1. Fresh Water
BIOME
Wet Lands
Fresh Water
Marine
Aquatic Biome

2. Earth: The Water Planet
¾ of the Earth is covered in water
The freshwater biome includes:
ponds
lakes
streams
rivers

3. Freshwater Biome
The fresh water biome is part of the Aquatic biome that by its nature contains little salt. (low salinity) Usually less than 1%.
One of the most important abiotic factors that influences the freshwater biome is sunlight, which is necessary for photosynthesis.
Water absorbs sunlight, so there is only enough sunlight for photosynthesis near the surface or in the shallow water.
Algae are the main producers of the fresh water biome.
Students should understand the difference between abiotic and biotic factors. The next slide will be a “stop and think” slide which will help students recall their knowledge of abiotic and biotic factors in the environment. The energy transformation that takes place from radiant chemical is an important idea for students to understand.
Energy Transformation: radiant  chemical (radiant energy is converted to chemical energy as plants make their food in the process of photosynthesis)

4. Freshwater Location
Freshwater can be found all over the world and covers 1/5 of the Earth’s surface.

5. Pick a Partner (sitting next to you)
Abiotic VS Biotic
Pick a Partner (sitting next to you)
Person on the left-Tell your partner what a BIOTIC
factor is.
Person on the right- Give 3 examples of BIOTIC factors.
Person on the right- Tell your partner what an ABIOTIC factor is.
Person on the left- Give 3 examples of ABITOIC factors.
This is a short “stop and think” slide that works like a mini pair-share activity it will help students to recall their understanding of abiotic and biotic factors and should only take about 3 minutes. The definitions are given on the following slide.

6. Abiotic and Biotic Factors of the Freshwater Biome
Abiotic Factors (non-living)
the speed of the water flow
Climate (average weather)
and amount of sunlight.
Biotic Factors (living)
Freshwater biomes contain about 12 percent of the worlds known animals
40 percent of the worlds fish species are located in the Freshwater biome.
Many types of plants also live in the freshwater biome.
Abiotic factors are non-living parts of the environment such as water, temperature, rocks, and sunlight. Biotic factors are living organisms (6th graders should have an awareness of this, because it is part of the 6th grade TEKS)

7. Ponds and Lakes
Ponds and lakes are bodies of standing (still) fresh water.
Many have limited biodiversity (the number of and variety of organisms found in an area) because they are isolated from one another and from other water sources such as rivers and oceans.
Ponds and lakes are divided into zones based on the depth and distance from the shoreline.
Littoral Zone
Limnetic Zone
Profundal Zone

8. Pond and Lake Zones
The Littoral zone- is the warmest zone because it is the most shallow and can absorb much of the sun’s heat. It has a fairly diverse population of plants and animals which serve as food for other creatures such as snakes, turtles, and ducks.
Students should not be held accountable for the names of the zones. However, they should be able to recognize that the ponds are divided into zones based on depth and distance from shore, and that because of the amount of sunlight and depth of the water different types of organisms will inhabit these areas.
The Limnetic zone is a well-lit zone that is dominated by plankton which are tiny organisms that serve as the basis of the aquatic food chain.
The Profundal zone- is the deepest zone, very little light penetrates this area. This zone is occupied by decomposers which get their energy from feeding on the remains of dead organisms that have sunk to the bottom of the pond or lake.

9. Streams and Rivers WED in RIVERS
The water content towards the origin or beginning of the stream (headwaters) tends to have a higher oxygen content and be clearer. As a result many freshwater fish, such as trout are found “up stream” in this area.
The mouth of the river water tends to be murkier from the sediments and it contain less oxygen. Catfish and carp are found in this area.
Streams and rivers consist of bodies of moving water.
Rivers begin at an area called headwaters and end at an area called the mouth.
Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition occurs in rivers when rocks are broken into pieces (weathering), carried away by the running water (Erosion), and dropped off at the mouth of the river (deposition).
WED in RIVERS
Students should be aware of weather, erosion, and deposition so this will be a re-cap.

