1. Freshwater Biomes

2. Four different freshwater ecosystems
Ponds/Lakes
Streams
Rivers
Wetlands: marshes & swamps

3. Freshwater Biomes Freshwater contains less than 1% salt.
The main abiotic factors that determine the type of aquatic biome are: sunlight, temperature and salinity.
Sunlight and nutrients determine the distribution of organisms. The warmer the water the more life, the more food the more life.

4. Ponds and Lakes Scattered all over
Can be a few square meters to square kilometers
Ponds seasonal, lakes can last hundreds of years
4 main zones
Littoral
Limnetic
Profundal
Benthic- bottom or floor

5. Freshwater zones:

6. Littoral Zone: Located at the land at the edge of the water, shallow
Warmest water
Receives the most sunlight
Flora: cattails, rushes, water lilies, & weeds, plants rooted to the bottom
Fauna: snails, insects & larvae, clams, worms,, frogs, salamanders, turtles, fish, & snails
Pass around container with insect larvae in it and fake water lilies for students to observe

11. Open Water Zone or Limnetic Zone
Located from the littoral zone across the top of water & goes as deep as light can reach, shallow water
Fauna: plankton, and fish, algae, microscopic
Crustaceans, bass and trout
Plankton are small organisms that play a crucial role in the food chain.

13. Profundal Zone Deep Water Zone
Deepest freshwater zone
Coldest water
No light in this zone
Fauna: catfish, carp, worms, insect larvae, fungi, bacteria, crustaceans
All of these are bottom feeders and eat the dead things that fall to the bottom

14. Benthic Zone Benthic Zone is the area at the bottom of a lake or pond
The bottom is covered with dead and decaying plants and animals
Also covered with a layer of sediment