exploring aquatic life. aquatic ecosystems ecosystem- natural unit consisting of all plants,...
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Exploring aquatic life
Aquatic ecosystemsEcosystem- natural unit consisting of all
plants, animals, and micro-organisms (biotic factors) in an area functioning together with all the non-living physical (abiotic) factors of the environment
Aquatic ecosystem- all that in or around watertwo types
Marine Freshwater
FunctionRecycle nutrients- Carbon cycle, Nitrogen
cycle, etc.Purify waterPrevent floodingRecharge ground waterProvide habitat for wildlife.Human recreation
Ecosystem Diversity3 different types of ecosystems
SwampSaltmarshPondControl
Biodiversity- the variation of species in that ecosystemHigh biodiversity may contribute to greater resilience
of an ecosystemFocus on aquatic microorganism diversity
Important for Nutrient cycling Food chain
Comparing aquatic ecosystemsSwamp PondTree
vegetationNaturalShallow Subject to
natural impacts
Subject to pollution
Contain fish, algae, micro-organisms
Grass and tree vegetation
Natural or man made
Varying depthSubject to
natural impacts
Subject to pollution
Contain fish, algae, micro-organisms… etc
Intracoastal
Control
•Grass and tree vegetation•Man made•Human impacted•Subject to pollution•High salinity•Contains fish, algae, micro-organisms
•Tap water
Comparing aquatic ecosystemsCreate a hypothesis about how you think the
three ecosystems will be different or similar.Compare the three ecosystems and the
control ecosystem using the microfishing slides.
Questions to think about: How are the microorganisms alike and how
they are different?Is one ecosystem more diverse? Support your
thought.
HydrasIn the family with sea
anemones, corals, and jellyfish
One opening surrounded by tentacles. Takes in food and eliminates waste
Tentacles contain nematocysts
Move by use of foot
Green hydra Color comes from algae living in body
Brown hydra- tenticles three or four times the length of body
RotifersHave cilia on the
front of body that “rotate”
Found in all types of quiet waters
1,700 speciesAttach to surfaces
by secreting “glue” from foot
Collotheca
Sessile, long cilia that capture food
Keratella
Don’t have a tail, but are fast swimmers
Kellicottia
Lives in open waters, long spines help avoid predation
Microscopy-UK
Microscopy-UK
Microscopy-UK
CrustaceansMostly scavengers and
herbivores, can be predators or parasites
Marine and freshwater species
Water fleas (Cladocera)Abundant in freshwaterJerky movementsEat algae, microscopic
animals, and organic debris
Bosmina longirostris
Chydorus sphaericus
Daphnia pulex
Pictures courtesy of http://www.friendsofwarnhamlnr.org.uk/pondlife.html
CopepodsShallow and open
waterFemales carry egg 5-6 nauplius stages
before maturityEat algae, bacteria
and organic debris
Calanoids- Diaptomus, live in plankton and filter feed
Cyclopoid- cyclops, live in open water and seize prey
Nauplius- larvae of CyclopsPictures courtesy of
http://www.friendsofwarnhamlnr.org.uk/pondlife.html