1. AQUATIC ECOLOGY
CHAPTER 7a – TEST 5

2. I. Aquatic Environments:
-Aquatic Life Zones = Biomes
-Organisms that are found in life zones are determined by Salinity.
1. Marine (Saltwater):
Ocean, coral reefs, coastal marshes
Freshwater:
Rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands

3. A. Main Types of Organisms in aquatic life zones:
1. Plankton:
-Weak swimming and free-floating (ex: types of algae)
-3 categories: Phyto(surface), Zoo, Nano

4. -Strong Swimming consumer (Fish, turtles, sharks and whales)
2. Nekton:
-Strong Swimming consumer
(Fish, turtles, sharks and whales)

5. (Oysters, sea star, worms, lobster & crabs)
3. Benthos:
-Bottom dwelling….
(Oysters, sea star, worms, lobster & crabs)

6. -Break down organic compounds
4. Decomposers (Mostly Bacteria):
-Break down organic compounds

7. B. Benefits of Life in the Water:
BUOYANCY:
Provides support
Allows vertical movement
Reduces the need for large supportive structures

8. 2) THERMOSTAT ACTION:
Keeps organisms from drying out
Protects from major temperature changes.

9. DISSOLVING CAPABILITY:
Dissolves nutrients and makes them readily available.
UV PROTECTION:
Protects against harmful radiation
5)DILUSION OF TOXIC MATERIAL
Filtering of waste

10. C. Limiting Factors In Aquatic Environments:
*Factors that determine the number and types of organisms that live in certain aquatic life zones.
- Temperature
- Sunlight
- Dissolved oxygen
- Nutrients

11. Temperature:
-Tends to have an effect on or to be affected by all the other factors.
2. Sunlight:
-Most important at the surface, or EUPHOTIC ZONE, where photosynthesis occurs
-The amount of sunlight can be affected by depth and excessive algal growth

12. 3. Dissolved Oxygen
-The amount of oxygen dissolved in the water.
-Affected by these factors …
*Temperature
-Holds more at low temperatures
*Number of Producers (add O2)
*Number of Consumers (remove O2)
*Number of aerobic decomposers
* Many fish die when D.O. drops below 5 ppm

13. A Dead Zone caused by a lowering of dissolved oxygen in the water is referred to as hypoxia.

15. -Found in ample supplies in shallow water
4. Nutrients:
-Found in ample supplies in shallow water
-Lacking in open ocean except where there are UPWELLINGS
Seasonal mixing of deep nutrient waters that are brought to the surface.

17. II. Key Roles Of Oceans: -Oceans play many vital roles on the planet…
Help to regulate climate
2. Greatest total amt. of productivity across the world
3. Provide a source of many natural resources & habitat for animals and plants
4. Disperse/Dilute human produced wastes and has
-Two major “Ocean Life Zones”: coastal and open ocean

18. A. Ocean Life Zones 1. COASTAL ZONE -Nutrient rich, shallow water
-Extends from high tide mark to *CONTINENTAL SHELF
-Contains 90% of all marine species
-Most ecosystems w/in zone have high primary productivity

20. Costal zones can be broken into various other areas…
Estuaries and Coastal Wetlands
A. Estuary- Partially enclosed area of coastal water where sea and fresh waters mix.
B. Coastal Wetlands- associated with Estuaries that are water covered all or part of the year. Can further include INLETS,BAYS,SOUNDS,MARSHES

21. SURFACE AREA OF SHORELINE: 4,400 square miles.
Chesapeake Bay Facts
Chesapeake Bay Facts
LENGTH: 200 miles.
WIDTH: varies: 4 miles at the Bay Bridge to 30 miles at the mouth of the Potomac River.
DEPTH: average depth is 21 feet, maximum depth is 175 feet near Bloody Point, Md.
MILES OF SHORELINE: 11,000 miles. (The same as the distance from New York to Los Angeles and back to New York.)
SURFACE AREA OF SHORELINE: 4,400 square miles.
WATERSHED: 64,000 square miles in 6 states and Washington, D.C.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States.
There are 15,000 streams covering 100,000 miles that feed into the Bay. (That's four times around the world!)
There are 600,000 acres of marshlands (wetlands). Marshlands and adjoining woodlands provide a natural habitat for over 2,700 species of plants and animals.
90% of the Bay’s fresh water comes from l0 major river systems, and 50% of it comes from the Susquehanna River. The Bay provides more blue crabs than anywhere in the world.
*The industry of Chicken farming has been blamed the most in degrading the Bay
*The pollution that received the most blame for the degradation of the Bay is pollution from run off within the waters that supply the bay

24. Functions of Estuaries and Coastal Wetlands
Breeding ground for aquatic organisms and habitat for water fowl
Maintain water quality by diluting and filtering
Food Production
Recreational activities
Protects mainland from flooding
Most coastal wetlands that are lost are used for urban development

25. Covered with mangrove forest swamps.
Mangrove tree species has the ability to live in salt water.

26. Human Impacts on Estuaries
53% have been destroyed in the USA
Causes:
Dredging, and filling
Trap pesticides, heavy metals and other contaminants
Sewage runoff
Dam construction and river diversion
California and Florida have lost most of their coastal wetlands.

