Aquatic Ecosystems - Biomes

1. Marine b c vs. Land
   • Water vs. Air
   • Buoyancy
   • Boundaries
2. Examples
   • Marine
     • Pelagic
     • Coastal
   • Lacustrine

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FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES
Terrestrial vs. Aquatic Biomes

• Boundaries:
  marine pelagic surface boundaries gradual
  small freshwater sharper boundaries
• Buoyancy: "cheaper" place to live
• Water less limiting (more?)
• Oxygen less abundant
• Nutrients less abundant (often limiting)
• Temperature fluctuations less

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AQUATIC BIOMES -or-
COMMUNITY TYPES

• MARINE BIOMES
  • Coral Reefs map [r]
  • Mangroves map
  • Intertidal
  • Pelagic: open water
• LAKES
  • Saltwater G.S.L src
  • Freshwater G.L. Baikal + endm src
• RIVERS [+]

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Vertical Boundaries

• Marine species often widely distributed
• Boundaries are primarily vertical
      pycnocline
  Determined by physical factors
  • marine life zones +
  • lake life zones +

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Buoyancy - life forms

• Plankton: most abundant aquatic organisms
  • Phytoplankton - free-floating, photosynthetic
  • Zooplankton - primary or secondary consumers
• Nekton - strongly swimming
• Benthos - bottom-dwelling

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Nutrients
• Nutrients [vs. climate] primary determinant of distributions
  
• Upwelling

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Benefit to Humans
• Food
• Water (rain!)
• Recreation

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Human Impact
• Pollution: toxins, nutrients (Dead-Zones)
• Diversion
  Colorado Ri. Delta
  Salton Sea
• Over-Fishing Gulf of California
• Exotic biota Arizona crayfish
  

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