FRESHWATER BIOMES

Freshwater biomes are large communities of plants and animals centered around waters with
less than 1% salt concentration. They are very important to survival on Earth. Types of
freshwater biomes include ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and even some wetlands. (Wetlands
are not always considered freshwater biomes because they usually have too high of a salt
content.).
 Wetlands: Wetlands is an area that is made up of standing water. It can be thought of
as land that is saturated with water. This includes swamps, bogs, marshes, flood plain
and prairie pothole. They can be found throughout the world and are often located
near large bodies of water like lakes and rivers.
Wetlands are important because they prevent flooding by absorbing water when it
gets too high. They also help to purify water. Plants that live in wetlands are called
Hydrophytes. Plants that are most commonly found in wetland are milkweed, water
lilies, grasses, tamarack,sedges, duckweed, cattail, cypress trees, and mangroves.
Many species of amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds can also be found in
wetlands. Beavers, minks, raccoons, and deer are among the types of animals found in
wetlands.
 Rivers/ Streams: A river or stream is a body of water that flows only in one
direction. Unlike ponds and lakes rivers and streams are constantly in motion. The
temperature is cooler at the source than at the mouth. Streams and rivers are found all
across the Earth and travel thousands of miles before they join a ocean. A spring, lake
or snow melt begins the formation of a river or a stream and ends at an ocean or other
body of water.
As the rives flow, the width increases and so does the species diversity. Various
freshwater fish and plants grow near rivers and streams. Most of the rivers may run
during spring and summer as cold temperatures freezes them. Plants are normally
found along the edge of the river. The most commonly types of plants include
tapegrass, water stargrass, willow trees, and river birch. Animals that are found in or
around the river include fishes, crabs, snakes, beavers, crocodiles, snails, insects and
otters.
 Lakes & Ponds: Some ponds come and go. Some are around for years. A lake or
pond is generally disconnected from other water sources, so not all types of plants and
animals can survive in this particular freshwater biome. They are found in all types of
environments and continents. They range in size from just a few square meters to
thousands of square kilometers.
Just as there are many freshwater fish found in rivers and streams, there are also many
species found in lakes and ponds. They are important because they serve as fresh
source of water for the animals living nearby. Animals in the lakes include plankton,
crayfish, snails, worms, frogs, turtles, insects, and fishes. Plants include water lilies,
duckweed, cattail, bulrush, stonewort, and bladderwort.
Standing Freshwater Biomes
Standing freshwater biomes include ponds and lakes. Ponds are generally smaller than lakes
and shallow enough for sunlight to reach all the way to the bottom. In lakes, at least some of
the water is too deep for sunlight to penetrate. As a result, like the ocean, lakes can be divided
into zones based on availability of sunlight for producers.
 The littoral zone is the water closest to shore. The water in the littoral zone is
generally shallow enough for sunlight to penetrate, allowing photosynthesis.
Producers in this zone include both phytoplankton and plants that float in the water.
They provide food, oxygen, and habitat to other aquatic organisms. The littoral zone
generally has high productivity and high biodiversity.
 The limnetic zone is the top layer of lake water away from shore. This zone covers
much of the lake’s surface, but it is only as deep as sunlight can penetrate. This is a
maximum of 200 meters. If the water is muddy or cloudy, sunlight cannot penetrate as
deeply. Photosynthesis occurs in this zone, and the primary producers are
phytoplankton, which float suspended in the water. Zooplankton and nekton are also
found in this zone. The limnetic zone is generally lower in productivity and
biodiversity than the littoral zone.
 The profundal zone is the deep water near the bottom of a lake where no sunlight
penetrates. Photosynthesis cannot take place, so there are no producers in this zone.
Consumers eat food that drifts down from above, or they eat other organisms in the
profundal zone. Decomposers break down dead organisms that drift down through the
water. This zone has low biodiversity.
 The benthic zone is the bottom of a lake. Near the shore, where water is shallow, the
bottom of the lake receives sunlight, and plants can grow in sediments there.
Organisms such as crayfish, snails, and insects also live in and around the plants near
shore. The plants provide shelter from predatory fish as well as food and oxygen. In
deeper water, where the bottom of the lake is completely dark, there are no producers.
Most organisms that live here are decomposers.
The surface water of a lake is heated by sunlight and becomes warmer than water near the
bottom. Because warm water is less dense that cold water, it remains on the surface. When
dead organisms sink to the bottom of a lake, they are broken down by decomposers that
release the nutrients from the dead organism. As a result, nutrients accumulate at the lake’s
bottom. In spring and fall in temperate climates, the surface water of a lake reaches the same
temperature as the deeper water. This gives the different water layers the same density,
allowing them to intermix. This process, called turnover, brings nutrients from the bottom of
the lake to the surface, where producers can use them.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FRESHWATER BIOM

