Flashcards in Aquatic Ecosystems Deck (49)
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1
salinity
proportion of solutes dissolved in water in natural environments
- often designated in g of solute/kg of water
- cited: parts per thousand
2
turbidity
cloudiness of water caused by sediments and/or microscopic orgs
- determines water c penetration
3
turnovers
(lake ecology) complete mixing of upper & lower layers of water of diff. temps
- occurs each spring & fall in temperate-zone lakes
4
thermocline
steep gradient (cline) in environment temperature, such as occurs in a thermally stratified lake or ocean
5
lake
large enough body of water that water can be mixed by wind & wave action
6
pond
small water source
- smaller than lake
7
littoral zone
shallow water near shore that receives enough sunlight to support photosynthesis
- may be marine or freshwater
- often flowering plants present
- "seashore" zone
8
limnetic zone
open water (not near shore) that receives enough sunlight to support photosynthesis
9
benthic zone
area along bottom of an aquatic environment
- present in most aquatic ecosystems
- nutrient rich (dead decomposing bodies)
- "depth" zone
10
photic zone
(aquatic habitat) water shallow enough to receive some sunlight (whether or not it is enough to support photosynthesis)
11
optic zone
deep water receiving no sunlight
12
plankton
drifting organisms (animals, plants, archaea, or bacteria) in aquatic environments
13
detritus
layer of dead organic matter that accumulates @ ground level or on seafloors & lake bottoms
14
wetland
shallow-water habitats where soil is saturated w/ water for at least part of the year
- presence of "indicator plants," which grow only in saturated soils
15
emergent vegetation
plants (in an aquatic habitat) that extend above the water surface
16
bog
freshwater wetland that has no or almost no water flow, resulting in very low oxygen levels & acidic conditions
- accumulate peat
- low pH 4
- few plants
- plants adapted to high acidic conditions (ie. venus fly trap)
17
marshes
wetland dominated by grasses & other nonwoody plants
WMGN
18
swamp
wetland that has a steady rate of water flow & is dominated by trees & shrubs
WSTS
19
stream
bodies of water that move constantly in one direction
- creek = small stream
- river = large stream
- well-oxygenated b/c of tumbling H2O = mixing
20
estuary
where ocean & river meet
- freshwater & salt water mix
- include: saline marshes & body of water
- most productive environment
21
ocean
continuous body of salt water
- uniform chemical composition
22
interidal zone
region btwn low-tide & high-tide marks on a seashore
- "btwn tide" zone
- nutrient rich
23
neritic zone
shallow marine water beyond interidal zone
- extends down about 200 m, where continental shelf ends
- nutrient rich
24
continental shelf
portion of a geologic plate that extends from a continental under seawater
25
oceanic zone
waters of open ocean beyond continental shelf
- "open ocean" zone
- loses nutrients
- desert zone of the ocean
26
coral reef
large assemblage of colonial marine corals that usually serves as shallow water, sunlit habitat for many other species as well
- rain forests of the ocean
27
physical factors that affect orgs inhabiting aquatic ecosystems
(1) salinity
(2) water depth
(3) water flow & movement
(4) nutrient availability
28
how salinity affects org inhabitation in aquatic ecosystems
(1) affects osmosis
(2) affects water balance in orgs
low S (body) + high S (environment) = water loss
29
how water depth affects org inhabitation in aquatic ecosystems
(1) water absorbs & scatters c
(2) c available mostly on surface of H2O
(3) turbidity determines c penetration
more H2O depth = less c available
30
