AP Environmental Science 1.3 Aquatic Biomes

What is the limnetic zone?

A very open area away from the shore. It is a photosynthetic Zone (photosynthesis takes place here). Find larger fish here.

What is eutrophication?

Basically an increase of nutrients.

What forms when the ocean and carbon mix?

Carbonic ACID.

Surface water us caused from what?

Caused by runnoff, for example when rain comes and runs off from the mountain. DOWNWARD flow from mountains.

What is the Littoral Zone?

Closest to the shore. The "coastal" layer of the life zones in a lake. It is characterized by shallow, sunlit waters near shore. It reaches to the depth where plants stop growing. Also has high biodiversity. You will find turtles frogs, crayfish, and some fish.

What is a Costal Wetland?

Costal Land that is covered in water for only part of the year.

What is the Abyssal Zone defined by?

Dark, cold, deep. Filled with a high level of nutrients. Little dissolved oxygen. This is where you will find deposit feeders (catch food from tentacles from the water). You can also find filter feeders (bottom feeders. All the way on the bottom.

What are eutrophic lakes?

High levels of nutrients and high NPP. Water is not clear lots of plant life, high turbitity, and is very musky with green.

What is the bathyal zone defined by?

It is very dimly lit, is a home to many zooplankton and smaller fish. In the middle the middle zone.

What is (Lotic)

It's the opposite of Lentic, it is not still water it is moving water like rivers or streams.

Just like the ocean lakes also have 4 zones based on the depth and distance from shore! What are these 4 Zones?

Littoral Zone, Limnetic Zone, Profundal Zone, Benthic Zone.

What are we seeing as we release more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?

Lower levels of PH ( more acidic ocean).

What are the two categories of Aquatic Biomes?

Marine Biomes (Salt Water) & Freshwater Biomes

What is included in marine biomes?

Oceans, Coral Reefs, Marshland, and Estuaries.

What is the euphotic zone defined by?

Phytoplankton, low levels of nutrients, dissolved oxygen levels, upwelling brings the nutrients from below. The highest zone. It is at the top of the ocean ( you will find the larger species).

What is the source zone?

Shallow, cold, clear, and swiftly flowing. Highly dissolved oxygen.

What is (lentic)?

Standing bodies of freshwater.

Whenever you see "Eu" (Euphotic, Eukaryotic) in any word what should it immediately bring to your mind?

Talks about nutrients coming from below to the top or up.

What three zones is the open ocean divided into?

The Euphotic Zone, Bathyal Zone, and the Abyssal Zone.

What is the Profundal Zone?

The deep open water life zone of a lake. To dark for photosynthesis here. Low oxygen, no plants. Nutrients and food produced in the upper 2 layers and sink down once they die. Fish do live here though.

What is an estuary?

Where the river meets the sea. Mixture of freshwater and saltwater.

Are Estuaries and Costal Wetlands productive?

Yes, they are very productive areas.

What is a coral reef?

an underwater structure made from outside skeletons of tiny, soft-bodied animals called coral. its basically a marine tropical forest. reefs all over the world are being destroyed and this is because of ocean acidification.

What is the benthic zone?

bottom of the ocean. you find decomposers here, detritus feeders, some fish, and is primarily nourished by dead matter.

What are oligotrophic lakes?

high levels of nutrients, and low NPP. very clear water.

What is Cultural Eutrophication?

increase on nutrients BECAUSE OF HUMANS. EXAMPLE- human waste, fertilizers.

What does NPP stand for?

net primary productivity

What is ocean acidification?

ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The oceans start absorbing the carbon dioxide and it reacts with the ocean water to form an acid which decreasing the carbon ions which are needed to form coral.

What is common between an estuary and a Costal Wetland?

sea water mixes with freshwater, and there are very productive ecosystems with high nutrient levels.

What are the three aquatic life zones?

source zone, transition zone, floodplain zone

What is included in Freshwater Biomes?

streams, lakes, rivers, and ponds

What is the floodplain zone?

wide, deep rivers, broad, and flat valleys.

What is the Transition zone?

wide, deep, warmer streams, and just warmer in general. more turbid and less dissolved oxygen.