 Water characteristics such as depth and whether the water body is static (non-moving)
or dynamic (moving) distinguish freshwater biomes. Rivers and streams are moving
freshwater. Younger rivers cut a straighter and direct path through the ground and
rock. Older rivers and streams follow more curves, which makes their flow slower.
Lake or pond water, on the other hand, is static. Even though lake water is static, it
moves and water waves are formed because of air flow. Seasonal changes also move
 lake water. In autumn, the surface water cools down and sinks. The bottom layers
move up. This phenomenon is called turnover. This regularizes the temperature in the
lakes.
ANIMALS & PLANTS OF THE FRESHWATER
The Animals:
 Fish (common types are trout, salmon, and bass)
 Amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders)
 Otters
 Beavers
 Reptiles
 Birds (such as ducks, geeses, and swans)
 Turtles
 Insects (such as ticks, leeches, dragonflies, etc.)
The Plants:
 Cattails
 Lily Pads
 Muskgrass
 Water Celery
 Black Spruce Trees
 Leaf Pond Weed
 Duck Weed
In streams and rivers vegetation is usually found along the edge of the water. Common
species include stargrass, tape grass, and coontails. Streams and rivers will often support trees
such as willows, river birch, and cottonwoods. These trees tend to grow in shallow water,
where water flow is slow.
In wetlands such as ditches, swamps, marshes, and bogs, the water is saturated throughout the
year. This means the dirt holds in as much water as possible, and creates mud. Common
plants are cattails, and duckweed. Some trees include cypress, black spruce, and tamarack.
It is harder for lakes and ponds to support large communities of vegetation because of their
great depth. The plants found here normally consist of grasses, and weeds. Sometimes plants
like cattails, and lily pads (refer to figure 1) can be found floating in shallow lakes and ponds.
SALTWATER BIOM
LAYER OF SALTWATER BIOM
 The top layer is the euphotic and this is where the water is very shallow. Light is
able to reach from the top of the water to the bottom of it for this particular layer.
 In the middle is the disphotic layer and it allows some light to get to the bottom of
it. The appearance from the bottom looking up would be similar to how twilight
appears.
 The deepest layer of the ocean biome is the apotic layer. It is very deep and light is
not able to reach the bottom of it. The water is dark and murky in that area. The
temperature of the water will also vary based on the layer that you are talking about
within the ocean biome.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SALTWATER BIOM IN TERN OF THE FOLLOWING:
Marine (Saltwater) Biome Climate
 The average water temperature of the marine biome is 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4
degrees Celsius) but can be colder or warmer depending on location. Shallow oceans
or those near the equator will have a higher temperature than those near the poles.
Depth and temperature of the marine waters greatly impact all life within the marine
biome.
Marine Water
 Earth is nicknamed the "Blue Planet". Two-thirds of Earth's surface is covered by
marine water (salt water), more than 90% of Earth's water by volume is marine water.
Marine water is generally composed of about 96.5% pure water and 3.5% percent
dissolved compounds. Salinity refers to the saltiness of water. The composition of
marine water varies depending on several factors such as latitude, depth, erosion,
volcanic activity, atmospheric activity, erosion and biological activity.
Marine Water and Sunlight
 Coastal marine ecosystems are able to retain more nutrients than those of the deep
ocean because dead organic matter falls to the sea floor where it becomes available
for marine organisms. Nutrients are recycled quickly through a marine ecosystem and
do not build up on the sea floor the way soil does in a terrestrial forest.
 The availability of sunlight is largely dependent on water depth. Sunlight becomes
less available as ocean water becomes deeper. Other factors that influence light
availability include local cloud cover, water turbidity, ocean surface conditions and
water depth. The photic zone refers to water depths of up to approximately 100
meters, where sunlight can penetrate and photosynthesis can occur. The aphotic zone
 refers to water depths greater than 100 meters, where light can not penetrate and
photosynthesis can not occur.
OCEAN BIOME FLORA AND FAUNA
 The types of life that live in the ocean biome are extremely diverse. It is believed that
this is the biome where live actually began. There are tons of types of fish found in
the ocean biome. They include Angelfish, Blowfish, whales, and an assortment of
sharks. You will find Octopus and crab living here.
 For many of the large animals that live in the ocean biome, they help to keep it
balanced for all of them. They consume many of the smaller animals so that they
don’t get over populated. Since the temperatures in any ocean biome can be very cold,
they have been able to adapt. For example whales have thick layers of fat known as
blubber. This helps them to keep their body temperature where it should be.
 The Blue Whale is the largest mammal in the world, and belongs to the ocean biome.
Due to the enormous size of such an environment though these animals have plenty of
room to move around and thrive. There are millions of types of aquatic life found in
the ocean biome. It is amazing to compare some of the single cell microorganisms
there to the size of the Blue Whale.
 The corral is very active in the ocean biome. Jellyfish may be found as well as
lobster and turtles. What you will find really depends on the area of the ocean biome.
Some of these living things are close to the surface. Others remain deep down in the
murky waters so they are rarely seen. There are animals in the ocean biome that live
close to shore and those that are many miles from land.

