Aquatic Ecosystem - 9195 Words

Aquatic ecosystem An estuary mouth and coastal waters, part of an aquatic ecosystem. An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem located in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems. What is an aquatic ecosystem? Aquatic systems are those that contain plants and animals that predominantly depend on a significant amount of water to be present for at least part of the year. But a perfect definition is tough to make. How many weeks a year does an area need to show standing water in order to be a pond? How about a bird bath or dog water dish, as both can breed aquatic insects†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Lotic: rapidly-moving water, for example streams and rivers. †¢ Wetlands: areas where the soil is saturated or inundated for at least part of the time. Lake ecosystems can be divided into zones: pelagic (open offshore waters); profundal; littoral (nearshore shallow waters); and riparian (the area of land bordering a body of water). Two important subclasses of lakes are ponds, which typically are small lakes that intergrade with wetlands, and water reservoirs. Many lakes, or bays within them, gradually become enriched by nutrients and fill in with organic sediments, a process called eutrophication. Eutrophication is accelerated by human activity within the water catchment area of the lake. [pic] Freshwater ecosystem. The major zones in river ecosystems are determined by the river beds gradient or by the velocity of the current. Faster moving turbulent water typically contains greater concentrations of dissolved oxygen, which supports greater biodiversity than the slow moving water of pools. These distinctions forms the basis for the division of rivers into upland and lowland rivers. The food base of streams within riparian forests is mostly derived from the trees, but wider streams and those that lack a canopy derive the majority of their food base from algae. Anadromous fish are also an important source of nutrients. Environmental threats to rivers include loss of water, dams, chemical pollution and introduced species.Show MoreRelatedDescription Of Aquatic Ecosystems : The Aquatic Ecosystem1210 Words   |  5 PagesDescription of Aquatic Ecosystems The aquatic ecosystem is a vital part of the Earth’s vigorous process and is indispensable for a sustainable Earth and its inhabitants. There are different types of aquatic ecosystems 1) fresh water ecosystems, such as rivers, lakes and ponds 2) Saltwater ecosystems, such as oceans, inlets and bays, and 3) wetlands (both fresh and saltwater), which serve as a filtration systems between dry land and bodies of water. Because wetlands serve as filtration systems, theyRead Morefreshwater aquatic ecosystem Essay2086 Words   |  9 PagesFreshwater Aquatic Ecosystems This paper will discuss freshwater aquatic ecosystem. It will identify impacts associated with agriculture, the effects that a growing human population may have on that ecosystem’s resources, including loss or harm to populations of wild species, sustainability and conservation of natural resources in freshwater aquatic ecosystem, risks and benefits of extracting or using one type of nonrenewable and one type of renewable energy resource, assess management practicesRead MoreDescription Of Aquatic Ecosystems : An Aquatic Ecosystem910 Words   |  4 PagesDescription of Aquatic Ecosystems An aquatic ecosystem is a vital part of the Earth’s vigorous process and is indispensable for a sustainable Earth and its inhabitants. With aquatic ecosystems we have three different types: 1) Lentic, which is a slow moving body of water such as a pond, lake or pool; 2) Lotic, which is a faster moving body of water such as rivers, streams and oceans; and 3) wetlands, which serve as a filtration system between land and water, cutting down on pollution and providingRead MoreA Study On Aquatic Ecosystems2344 Words   |  10 PagesTitle Aquatic ecosystems such as the one created in this report help convey the simple yet complex processes that are required in order to establish a stable and thriving environment. Abstract In this study a freshwater ecosystem was created to observe the changes that would take place over the period of 5 weeks. This included creating a food web to outline the trophic levels that would take place in the ecosystem as well as developing a hypothesised outcome. Over the course of the experiment measurementsRead MoreRealistic aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are constantly adapting to various disturbances of600 Words   |  3 PagesRealistic aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are constantly adapting to various disturbances of anthropogenic and natural origin. According to the â€Å"Alternative stable state theory† ecosystem has various states and can switch from one state to another when ecosystem conditions are changing (Holling, 1973; Scheffer, 2001). When the magnitude of such disturbance is negligible, the shift in the ecosystem structure and functioning does not occur. In this case the ecosystem resilience allows it to returnRead More How Acid Rain Affects the Aquatic Ecosystem Essay1387 Words   |  6 PagesHow Acid Rain Affects the Aquatic Ecosystem Abstract This paper shows that acid rain is a reality. It is destroying our freshwater ecosystems and must be stopped in order to save them. If the problem is not fixed soon the aquatic ecosystems will be destroyed. Table of Contents 1. What is acid rain? 2. Acidification of Freshwater 3. Effects of Freshwater Acidification 4. Where is Affected the most? 5. What is being done to fix it? 6. Conclusion 7. References What isRead MoreEffects Of Dams On Aquatic Ecosystems891 Words   |  4 Pagesregimes (Ligon 1995). Studies have also shown that dams immensely influence fish assemblages. Once a reservoir is built it immediately impacts a fish community by changing habitat quality and the flow regime. The main impact that dams have on aquatic ecosystems is the change of flow regime from lotic to lentic (Agostinho 2008). Lotic systems are typically categorized as free-flowing systems examples of these are rivers and streams. Lentic systems can be classified as sedentary systems because theyRead MoreThe Increasing Threat from Mercury in Our Aquatic Environment1677 Words   |  7 PagesMercury contamination in aquatic environments is becoming an increasing threat to both wildlife and humans (Peterson S. A., 2007). Organisms in the aquatic environment, particularly fish, bioaccumulate methylmercury from contaminated water and food, but predominately from food (Peterson S. A., 2007). Mercury in the atmosphere exists in three inorganic forms: gaseous elemental mercury (GEM: Hg0), oxidized mercury typically called reactive gaseous mercury (RGM: Hg2+), and particulate mercury (Hgp)Read MoreNew Transit System for Sunshine Coast1308 Words   |  5 Pagesconstruction of a light rail line across Currimundi Creek would be detrimental to the already vulnerable health of the area. Furthermore, investigations of the GCCM have highlighted loss of biodiversity, decrease in water quality and damage to the natural ecosystem through loss of riparian vegetation as central issues of concern associated with Currimundi Creek (GCCM, 2010). It can be considered that the development of the Sunshine Coast light rail line would further contribute to the decline of these issuesRead MoreEnv/420 Ecology and Wildlife Risk Evaluation Analysis Essay example1678 Words   |  7 Pages This analysis of case studies from Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the case study to predict the effects of pesticides on aquatic systems and the waterfowl that uses them. Comparing the two processes of these case studies, along with analysis of the assessments. Describing the case study on the effects of pesticides in aquatic ecosystem, the risk assessment correlated to observed field studies and evaluate the importance of this type of correlation in general for all risk assessment