 Explain the important environmental factors that affect aquatic ecosystems.

Variability and change are natural processes in aquatic ecosystems, and ecosystem
communities and individual organisms have in many cases adapted to different environmental
conditions.
Human effects on aquatic ecosystems can result from pollution, changes to the landscape or
hydrological systems, and larger-scale impacts such as global climate change. The complexity
of aquatic ecosystems and the linkages within them can make the effect of disturbances on
them difficult to predict. These linkages mean that damage to one component of the ecosystem
can lead to impacts on other ecosystem components. Increasing our understanding of aquatic
ecosystems can lead to better practices that minimize impacts on aquatic environments.

Natural Factors Affecting Aquatic Ecosystems

Beavers
Beavers can alter the structure and dynamics of an aquatic system through dam building and
feeding. These modifications can include (Naiman et al. 1986):

1. The creation of wetlands through flooding of the riparian zone;

2. Alteration of channel hydrology and geomorphology;
3. Changes in nutrient cycling and decomposition;
4. Increased holding time of sediment and organic matter due to reduced velocities;
5. Alteration of the riparian zone including species composition and dynamics;
6. Influence of habitat and thus the overall species found in the altered habitat; and
7. Impacts on the material transported downstream of the altered area.
The beaver’s ability to alter its environment and create new habitat makes it a keystone species,
because its removal would affect all species that rely on these habitats.

Flooding
Flooding can be part of the natural hydrological cycle, and is essential to the ecosystems it
affects. Hydrological connectivity between floodplains and rivers is maintained through flooding.
When a river floods, it deposits nutrient rich sediment on the banks, and in turn washes bits of
vegetation into the river that become food for aquatic organisms. Floods can also replenish
lakes and ponds found within the floodplain, and can raise the water table. The perched basins
in the Peace-Athabasca Delta, for example, rely upon seasonal flooding for replenishment.

When flooding is introduced through damming or extreme events it can be detrimental to an

aquatic system until balance is reached. In the case of dams, achieving this balance is just a
matter of time one habitat is destroyed and another is created. In the case of extreme flood
events, the balance often occurs once the flood has receded and the aquatic organisms can
rebuild their habitat in a more nutrient rich environment.

 Distinguish among plankton, nekton and benthos.

Aquatic organisms are classified according to their living location or habitat in the ocean or a
particular water body as nekton, planktons and benthos and finding the difference between
nekton, plankton and benthos is the basic to identify their classification. All the marine animals
can be put into one of these types, but very few of them show exceptions. Scientists believe that
the habitat of these animals has great impacts on their evolution. Moreover, most of them are
well-adapted to live in a particular area of which they inhabit. Let’s learn here more about each
of these types and their distinguishable features before learning the differences between them.

What is Nekton?
Nekton includes the animals that actively move in the water. Examples include vertebrates such
as fish, whales, turtles, sharks and invertebrates include squads. Nekton live throughout the
water column and can move faster than water currents. Nekton propel in the water column
freely either by swimming or other means.
What is Plankton?
Planktons include small animals (zooplanktons) and algae (phytoplankton) that float towards the
water’s surface. Some examples for planktons include the microscopic foraminifera,
radiolarians, diatoms, coccolithophores, dinoflagellates and larvae of many marine species such
as fish, crabs, sea stats, etc. Planktons cannot propel themselves through the water.

What is Benthos?
Benthos is composed of the animals who are ecologically linked to the bottom of the seafloor.
These animals can be free moving forms near the ocean bed or attached to the seafloor. Unlike
the nekton, benthos cannot swim in water. Benthos mainly includes echinoderms, crustaceans,
mollusks, poriferans and annelids.
What is the difference between Nekton Plankton and Benthos?
• Nekton live throughout the water column whereas plankton live closer to the water surface.
Unlike nekton and planktons, benthos linked to the ocean floor.
• Unlike the planktons and benthos, nekton can propel themselves either by swimming or other
means.
• Many planktons are microscopic or small animals, when compared to the other two types.
• Some benthos are free living, while others live attached to the seabed. However, all the nekton
are free living animals.

