Aquatics

70% of the Earth is covered by water - which is: 97% saltwater and 2.78% freshwater Fresh water: 77.28% polar ice /glaciers, 22.22% groundwater, .50 % surface water % liquid fresh water in available to us: less than 1% of all earth's water (0.024%) Aquatic Biomes: characterized by salinity, depth, water flow (fast/slow) Salinity  Freshwater: streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands Saltwater/ marine: estuaries, coral reefs, open ocean Rivers & Streams (Lotic= flowing) fast vs. slow water and air mix dissolved O2 rates correlate Lakes & Ponds (Lentic= standing water) littoral zone- shallow and near shore, very productive and morebiodiversity limnetic zone- where photosynthesis take place...very productive profundal zone- aphotic zone benthic zone- is the very bottom swamps- have emerged vegetables and contain emerged trees marshes- primary non woody vegetation bogs- acidic wetlands...algae, moss, spruce Wetlands: make up 5% of land in US; More than half drained, mainly for agriculture. They take in large amounts of rain water &filter & release/ recharge it slowly into groundwater/ nearby streams, results in reduction of floods and droughts. Birds site to migrate and breed.
Estuaries: are areas along coast where fresh water mixes with salt water from oceans, contains 2/3 marine and shellfish species, and extremely productive places for plants/ algae, which filters contamination in water. Mangrove Swamps (Forests): occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts, contains salt tolerant trees with roots submerged in water. Mangrove trees aid on coast with erosion/storm damage. Intertidal Zone: narrow band of coastline between the levels of high and low tide Coral Reefs: most diverse, in shallow waters, Symbiotic relationship with algae, challenged by pollutants and sediments. When algae dies, Coral Bleaching occurs. coastal zone- away from shore photic zone(euphotic)- sunlight can penetrate aphotic zone(bathyal)- sunlight cannot penetrate benthic