Questions and Answers
What are the two categories of aquatic biomes?
How are aquatic biomes characterized?
By salinity, depth, and water flow.
What are streams and rivers characterized by?
Flowing fresh water that may originate from underground springs or as runoff from rain or melting snow.
What are streams also known as?
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How do rivers differ from streams?
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What are rapids?
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What are the major threats to streams and rivers?
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What are the different zones a lake can be divided into?
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What is the littoral zone?
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What is the limnetic zone?
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What are phytoplankton?
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What is the profundal zone?
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What is the benthic zone?
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How are lakes classified?
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What is an oligotrophic lake?
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What characterizes mesotrophic lakes?
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What are eutrophic lakes?
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What is a current concern for many oligotrophic lakes?
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What are freshwater wetlands?
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What are swamps?
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What are marshes?
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What are bogs?
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What ecosystem services do wetlands provide?
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What can marine biomes be categorized as?
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What is a salt marsh?
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What is an estuary?
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How have humans negatively impacted wetlands?
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Study Notes
Aquatic Biomes Overview
- Aquatic biomes are categorized into freshwater (streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands) and marine (estuaries, coral reefs, open ocean).
Characteristics of Aquatic Biomes
- Key defining factors include salinity, depth, and water flow.
Streams and Rivers
- Comprised of flowing fresh water, originating from underground springs or runoff.
- Streams (creeks) are narrow and carry small water volumes; rivers are wider and transport larger volumes of water.
- Rapids exist in fast-moving water, mixing air and water, enhancing oxygen levels for fish.
Threats to Aquatic Systems
- Major threats to streams and rivers include excess nutrients and pollutants.
Lake Zones
- Lakes are divided into four zones: littoral, limnetic, profundal, and benthic.
Littoral Zone
- The shallow area near the shore is rich in soil and water, supports algae and emergent plants, and is a primary site for photosynthesis.
Limnetic Zone
- A zone of open water where rooted plants can't survive; composed mainly of phytoplankton, extending to the limit of sunlight penetration.
Profundal Zone
- Dark, deep water region where sunlight doesn't reach; no photosynthetic producers exist, nutrients aren't recycled efficiently, and decomposing bacteria consume oxygen.
Benthic Zone
- The lake's muddy bottom, located beneath the limnetic and profundal zones.
Lake Classifications
- Lakes are classified by productivity: oligotrophic (low productivity), mesotrophic (moderate productivity), and eutrophic (high productivity).
- Oligotrophic lakes are clear with low nutrient levels; increasing nutrients from human activities threaten their clarity.
Freshwater Wetlands
- Aquatic biomes that are submerged or saturated with water for part of the year, supporting emergent vegetation. Includes swamps, marshes, and bogs.
Swamps
- Wetlands with emergent trees, such as the Great Dismal Swamp.
Marshes
- Wetlands dominated by non-woody vegetation like cattails and sedges.
Bogs
- Acidic wetlands characterized by sphagnum moss and spruce trees.
Ecosystem Services of Wetlands
- Wetlands contribute to environmental health by slowing runoff, reducing floods, recharging aquifers, providing bird breeding habitats, and filtering pollutants.
Marine Biomes
- Categorized into salt marshes, mangrove swamps, intertidal zones, coral reefs, and the open ocean.
Salt Marshes
- Coastal marshes with non-woody emergent vegetation, highly productive ecosystems that serve as habitats for spawning fish and shellfish.
Estuaries
- Coastal areas where freshwater from rivers meets ocean saltwater, productive zones for plants and algae, filtering contaminants effectively.
Human Impact on Wetlands
- Over half of wetlands have been drained for agriculture or development, significantly disrupting ecosystems and eliminating breeding grounds for various species.
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Description
This quiz covers the fundamentals of aquatic biomes, including the characteristics and classifications of freshwater and marine environments. Each flashcard presents key terms and definitions to enhance your understanding of ecosystems like rivers, lakes, and oceans.