Freshwater Biomes

Introduction

Freshwater biomes are water biomes that are defined as having a low salt concentration. Usually this concentration is less than 1%. There are three main types of freshwater biomes. These biomes are:

• Ponds and Lakes• Streams and Rivers• WetlandsThis power point will display a brief synopsis of the location,

precipitation, temperature, common species, endangered species and man’s influence on the freshwater biome’s.

Ponds and Lakes

Ponds and Lakes:Overview

• Vary tremendously in size. They can be a few square meters to thousands of square kilometers.

• Many ponds are seasonal while lakes exist for hundreds of years.• Limited species diversity.• They are divided into zones determined by

depth and distance from shoreline.

The Different Zones of Lakes and Ponds

Different Zones (cont)

• Littoral Zone– topmost, warmest zone. Fairly diverse community

• Limnetic Zone– near the surface open water zone. Well lit and dominated by plankton.

• Profundal Zone– Much colder and denser. Little light penetrates

Location of Lakes and Ponds

• These freshwater biomes are seen all over the earth.

• Many lakes and ponds are glaciation remnants.

• Often isolated from other water sources.

• Greatly vary in size. Some are a few square meters, while others are thousands of square kilometers

Precipitation of Ponds and Lakes

• Precipitation varies depending on where the lake or pond is on earth.

• Research shows it can range from 46mm to 760mm annually.

• Precipitation does greatly affect levels of the lake and can carry pollutants into them from run off and soil erosion.

Temperatures of Ponds and Lakes

• Temperature varies seasonally.• In the summer it can range from 4*Celsius near

the bottom to 22*Celsius at the surface.• In the winter the temperature near the bottom

can be 4* Celsius while the surface can be 0*Celsius.

• During spring and fall top and bottom layers mix creating a uniform temperature of about 4*Celsius

Common Species• The littoral zones consist of: Algae rooted and floating plants grazing snails clams insects crustaceans amphibians fish• The limnetic zone consist of: phytoplankton zooplankton freshwater fish• The profundal zone consist of: heterotrophs that feed on

the dead plankton

Threatened or Endangered SpeciesBog Turtle

• Ozark Hellbender• Tumbling Creek Cavesnail• Topeka Shiner• Copperbelly Water Snake

Man’s Impact on Lakes and Ponds

• Humans severely pollute the lakes and ponds through industrial plants dumping waste into the bodies of water. Humans also pollute ponds and lakes from the run-off of chemical fertilizers.

• The effects of pollution range from the loss of drinkable water and the eradication of species habitats to total destruction of lake and pond ecosystems

Streams and Rivers

River and Streams Overview• Bodies of flowing water moving in

one direction• Characteristics of the rivers and

streams dramatically change as it winds down to the mouth.

• At the source of the river the water is cooler, clearer and has a higher content of oxygen.

• In the middle of the stream or river it widens and has a great diversity of species.

• At the mouth, the water is murky due to sediment, creating less oxygen rich water, thus creating less species diversity.

Location of Rivers and Streams

• They can be found all over the earth

• They start at headwaters such as:

Springs

Snowmelt

Lakes

• Travel to mouth which could be another water channel or ocean

Precipitation of Rivers and Streams

• Since rivers and streams are surrounded by land that is up gradient, the precipitation in the region flows downward into the river or stream.

• Excessive precipitation causes flooding of the rivers.

• This precipitation eventually travels to the water shed or drainage basin.

• The amount of precipitation depends on where the river is on earth.

Temperature of Rivers and Streams

• Rivers and streams temperature varies greatly depending on the geographic location on earth.

• However, the river or stream is always coldest at the source and the waters temperature increases as it flows to the mouth.

Common Species

• At the Source:

Freshwater fish and

heterotrophs thrive here

In the middle:

Species diversity increases

Contains numerous aquatic

green plants and algae.

At the mouth:

Less diverse flora and fish that require less

oxygen such as catfish and carp.

Threatened and Endangered Species

• Apache Trout

• Cape Fear Shiner

• Sturgeon

• North American River Otter

• Wood Turtle

Man’s Influence on Rivers and Streams

• Rivers and streams are widely used by humans for irrigation, transportation of goods and people. Also rivers and streams are used for hydroelectric power through the use of dams.

• Irrigation greatly effects rivers because it depletes the rivers and diminishes them.

