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CHAPTER 3
3.6 ECOLOGY
(AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM)
GENERAL VIEW

1. Varying combinations of biotic and abiotic factors determine the

nature of Earths biomes, major types of ecological associations that
occupy broad geographic regions of land and water.
2. Aquatic biomes occupy the largest part of the biosphere.
3. Ecologists distinguish between freshwater and marine biomes on the
basis of physical and chemical differences.
4. Marine biomes generally have salt concentrations that average 3%,
while freshwater biomes have salt concentrations of less than 0.1%.
5. Marine biomes cover approximately 75% of the earths surface and have
an enormous effect on the biosphere.
6. The evaporation of water from the oceans provides most of the planets
rainfall.
7. Ocean temperatures have a major effect on world climate and wind
patterns.
8. Photosynthesis by marine algae and photosynthetic bacteria produce a
substantial proportion of the worlds oxygen.
9. Respiration by these organisms consumes huge amounts of atmospheric
carbon dioxide.
10.Freshwater biomes are closely linked to the soils and biotic components
of the terrestrial biomes through which they pass.
11.The pattern and speed of water flow and the surrounding climate are
also important.
STRATIFICATION OF AQUATIC BIOMES
12.Most aquatic biomes are physically and chemically stratified.
13. Light is absorbed by the water and by photosynthetic organisms, so
light intensity decreases rapidly with depth.
- There is sufficient light for photosynthesis in the upper photic
zone.
- Very little light penetrates to the lower aphotic zone.
14. The substrate (nutrients) at the bottom of an aquatic biome is the
benthic zone.
- This zone is made up of sand and sediments and is occupied by
communities of organisms called benthos.
- A major food source for benthos is dead organic material or
detritus, which rains down from the productive surface waters of
the photic zone.

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15. Temperature: Sunlight warms surface waters, while deeper waters

remain cold.
- As a result, water temperature in lakes is stratified, especially in
summer and winter.
- In the ocean and most lakes, a narrow stratum of rapid
temperature change called a thermocline separates the more
uniformly warm upper layer from more uniformly cold deeper
waters.
16.In aquatic biomes, community distribution is determined by depth of the
water, distance from shore, and open water versus bottom.
17.In marine communities, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and many fish
species live in the relatively shallow photic zone.
18.The aphotic zone contains little life, except for microorganisms and
relatively sparse populations of luminescent fishes and invertebrates.

19. The major aquatic biomes include:

i. Lakes

ii. Wetlands
iii. Streams
iv. Rivers

v. Estuaries
vi. intertidal biomes
vii. oceanic pelagic biomes
viii. coral reefs
ix. Marine benthic biomes.

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LAKES
1. Freshwater lakes vary greatly in oxygen and nutrient content.
2. Oligotrophic lakes are deep, nutrient poor, oxygen rich, and contain
little life.
3. Eutrophic lakes are shallow, nutrient rich, and oxygen poor.
4. In lakes, the littoral zone is the shallow, well-lit water close to shore.
5. The limnetic zone is the open surface water.
6. The benthic zone is inhabited by assorted invertebrates whose species
composition depends partly on oxygen levels. Fishes live in all zones
with sufficient oxygen.
7. Human impact: runoff from fertilized land and dumping of wastes lead
to nutrient enrichment algal blooms, oxygen depletion and fish kills.

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WETLANDS
1. Wetlands are areas covered with sufficient water to support aquatic
plants
2. They can be saturated or periodically flooded.
3. Wetlands include marshes, bogs (sphagnum mosses), and swamps
(woody plants).
4. They are among the most productive biomes on Earth and are home
to a diverse community of invertebrates and birds.
5. Because of the high organic production and decomposition in
wetlands, their water and soil are low in dissolved oxygen.
6. Wetlands have a high capacity to filter dissolved nutrients and
chemical pollutants.
7. Humans have destroyed many wetlands, but some are now protected:
Protect against erosion caused by wave pressure.
Protective barrier for coastal communities living near the
mangrove forest-Tsunami.
Provide water storage area that reduce flooding and improve
water quality.

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STREAMS & RIVERS

1. Streams and rivers are bodies of water moving continuously in one
direction.
2. Headwaters are cold, clear, turbulent, and swift.
3. They carry little sediment and relatively few mineral nutrients.
4. As water travels downstream, it picks up O2 and nutrients on the way.
5. Nutrient content is largely determined by the terrain and vegetation of the
area.
6. Human impact: Many streams and rivers have been polluted by humans,
degrading water quality and killing aquatic organisms.
7. Damming and flood control impairs the natural functioning of streams and
rivers and threatens migratory species such as salmon.

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ESTUARIES

1. Estuaries are areas of transition between river and sea.

2. The salinity of these areas can vary greatly.
3. Several river empty to this area therefore water enriched by nutrients.
4. Estuaries have complex flow patterns, with networks of tidal channels,
islands, leeves, and mudflats.
5. They support an abundance of fish and invertebrate species and are
crucial feeding ares for many species of waterfowl, oyster, crab.
6. Human Impact: Pollution from upstream, and also filling and dredging
have disrupted astuaries worldwide.
7. Location: Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.

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INTERTIDAL BIOMES

1. An intertidal zone is a marine biome that is periodically submerged

and exposed by the tides.

