Aquatic Systems

Lakes and Ponds RSC3#view=detail&mid=A8C9DDEE AEE4A8C9DDEE AEE4 RSC3#view=detail&mid=A8C9DDEE AEE4A8C9DDEE AEE4 Aquatic SystemsMajor Enviro. Parameters Dominant Vegetation Dominant Animal life Distribution Lakes and ponds (freshwater) Bodies of standing water (lentic) Low concentration of dissolved solids; seasonal vertical stratification of water Rooted and floating plants, phytoplankton Zooplankton, fish, insect larvae, turtles, ducks, geese, swans, wading birds (heron) Physical depressions in the landscape where precipitation and groundwater accumulate

Streams and Rivers 1&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=DB5802DC0165C83CC7CEDB5802DC0165C83CC7CE 1&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=DB5802DC0165C83CC7CEDB5802DC0165C83CC7CE Aquatic SystemsMajor Enviro. Parameters Dominant Vegetation Dominant Animal life Distribution Streams and Rivers (freshwater) Flowing water (lotic); low level of dissolved soilds; high level of dissolved oxygen; often turbid from runoff Attached algae, rooted plants Insect larvae, fish, amphibians, otters, raccoons, wading birds, ducks, geese Landscapes where precipitation and groundwater flow by gravity toward oceans or lakes

Inland Wetlands Aquatic SystemsMajor Enviro. Parameters Dominant Vegetation Dominant Animal life Distribution Inland Wetlands (Freshwater) Standing waters, at times seasonally dry; thick organic sediments; high nutrients Marshes (grasses, reeds); cattail swamps (water-tolerant trees);bogs (sphagnum moss, shrubs) Amphibians, snakes, numerous invertebrates, wading birds, alligators turtles Shallow depressions, poorly drained, often occupied sites of lakes and ponds that have filled in

Estuaries Aquatic SystemsMajor Enviro. Parameters Dominant Vegetation Dominant Animal life Distribution Estuaries (mixed) Variable salinity, tides create two way currents; often rich in nutrients, turbid Phytoplankton, rooted grasses (salt-marsh grasses), mangrove swamps in tropics with salt tolerant trees, shurbs. Zooplankton, rich shellfish, worms, crustaceans, fish, wading birds, sandpipers, ducks, geese Coastal regions where rivers meet the oceans; may form bays behind sandy barrier islands.

Coastal Oceans Aquatic SystemsMajor Enviro. Parameters Dominant Vegetation Dominant Animal life Distribution Coastal Oceans (saltwater) Tidal currents promote mixing; nutrients high Phytoplankton, large benthic algae, turtle grass, symbiotic algae in corals Zooplankton; rich bottom fauna of worms, shellfish, crustaceans; coral colonies, jellyfish, fish, turtles, gulls, sea lions, seals, dolphins, penguins, whales (think Nemo) From coastline, outward over continental shelf, coral reefs abundant in tropics

Open Ocean Aquatic SystemsMajor Enviro. Parameters Dominant Vegetation Dominant Animal life Distribution Open Ocean (freshwater) Great depths; poor nutrients except in upwelling regions. Phytoplankton, sargassum weed. Zooplankton and fish adapted to different depths; seabirds, whales, tuna, sharks, squid, flying fish, angler fish. Covering 70% of Earth from edge of continental shelf outward Euphotic, bathyal, abyssal