• Transportation can result in pollutants to enter the water.

• The building of dams destroys wildlife habitats and the topography of the land.

Wetlands

Wetlands Overview

• Wetlands are areas of standing water that contain aquatic plants.

• Wetlands have the highest species diversity of all ecosystems.

• Despite common belief, wetlands are not considered freshwater ecosystems because some wetlands have high salt concentrations (Ex: Salt Marshes).

• Wetlands include swamps, marshes, artic tundra, floodplains, and prairie potholes and can be found at various locations throughout the globe.

Wetlands: Location

• Wetland “hotspots” are Canada, North America, Asia, Europe, South America, and Australia.

• Inland wetlands are lands covered with freshwater all or part of the time and are located away from coastal areas (Ex: Marshes, swamps, and prairie potholes).

• Seasonal wetlands are found in locations that are only under water or soggy a short time each year.

Wetlands: Precipitation

• Wetlands receive most of their water supply from precipitation.

• The amount of rainfall a wetland receives depends upon its location.

• Wetlands in Wales, Scotland, and western Ireland receive about 59 inches per year.

• Those in Southeast Asia, where heavy rains occur, can receive up to 200 inches.

• In the northern areas of North America, wetlands exist where as little as 6 inches of rain falls per year.

Wetlands: Temperature

• Wetland temperatures vary from the warm tropical swamps of Costa Rica to the barely melted arctic tundra.

• Many of the world's wetlands are in temperate zones (In these zones, summers are warm and winters are cold, but temperatures are not extreme).

• Wetlands found in tropical zones are always warm. • Temperatures in wetlands on the Arabian Peninsula, for

example, can reach 122°F (50°C). In northeastern Siberia, which has a polar climate, wetland temperatures can be as cold as -60°F (-5l °C).

Wetlands: Common Vegetation

• Each wetland community has a variety of plants which provide shelter and food for many of the animals living there (plants add oxygen to the water for underwater species).

• Plants that grow out of water are called emergents, the aquatic plants that have adapted to the water so that their leaves float on top of the water are called floating plants.

•  Submergent plants are so well adapted to water that they live completely under the surface of the water.

Wetlands: Vegetation Cont.• Emergents• common cattail; other

cattails • arrowhead • pickerelweed • willow • purple loosestrife • skunk cabbage • marsh marigold • wild rice • bulrush

• FLOATING PLANTS• yellow lotus • pondweeds • spatter dock • duckweed • common waterweed

•  • SUBMERGENTS• milfoil • coontail

Wetlands: Animal Species

• Wetlands sustain more life than almost any other ecosystem, even though only about 6% of the earth's surface is wetland.

• Wetland animals have developed adaptations of all kinds to allow them to cope with life where water is so critical.

• Because of historical attitudes towards wetlands, many endangered animals are precisely those which depend, to a great extent, on the watery environment.

Wetlands: Threatened/EndangeredSpecieswidgeon grass

• tall manna grass

• water speedwell

• porcupine sedge

Broad leafed arrowhead

• waterwortPrairie cord grass

• small white water lily

Wetlands: Man’s Influence

• Many inland wetlands have been drained or filled to grow crops or have been covered with concrete, asphalt, and buildings.

• This construction on wetlands kills precious species and wildlife

• Wetlands contribute to our oxygen level and thus the destruction of wetlands can disrupt the balance of elements in our fragile atmosphere.

Marshes vs. Swamps vs. Bogs

Marsh Swamp Bog

*Shallow water

*Land sometimes exposed

*Soil saturated

*Water often free of oxygen

*Fresh, salt, or brackish

*Emergents of mostly grasses, cattails and rushes

*Flooded land due to poor drainage

*Dominated by large trees and shrubs

*Plants adapted to grow in oxygen-poor soil

*Inland wetland with little inflow or outflow

*Acidic soil

*Decomposition is slow

*Sphagnum moss dominant; decays into peat

Marsh

Swamp

Bog (AKA Fen or Moor)

Closing Remarks

Freshwater biomes vary tremendously and are unique due to their dispersal throughout earth. These biomes provide us with clean drinking water, food, and play an important role in the various cycles of earth. Pollution, however, is beginning to destroy these biomes depleting our freshwater supply crucial to survival. The importance of these biomes must not be overlooked and their protection is critical!

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