicopter's rotors at the rear of it. It also has a small engine room which holds the motor generator. This generator powers the propeller so that we can silently glide through the water. It has a ballast tank which takes in water so we can submerge. It also has a tower with a periscope and radar antennas, and living quarters which we can sleep in. And the submarine will keep us dry, warm and safe in our exploration!

8. Poem of the Aquatic Biome Poem of the Aquatic Biome The aquatic biome Covers over 70 % of the Earth’s surface A large variety of marine life Call it home And while it is an amazingly beautiful place There is also danger Plummeting Through the ocean You may meet jellyfish, stingray, great white sharks But you will not care When you discover what wonders The aquatic biome Has to share.