10. Animals
Some animals that can be found in a freshwater biome are trout, catfish, bass, mosquitoes, black flies, ticks, frogs, snakes, salamanders, and alligators.

11. Plants and Animals

12. Aquatic Adaptations What is an adaptation?
What is the purpose of an adaptation?
What types of adaptations would you expect to find in plants and animals that live in the water?
This “stop and think” slide can be used to refocus the class. Students should be well aware of adaptations, due to the extent they were gone into within the first biome (desert/grassland).

13. Aquatic Adaptations
Adaptations are characteristics of an organism that help it
survive in its environment or reproduce.
Certain plants that are submerged (underwater) have reduced or absent xylem. The xylem is an internal tube structure that transports water to other regions of the plant from the roots.
(Elodea is a submergent plant that has no xylem.)
Eyes positioned on top of the head allow animals to hide almost fully submerged in water and still detect predators or prey above the water. (hippos)
Streamlined body reduces friction when the animal moves through the water. (Fish)
Dense fur helps streamline the bodies of some aquatic mammals and keeps them warm. (river otter)
Webbed feet, formed from thin skin between the toes, work like paddles. (duck-billed platypus, ducks, and other aquatic birds)
Flattened tails serve as paddles. (beaver)
Students need to understand that animals and plants are adapted for the environment in which they live. Without these adaptations the animals and plants of this biome would not be able to survive. It is not the concept of adaptation that will be new, but the type of adaptations will differ from biome to biome.

14. Energy Pyramid
An energy pyramid shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web. The most energy is available at the producer (base) level of the pyramid.
As you move up the energy pyramid from base to top, less energy is available, because organisms at each level use some of the energy to carry out life processes.
*In general only about 10% of the energy contained in one level of a food web/pyramid is transferred to the next level.
4th level consumer
For the ecosystem to function energy must be
available and it must be transferred.
3rd consumer
2nd level consumer
The Law of Conservation tells us that energy is not created or destroyed, but simply changes forms. Evidence of this can be seen in the Energy Pyramid.
1st level consumer
This slide will serve as an introduction to the energy pyramid and will be the first time students will see an energy pyramid in 7th grade. The most important concept for students to understand is that at the bottom of the pyramid the producers (autotrophs) are positioned and they make the base for the rest of the pyramid and provide energy to all over levels of the pyramid. This may also be the first introduction to 1st level and 2nd level consumers and so on as seen on an energy pyramid.
PRODUCERS

15. 2 types of pollution that affect the aquatic biome
Human Influence
The freshwater biome is seriously threatened by pollution from farm runoff, industrial discharges, recreational boating, and fast-food packaging.
2 types of pollution that affect the aquatic biome
Chemical pollution- the introduction of toxic chemicals into the water. (oil spills, pesticides, bio-hazardous materials, illegal dumping etc.)
Thermal pollution -A common cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a coolant by power plants and industrial manufacturers. When water used as a coolant is returned to the natural environment at a higher temperature, the change in temperature (a) decreases oxygen supply, and affects ecosystem composition.

16. Which of the following describes a pond?
It’s your turn!
Which of the following describes a pond?
a moving body of water that is rich in oxygen
small organisms that provide food for the rest of the aquatic food chain
a body of water that is rich in salt content
a still body of water that is divided into zones based on the depth and distance from the shoreline.
The last few slides are for review, and will help to recap some of the high points of the slide. The correct answer will change color upon the last mouse click. Once students have chosen their answer “click” to review the correct answer.

17. An abiotic factor of the freshwater biome is ____.
Ducks
Elodea
Water
Waterlily

18. Which of the following has headwaters and a mouth?
Lake
Pond
Alligator
River

19. What energy transformation takes place when plants make their food from the sun during photosynthesis?
Thermal  mechanical
Radiant  chemical
Radiant  mechanical
photosynthesis

20. What level of the energy pyramid is represented by the arrow?
2nd level consumer

21. Which of the following would NOT be found in the freshwater biome?
A plant that requires a lot of salt
Otter
A plant that requires little salt
Trout