27. C. Intertidal Zone Area of shoreline between low and high tides
Sometimes thought of as the SWASH ZONE
Stressful zone to live in
- Swept away or crushed by waves
- Immersed during high tides
- High and Dry during low tides
- Changing levels of salinity
Most organisms have shells, dig in or hold onto something

29. 1. Sandy Shores vs. Rocky Sandy Shores or Barrier Beaches
-Show a variety of plant and animal
-Most animals survive under the sand
-Vegetation in “levels” among sand dunes
*Sandy shores dominate the Eastern Atlantic coast.
-Subject to:
Violent storms
Pollution from the land
Over-harvesting
Coastal development

31. Taller shrubs and trees
Sand Dunes
-Primary and Secondary Dunes play and important role in protecting the land
-Development should only be behind the second strip of dunes
Ocean
Beach
Intensive recreation
no building
Primary Dune
No direct
passage
or building
Trough
Limited
recreation
and walkways
Secondary Dune
No direct
passage
or building
Back Dune
Most suitable
for development
Bay or
Lagoon
Intensive
recreation
Bay shore
No filling
Grasses or shrubs
Taller shrubs
Taller shrubs and trees
Fig. 7.11, p. 161

33. Rocky Shores -Characterized by pounding waves
-Often numerous tidal pools containing various organisms

36. D. Barrier Islands
-Long, thin, low offshore islands of sediment that generally run parallel to the shore
-Helps to protect mainland estuaries and coastal wetlands by dispersing storm waves
-Constantly change shape and size
EX. Atlantic City, Miami Beach, Outer Banks

38. E. Coral Reefs -Second only to tropical rain forest in biodiversity.
-3 categories of organisms …
*Attached
*Fish
*Organisms that bore, attach, or hide
-Found only in the tropics
-Usually colored by algae

39. - 65 countries protect 300 coral reefs as reserves/parks
- 65 countries protect 300 coral reefs as reserves/parks. Another 600 reefs have been recommended for protection.

41. Human Impacts on Coral Reefs
Estimated that 10% have been seriously degraded by …
Deposition of eroded soil
Fertilizer runoff
Chemical Pollution
Coral bleaching-the killing of symbiotic algae(largest threat)
Increased UV
Destructive harvesting techniques
Ecotourism damage

42. Coral Reefs Producer to primary consumer Primary to secondary
Gray reef shark
Green sea
turtle
Sea nettle
Fairy basslet
Blue
tangs
Brittle star
Banded coral
shrimp
Sergeant major
Parrot fish
Hard corals
Algae
Phytoplankton
Symbiotic
algae
Zooplankton
Sponges
Bacteria
Moray
eel
Black basslet
Coney
Producer
to primary
consumer
Primary
to secondary
Secondary to
higher-level
All consumer and
producers to
decomposers
Coral Reefs
Fig. 7.13, p. 163

44. 2. The Open Ocean 3 vertical zones based on sunlight penetration
Euphotic Zone:
Bathyal Zone:
Abyssal Zone:

45. 1. Euphotic Zone -High photosynthesis
-Low nutrients
-High dissolved oxygen
-Large fish
2. Bathyal Zone
-No/Little photosynthesis
-Zooplankton abundant
-Small migratory fish

46. 3. Abyssal Zone
-Low temps
-Low dissolved oxygen
-High nutrients

47. Ocean Zones High tide Depth in meters Sun Low tide Open Sea
Coastal zone
Estuarine
Zone
Continental
shelf
Open Sea
Sea level
Sun
Euphotic Zone
Bathyal Zone
Abyssal Zone
Slope
Depth in
meters 50
100
200
Photosynthesis
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
10,000
Darkness

48. III. Human Impact on Marine Systems and Coastal Biomes:
Salt marshes, mangrove forests, and sea-grass meadows, are being lost and degraded
-Estimated that coastal wetlands have decreased by 53% over the last century
-70% of world beaches are eroding
-Bottom habitat is being degraded by trawlers + dredging.