Phytoplankton
 Create the Basis of Life on Earth and the single most important form of marine plant
life.
 thrives in all the oceans of the world, floating on the surface of the water or just
below.
 require nutrients, such as iron, that seep up from the colder, deeper ocean waters.
When the waters are too warm — during an El Nino, for instance — the plankton die
faster, compromising ocean life. When they die, they sink to the bottom, where their
remains collectively make up the largest storage of carbon dioxide in the world
Rockweed Feeds
 the Bottom of the Food Chain
 A type of brown algae distinct from kelp, rockweed grows along coastal areas.
 a source of food and a hiding place for small invertebrates and fish like pollock — it
sustains life on the bottom of the food web.
Seagrasses
 form Underwater Meadows
 As angiosperms — or flowering plants — seagrasses closely resemble terrestrial
grasses.
  provides food for animals such as sea urchins and crabs and they provide smaller
lifeforms with protection from predation.
Mangrove Trees
 have Many Adaptations to Drink Saltwater
 grow near salt water where soil may be rich or poor in oxygen
 they are commonly found in estuaries. Mangrove trees can grow aerial roots,
allowing the tree to breathe oxygen from the air if the soil is depleted.
Estuary
 Is partly enclosed coastal body of water in which river water is mixed with
seawater. In a general sense, the estuarine environment is defined by salinity
boundaries rather than by geographic boundaries. The term estuary is derived
from the Latin words aestus (“the tide”) and aestuo (“boil”), indicating the effect
generated when tidal flow and river flow meet. Estuaries are places where rivers
meet the sea and may be defined as areas where salt water is measurably diluted
with fresh water.
LAYER OF ESTUARY
 In slightly stratified or partially mixed estuaries, saltwater and freshwater mix at
all depths; however, the lower layers of water typically remain saltier than the
upper layers. Salinity is greatest at the mouth of the estuary and decreases as one
moves upstream.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ESTUARY IN TERMS OF THE FOLLOWING:

Salinity:
An estuary is a place where sea water is measurably diluted by fresh water from land
drainage.
The mixture of fresh and salt water provides a variety of habitats for animals and plants in
the area.
Salinity is a measurable quantity:

 Fresh water is described as having 0-0.5 ppt (parts per thousand) of salt dissolved in
the water.
 Sea water is 20-35 parts per thousand. Imagine if you took 35 grams or parts of salt
(table salt will do!) and dissolve it in 1,000 parts of water...you have just made sea
water!