 Briefly describe the various freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystem, giving
attention to the environmental characteristics and representative organisms of
each

The freshwater biome

Freshwater is defined as having a low salt concentration usually less than 1%. Plants and
animals in freshwater regions are adjusted to the low salt content and would not be able to
survive in areas of high salt concentration (i.e., ocean). There are different types of freshwater
regions:
-Ponds and lakes
-Streams and rivers
-Wetlands

Ponds and lakes

These regions range in size from just a few square meters to thousands of square kilometers.
Scattered throughout the earth, several are remnants from the Pleistocene glaciation. Many
ponds are seasonal, lasting just a couple of months (such as sessile pools) while lakes may
exist for hundreds of years or more. Ponds and lakes may have limited species diversity since
they are often isolated from one another and from other water sources like rivers and oceans.
Lakes and ponds are divided into three different “zones” which are usually determined by depth
and distance from the shoreline.
The topmost zone near the shore of a lake or pond is the littoral zone. This zone is the warmest
since it is shallow and can absorb more of the Sun's heat. It sustains a fairly diverse community,
which can include several species of algae (like diatoms), rooted and floating aquatic plants,
grazing snails, clams, insects, crustaceans, fishes, and amphibians. In the case of the insects,
such as dragonflies and midges, only the egg and larvae stages are found in this zone. The
vegetation and animals living in the littoral zone are food for other creatures such as turtles,
snakes, and ducks.

The near-surface open water surrounded by the littoral zone is the limnetic zone. The limnetic
zone is well-lighted (like the littoral zone) and is dominated by plankton, both phytoplankton and
zooplankton. Plankton are small organisms that play a crucial role in the food chain. Without
aquatic plankton, there would be few living organisms in the world, and certainly no humans. A
variety of freshwater fish also occupy this zone.

Plankton have short life spans — when they die, they fall into the deep-water part of the
lake/pond, the profundal zone. This zone is much colder and denser than the other two. Little
light penetrates all the way through the limnetic zone into the profundal zone. The fauna are
heterotrophs, meaning that they eat dead organisms and use oxygen for cellular respiration.

Temperature varies in ponds and lakes seasonally. During the summer, the temperature can
range from 4° C near the bottom to 22° C at the top. During the winter, the temperature at the
bottom can be 4° C while the top is 0° C (ice). In between the two layers, there is a narrow zone
called the thermocline where the temperature of the water changes rapidly. During the spring
and fall seasons, there is a mixing of the top and bottom layers, usually due to winds, which
results in a uniform water temperature of around 4° C. This mixing also circulates oxygen
throughout the lake. Of course there are many lakes and ponds that do not freeze during the
winter, thus the top layer would be a little warmer.

Streams and rivers

These are bodies of flowing water moving in one direction. Streams and rivers can be found
everywhere — they get their starts at headwaters, which may be springs, snowmelt or even
lakes, and then travel all the way to their mouths, usually another water channel or the ocean.
The characteristics of a river or stream change during the journey from the source to the mouth.
The temperature is cooler at the source than it is at the mouth. The water is also clearer, has
higher oxygen levels, and freshwater fish such as trout and heterotrophs can be found there.
Towards the middle part of the stream/river, the width increases, as does species diversity —
numerous aquatic green plants and algae can be found. Toward the mouth of the river/stream,
the water becomes murky from all the sediments that it has picked up upstream, decreasing the
amount of light that can penetrate through the water. Since there is less light, there is less
diversity of flora, and because of the lower oxygen levels, fish that require less oxygen, such as
catfish and carp, can be found.

Wetlands
Wetlands are areas of standing water that support aquatic plants. Marshes, swamps, and bogs
are all considered wetlands. Plant species adapted to the very moist and humid conditions are
called hydrophytes. These include pond lilies, cattails, sedges, tamarack, and black spruce.
Marsh flora also include such species as cypress and gum. Wetlands have the highest species
diversity of all ecosystems. Many species of amphibians, reptiles, birds (such as ducks and
waders), and furbearers can be found in the wetlands. Wetlands are not considered freshwater
ecosystems as there are some, such as salt marshes, that have high salt concentrations —
these support different species of animals, such as shrimp, shellfish, and various grasses.

