APES Study Guide- Aquatic Ecosystems
Vocabulary
Understand and be able to apply each of these terms.
1. Salinity – Dissolved salt in water
2. Plankton – Organisms that live in the water column and are incapable of swimming against a current
3. Nekton – Aggregate of actively swimming aquatic organisms in a body of water able to move independently of water currents
4. Benthos – Community of organisms that live on, in or near the seabed A.K.A the Benthic Zone
5. Littoral Zone – Part that is close to shore which extends from high water marks in the coastal environment
6. Benthic Zone – Ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water
7. Eutrophication – Ecosystems response to the addition of artificial or natural substances,like nitrate and phosphate.
8. River Source – The flow that the river travels toward the river mouth
9. River Course – A part of a stream that flows into another body of water
10.River Mouth – Part of a stream that flows into another body of water.
11. Marsh – Wetland area dominated by plants that could be found at edges of lakes
12. Swamp – Wetland that is forested
13. Bog – Wetland that accumulates peat (deposit of dead plant material)
14. Lagoon- Shallow body of water separated by barrier islands or reefs
15. Estuary – Transition zone between rivers and oceans a subject to both marine influences and riverine influences
16. Abundance – Plentiful quantity or supply
17. Diversity – Having different elements
18. Watershed - Carries water shed from the land after rain falls and snow melts.
19. Hydrophytes- Plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments
20. Halophytes- Plant that grows in waters of high salinity, contacting with the water through roots and salt spray
Critical Thinking
Read, analyze, and give complete answers to these questions.
1. What are the three important benefits (ecosystem service) provided by wetlands?Three important benefits are trap sediment and reduce pollution, limit damaging effects of waves, and reducing floor water
2. What causes high and low tides? Explain.
High and low tides are caused due to gravitational forces of the moon and sun and the rotation of the earth causing the rise and fall of sea levels
3. Where would you find an estuary? What type of organisms would you expect to find there?
You would find an estuary where a stream or river flows into the ocean. The type of organisms you would expect to find are fish, birds, and plants
4. What is the definition of “freshwater”?
Freshwater: Water that doesn't contain any salt
5. The mouth of a river can sometimes become “murky” because of all of the sediments that are washed downstream. Name 3 problems are caused by “murkiness”?
3 problems caused by "murkiness" are less algae, resulting into less fish, not enough sunlight going into the deeper zones of the water, and water pollution
6. Name 2 types of fish that can live in low oxygen environments:
2 types of fish that can live in low oxygen environments are catfish, and rainbow trout
7. Explain why reefs are so important to preserve. What are some of the dangers to coral reefs? Name 2.
Reefs are important to preserve because they provide shelter to many species. Dangers to coral reefs are Carbon dioxide, and pollution
8. There are different types of marine reef environments. Define the following:
a. Fringing Reefs: Coral attracted to mainlandb. Barrier Reefs: Long coral or rock line parallel to a coastline usually separated by a lagoon
c. Atolls: Ring shaped coral reef circling a lagoon
d. Coral Reefs: Reefs made of coral fragments, sands and organic deposit
9. Draw a diagram of a marine environment and define the following:
a. Intertidal: Area exposed between high and low tides
b. Pelagic: Relating to the sea
c. Abyssal: Depths between 10,000 and 20,000 feet downward
d. Benthic: Bottom of the ocean
10. What is “winterkill” in a lake? What happens? Winter kill in a lake is when there isn't enough oxygen in the water of a lake, and in the Winter there are cracks of ice. This results to the ice reducing due to the layer of thick snow on top of it
11. Describe the differences in the types of food webs found in the two ocean light zones, euphotic and
aphotic. Where does the initial energy input for each come from?
Euphotic is the part of the ocean that can receive sunlight , and aphotic is the area in the ocean doesn't recieve sunlight preventing photosynthesis.
12. Explain how lakes “turn-over” yearly and what this process causes. Name one positive and one negative
aspect of turn-over.
A lake "turn-over" is due to the temperature of the lake. In the summer the top is warm from the sun, and The bottom is the cold from no sun. One positive aspect is that water doesn't get too cod quickly, and one negative aspect is that the change in temperature can affect the plants and the animals.
13. Draw a diagram of a lake and define the following:
a. Littoral Zone: Part of the lake that is closest to the shore
b. Limnetic Zone: Well lit open surface away from the shore
c. Profundal Zone: Area that is below effective light penetration
11. Describe the differences in the types of food webs found in the two ocean light zones, euphotic and
aphotic. Where does the initial energy input for each come from?
Euphotic is the part of the ocean that can receive sunlight , and aphotic is the area in the ocean doesn't recieve sunlight preventing photosynthesis.
12. Explain how lakes “turn-over” yearly and what this process causes. Name one positive and one negative
aspect of turn-over.
A lake "turn-over" is due to the temperature of the lake. In the summer the top is warm from the sun, and The bottom is the cold from no sun. One positive aspect is that water doesn't get too cod quickly, and one negative aspect is that the change in temperature can affect the plants and the animals.
13. Draw a diagram of a lake and define the following:
a. Littoral Zone: Part of the lake that is closest to the shore
b. Limnetic Zone: Well lit open surface away from the shore
c. Profundal Zone: Area that is below effective light penetration
14.Complete this summary table of aquatic ecosystems:
Climatograph
Use the data provided to construct a climatograph. Temperature should be displayed as a line graph and
precipitation as a bar graph
Use the data provided to construct a climatograph. Temperature should be displayed as a line graph and
precipitation as a bar graph
What type of biome do you believe this is? Give specific observations from your graph to justify this answer
Because of high temperatures and low precipitation, I believe that this could be a desert. The number that occurs the most in precipitation is 2. When converting the temperature from Celsius to degrees, it shows how high the temperature is. The temperature is mostly 80 to 100 degrees which is very hot.
Because of high temperatures and low precipitation, I believe that this could be a desert. The number that occurs the most in precipitation is 2. When converting the temperature from Celsius to degrees, it shows how high the temperature is. The temperature is mostly 80 to 100 degrees which is very hot.