1. EQ: What differentiates the Earth’s biomes?
Aquatic Biomes
EQ: What differentiates the Earth’s biomes?

2. There are two types of aquatic biomes
Marine Ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems
Oceans
Cover ¾ of the Earth’s surface
Home to the largest and smallest animals
Brooks, rivers, swamps, streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, marshes

3. Marine Marine ecosystems are shaped by abiotic factors:
Water temperature
Water depth
Amount of sunlight that passes into the water.

4. Water Temperature
The temperature of the water decreases as the depth increases.
However, this change is not gradual.
There are three zones of ocean water:
Surface: Top layer to 300 meters below sea level. Warm
Thermocline: 300 meters-700 meters below sea level. Temperature drops fast!
Deep zone: 700 meters-ocean floor. Frigid cold.!

5. Depth and Sunlight
In addition to water temperature, life in the ocean is affected by water depth, and the amount of sunlight that passes into the water.
The major ocean zones with regard to depth and sunlight are:
The Intertidal Zone
The Neritic Zone
The Oceanic Zone
The Benthic Zone

6. The Intertidal Zone Where the ocean meets the land
Exposed to air for part of the day
Abundant sunlight, warm water
Waves are constantly crashing on the rocks and sand
Animals must be adapted for exposure to the air and to keep from being washed away
Snails, crabs, clams

7. The Neritic Zone The water becomes deeper
The ocean floor begins to slope
Warm water and a lot of sunlight
Many interesting plants and animals
Corals, sea turtles, dolphins, plankton

8. Coral Reefs Found in warm, shallow areas of the neritic zone.
Corals are small animals that leave hard skeletons behind when they die,
Over time, the skeletons build upon themselves providing homes for animals and plants.

9. The Oceanic Zone The sea floor drops sharply Deep water
Some sunlight, chilly water
Plankton near the surface
Whales and sharks
Food found from material that sinks down from the surface

10. The Benthic Zone The ocean floor Deepest parts receive no sunlight
Very cold
Animals have special adaptations to the deep, dark water
Heat from thermal vents
Angler fish

11. Estuaries
An area where freshwater from streams and rivers spill into the ocean.
Salt and fresh water mix
Plants and animals must be able to adapt to changing salt levels.
Crabs!

12. Freshwater Ecosystems
Include streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, marshes, swamps.
Water can be fast or slow moving.
Freshwater ecosystems are characterized by their abiotic factors:
Water speed
Amount of sunlight
Absorbency of soil
Water depth
Precipitation totals

14. Ecosystems of The Ocean
Many ecosystems exist in the ocean.
Some are found near the shore, while others are found in the middle of the ocean or near the poles.
Examples of ocean ecosystems are:
Intertidal Areas
Coral Reefs
Estuaries
The Sargasso Sea
Polar Ice

16. The Sargasso Sea Found in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Contains floating rafts of algae called sargassums.
Animals that live in the Sargasso Sea are the same color as the sargassums so that they camouflage.

17. Polar Ice The Artic Ocean and the ocean around Antarctica
Icy waters that are rich in nutrients
Polar bears and penguins

18. Intertidal Areas Near the shore Mudflats, sandy beaches, rocky shores
Organsims must be able to live in and out of the water