2. The upper intertidal zone experiences longer exposure to air and

3.

4.
5.
6.

greater variation in salinity and temperature than do the lower

intertidal areas.
Many organisms live only at a particular stratum in the intertidal.
E.g. Sea star, banacles, mussels, algae.
Photosynthetic organisms:
Human Impact: Oil pollution has disrupted many intertidal areas.

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OCEANIC PELAGIC BIOMES

1. The oceanic pelagic biome is the open blue water, mixed by winddriven oceanic currents.
2. The surface waters of temperate oceans turn over during fall through
spring.
3. The open ocean has high oxygen levels and low nutrient levels.
4. This biome covers 70% of the Earths surface and has an average depth of
4 000 meters.
5. Animals: highly motile animals such as whales + dolphin; Phytoplankton,
zooplankton (Float)
6. Human impact: Overfishing has depleted fish stocks in all earths ocean,
which have also been polluted by waste dumping.
CORAL REEFS

1. Coral reefs are limited to the photic zone of stable trophic marine
2.
3.

4.
5.

environments with high water clarity. They are found at temperatures

between 18OC and 30OC.
They are formed by the calcium carbonate skeletons of coral
animals.
Mutualistic dinoflagellate algae live within the tissues of the corals.
Coral reefs are home to a very diverse assortment of vertebrates and
invertebrates.
Human Impact:
a. Collecting of coral skeleton and overfishing have reduced
populations of corals and reef fishes.
b. Global warming and pollution may be contributing to large-scale
coral death.

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c. Development of coastal mangroves for aquaculture has also

reduced spawning grounds for many species of reef fishes.

MARINE BENTHIC BIOMES

1. The marine benthic zone consists of the seafloor below the surface
waters of the coastal or neritic zone and the offshore pelagic zone.

2. Geologic features: Soft sediments cover most of the benthic zone.

3.

4.
5.

6.
7.

However,there are areas of rocky substrate on reefs, submarine

mountains and new oceanic crust.
Most of the oceans benthic zone receives no sunlight.
Organisms in the very deep abyssal zone are adapted to continuous cold
(about 3C) and extremely high pressure.
Unique assemblages of organisms are associated with deep-sea
hydrothermal vents of volcanic origin on mid-ocean ridges.
The primary producers in these communities are chemoautotrophic
prokaryotes that obtain energy by oxidizing H2S formed by a reaction of
volcanically heated water with dissolved sulfate (SO42-).
Benthos are the organisms living in the benthic zonethat is on or in the
bottom (substatum) of water bodies, and some would add those near the
bottom

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(Benthos)

(Seagrass growing off the coast of the Florida

Keys.)

8. Human Impact:

a. Overfishing has decimated important benthic fish populations, such

as the cod of the Grand Banks off Newfoundland.
b. Dumping of organic wastes has created oxygen-deprived benthic
areas.

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EXERCISE
1.
A.
B.
C.
D.

All of the following apply to the deepest zone of a large lake EXCEPT
Effective recycling of minerals
Anaerobic conditions
No light penetration
Few organisms other than bacteria live here.
[AS/APR 2006/BIO200]

2. The marine neritic province is comparable to the __________zones of

lakes.
A. Profundal
B. Abyssal
C. Littoral
D. Limnetic
3.
A.
B.
C.
D.

[AS/APR 2006/BIO200]

The _________ contains the greatest volume of ocean water.

Euphotic zone
Neritic province
Oceanic province
Limnetic zone

[AS/APR 2006/BIO200]

4. Which of the following would not be found exclusively in the benthic

environment ?
A. Coral reefs
B. Clams and oysters
C. Kelps
D. Nektons

[AS/APR 2007/BIO200]

5.
A.
B.
C.
D.

Water lilies, water striders, and crayfish are found mainly in

the littoral zone.
the limnetic zone.
the profoundal zone.
the benthic environment.

6.
A.
B.
C.
D.

Microscopic algae typically fall under the classification of

nekton.
phytoplankton.
zooplankton.
benthos.

7.
A.
B.
C.
D.

Zonation of marine environment includes

pelagic zone.
abyssal zone.
aphotic zone.
All of the above.

[AS/OCT 2007/BIO200]

[AS/OCT 2007/BIO200]

[AS/APR 2008/BIO200]

8.Draw and fully label the zonation in the marine environment and state one
type of community present in each zone. (9 marks)
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[AS/OCT 2006/BIO200]

9.Differentiate between the limnetic, littoral and profundal zones of lakes in

terms of their vertical stratification and the communities that they support.
(12 marks)

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[AS/APR 2007/BIO200]

10. Describe coral reefs in terms of their composition, distribution and the
factors that favour their high productivity. (7 marks)

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[AS/OCT 2007/BIO200]

Aquatic ecosystem

Freshwater ecosystem
i. Flowing water ecosystem
ii. Fresh water lakes
iii. Fresh water wetlands

Estuaries
i. Salt marshes
ii. Mangrove forest

Marine ecosystem
i. Intertidal zone
ii. Benthic environment
iii. Neritic province
iv. Oceanic province
[check on nutrient concentration, oxygen concentration, light penetration,
distribution of organism, special character of each ecosystem]
~Campbell,Reece (2008), 8th edition, Benjamin Cummings (Pg:1161)

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