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.

Types

Marine

Marine ecosystems cover approximately 71% of the Earth's surface and contain approximately
97% of the planet's water. They generate 32% of the world's net primary production.[1]They are
distinguished from freshwater ecosystems by the presence of dissolved compounds,
especially salts, in the water. Approximately 85% of the dissolved materials in seawater
are sodium and chlorine. Seawater has an average salinity of 35 parts per thousand (ppt) of
water. Actual salinity varies among different marine ecosystems.

Marine ecosystems can be divided into the following zones: oceanic (the relatively shallow part
of the ocean that lies over the continental shelf); profundal (bottom or deep
water); benthic(bottom substrates); intertidal (the area between high and low
tides); estuaries; salt marshes; coral reefs; and hydrothermal
vents (where chemosynthetic sulfur bacteria form the food base).

Classes of organisms found in marine ecosystems include brown

algae, dinoflagellates, corals, cephalopods, echinoderms, and sharks. Fish caught in marine
ecosystems are the biggest source of commercial foods obtained from wild populations.

Environmental problems concerning marine ecosystems include unsustainable exploitation of

marine resources (for example overfishing of certain species), marine pollution, climate change,
and building on coastal areas.

Freshwater

Freshwater ecosystems cover 0.80% of the Earth's surface and inhabit 0.009% of its total water.
They generate nearly 3% of its net primary production.[1] Freshwater ecosystems contain 41% of
the world's known fish species.

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There are three basic types of freshwater ecosystems:

 Lentic: slow-moving water, including pools, ponds, and lakes.

 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.

The major zones in river ecosystems are determined by the river bed's 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.

Wetlands are dominated by vascular plants that have adapted to saturated soil. Wetlands are the
most productive natural ecosystems because of the proximity of water and soil. Due to their
productivity, wetlands are often converted into dry land with dykes and drains and used for
agricultural purposes. Their closeness to lakes and rivers means that they are often developed for
human settlement.

Ponds

These are a specific type of freshwater ecosystems that are largely based on
the autotroph algae which provide the base trophic level for all life in the area. The largest
predator in a pond ecosystem will normally be a fish and in-between range smaller insects and
microorganisms. It may have a scale of organisms from small bacteria to big creatures like water
snakes, beetles, water bugs, frogs, tadpoles, and turtles. This is important for the environment.

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Functions

Aquatic ecosystems perform many important environmental functions. For example, they recycle
nutrients, purify water, attenuate floods, recharge ground water and provide habitats for wildlife.
Aquatic ecosystems are also used for human recreation, and are very important to
the tourism industry, especially in coastal regions.

The health of an aquatic ecosystem is degraded when the ecosystem's ability to absorb a stress
has been exceeded. A stress on an aquatic ecosystem can be a result of physical, chemical or
biological alterations of the environment. Physical alterations include changes in water
temperature, water flow and light availability. Chemical alterations include changes in the
loading rates of biostimulatory nutrients, oxygen consuming materials, and toxins. Biological
alterations include the introduction of exotic species. Human populations can impose excessive
stresses on aquatic ecosystems.

Abiotic characteristics

An ecosystem is composed of biotic communities and abiotic environmental factors, which form
a self-regulating and self-sustaining unit. Abiotic environmental factors of aquatic ecosystems
include temperature, salinity, and flow.

The amount of dissolved oxygen in a water body is frequently the key substance in determining
the extent and kinds of organic life in the water body. Fish need dissolved oxygen to survive.
Conversely, oxygen is fatal to many kinds of anaerobic bacteria.

The salinity of the water body is also a determining factor in the kinds of species found in the
water body. Organisms in marine ecosystems tolerate salinity, while many freshwater organisms
are intolerant of salt. Freshwater used for irrigation purposes often absorb levels of salt that are
harmful to freshwater organisms. Though some salt can be good for organisms.

Biotic characteristics

The organisms (also called biota) found in aquatic ecosystems are either autotrophic or
heterotrophic

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Autotrophic organisms

Autotrophic organisms are producers that generate organic compounds from inorganic material.
Algae use solar energy to generate biomass from carbon dioxide and are the most important
autotrophic organisms in aquatic environments.[6] Chemosynthetic bacteria are found in benthic
marine ecosystems. These organisms are able to feed on hydrogen sulfide in water that comes
from volcanic vents. Great concentrations of animals that feed on this bacteria are found around
volcanic vents. For example, there are giant tube worms (Riftia pachyptila) 1.5m in length and
clams (Calyptogena magnifica) 30cm long.

Heterotrophic organisms

Heterotrophic organisms consume autotrophic organisms and use the organic compounds in their
bodies as energy sources and as raw materials to create their own biomass. Euryhaline organisms
are salt tolerant and can survive in marine ecosystems, while stenohaline or salt intolerant
species can only live in freshwater environments.

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