Fresh water:
There are areas of the estuary which are characteristically freshwater areas. Other areas of
the estuary, however, will have varying degrees of salinity because of the introduction of
saline water from the Gulf of Mexico.
  Fresh water in the estuary comes from rivers, creeks, bayous, and streams which drain
toward the estuary.
 Fresh water amounts will vary with variations in rainfall.
 During periods of heavy rainfall the estuary becomes less salty since more fresh water
is added.
 Animals living in the estuary must tolerate wide ranges of salinity and, therefore, are
called euryhaline biota. If you travel from the top of the estuary toward the Gulf of
Mexico, salinity as well as types of animals and plants will change.

Tidal Influence:
The salinity of an estuary may change on a daily basis due to tides and winds.

 Tides are the daily or twice daily movement of water in and out of an estuary or
coastal area. There are high and low tides. High tides are determined by the high
water mark on the shoreface, the sand on the beach. High tides bring high salinity
water and add nutrients to the estuary, flushing away waste products, impurities, or
even pollution. As the high tide gradually falls to its lowest point, it becomes the low
tide, and the cycle starts over again.
 Winds are movements of air which blow from offshore, moving seawater into the
estuary. Winds also blow from the land toward the sea, moving water out of the
estuary and drying areas which are normally wet.

ESTUSTIES THAT CAN GROW IN ESTUARIES

The estuary is a hostile environment for most plants because salt dominates. A few grow
further back on the shore, where they live in a fluctuating environment of sea water and fresh
water. These plants must cope with:
 varying salinity levels
 strong currents and storm waves
 varying exposure to sunlight and wind
 low oxygen levels in muddy soi
THE FOLLOWING ARE FOUND IN ESTAURIES:
 Smooth Cordgrass
 Seagrass
 Spike Grass
 Purple Loosestrife
 Sea Lavender

Plankton
  is just an organism that lives in water and that cannot propel themselves. For example,
a jellyfish is a plankton.
Insects
 The dragonfly is one of the best-known estuary insects. Baby dragonflies eat
tadpoles, fish eggs and other small aquatic animals. Adults consume voluminous
amounts of ants, mosquitoes, butterflies, flies and other flying insects.
Fish (Vertebrates)
 salmon migrate through estuaries and upriver to breed and spawn.

Echinoderms, Crustaceans and Shellfish (Invertebrates)

 Echinoderms: One of the most iconic estuary invertebrate you can find in a tide pool
estuary is the sea star, which use hundreds of tube feet to capture and move prey to
their mouths, located in the center of their body. Sea urchins have spikes and are a
favorite snack for otters, but they are also voracious predator themselves, mowing
down algae, kelp and other estuary plants.
 Crustaceans: One of the oldest and well known creatures on Earth is the horseshoe
crab. It thrives in soft sand or estuary mud, foraging and eating worms andmollusks.
 Shellfish (Molluscs): Shellfish are important estuary animals because they act as a
buffer, filtering out pollution and other contaminants. Common estuary shellfish
include oysters, mussels and clams.
Birds
 E.g Ducks hunt in the mud to find food, feeding on shellfish and insect larvae. The
great blue heron is a common sight in marshes, agricultural areas and mud flats
feeding on fish, small mammals, reptiles and even other bir
Mammals
 E.g the river otter feeds on estuary fish, amphibians, crustaceans, snakes, insects,
frogs, turtles and any aquatic invertebrates.