Estuarine Ecosystems (ES)

In the Discovery Islands
• Estuarine ecosystems occur where a creek meets the sea. Estuaries are where fresh and
saltwater mix and become part salty or brackish water that mixes with deposited sediments and
where everything is also influenced by the rise and fall of the tide.
• Estuaries are typically small; occurring as meadows, marshes, and tidal flats, with a range of
vegetation tolerant to fresh, brackish or totally salt conditions.
• Estuarine ecosystems are critically important areas for many marine and terrestrial lifeforms –
from essential micro-organisms, tiny invertebrates and lush plants to migrating salmon and
foraging bears.
Estuarine ecosystems are transitional areas with a complex food web fueled by dynamic
nutrient and oxygen-rich conditions that create some of the most biologically productive
ecosystems on Earth. Resident invertebrates, fish, and plant species must be adapted to
survive the physical challenges peculiar to estuaries. In the Discovery Islands, many of the
larger creeks and inlets have small meadow or marsh estuarine ecosystems.

Estuaries, one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, are home to a diverse
population of animals and plants.
-Estuaries areas where fresh and saltwater mix are made up of many different types of habitats.
These habitats can include oyster reefs, coral reefs, rocky shores, submerged aquatic
vegetation, marshes, and mangroves. There are also different animals that live in each of these
different habitats. Fish, shellfish, and migratory birds are just a few of the animals that can live in
an estuary.
-The Chesapeake Bay, as one example, includes several different habitats. There are oyster
reefs where oysters, mud crabs, and small fish may be found. Also in the Bay, there is
submerged aquatic vegetation where seahorses, blue crabs, and other fish live. Finally, there is
open water where sea turtles or rays can be found.
Marine Ecosystem
Marine ecosystems are aquatic environments with high levels of dissolved salt, such as those
found in or near the ocean. Marine ecosystems are defined by their unique biotic (living) and
abiotic (nonliving) factors. Biotic factors include plants, animals, and microbes; important abiotic
factors include the amount of sunlight in the ecosystem, the amount of oxygen and nutrients
dissolved in the water, proximity to land, depth, and temperature.
Sunlight is one of the most important abiotic factors for marine ecosystems. It’s so important
that scientists classify parts of marine ecosystems up to three by the amount of light they
receive. The topmost part of a marine ecosystem is the euphotic zone, extending down as far as
200 meters (656 feet) below the surface. At this depth, there is sufficient light for regular
photosynthetic activity. Most marine life inhabits this zone. Below the euphotic zone is the
dysphotic zone, which can reach from 200 to as deep as 1,000 meters (656 to 3,280 feet) below
the surface. At these depths, sunlight is still available, but only enough to facilitate some
photosynthesis. Below the dysphotic zone lies the aphotic zone, which does not receive any
sunlight.

Types of Marine Ecosystem

Marine ecosystems types include open deep sea, salt water wet-land, coral reefs, estuary,
mangroves, sandy beach, kelp forest, polar marine and rocky marine ecosystem.
Open Marine Ecosystem
Whenever you think of the marine ecosystem, the first picture that comes to your mind is the
open water surface. This open water surface is known as the marine ecosystem; This is the
upper layer of the ocean where sun rays reach quite easily.
The open marine ecosystem extends up to 150 meters from the ocean surface. The open
marine ecosystem provides habitat to various sea creatures such as plankton, algae, whales,
jellyfish, etc.

Deep-Sea Marine Ecosystem

The ecosystem deep inside the oceans at its floor is known as the deep sea marine ecosystem.
Deep-sea marine ecosystem inhabiting various animal species in the seabed up to 1000 meters
depth underwater.
Sunlight is one of the big challenges to penetrate at the seafloor; however, the species have
adapted the marine environment of this region. A huge range of animal species is found in
deep-sea marine ecosystems such as squids, fishes, elephant seals, sperm whales, crabs,
worms, some sharks, etc.
Coral Reef Marine Ecosystem
Coral reefs are special type of marine ecosystem found in the seafloor. This ecosystem is
mostly found in tropical waters and is quite a productive ecosystem found on the Earth. The
coral reefs are the skeleton made up of limestone, calcium carbonate.

The coral reef ecosystem provides food and shelter to almost ¼ of marine water species.
Coral reefs attract exotic color fishes like sponges, snails, seahorses, sometimes large
animals like sharks & dolphins, etc.

Saltwater Wetland Marine Ecosystem

The coastal areas of oceans and seas are known as the saltwater wetland ecosystem. The
saltwater wetland marine ecosystem is again classified into two types – saltwater swamps and
salt marshes.
Saltwater swamps are regions dominated with trees, whereas salt marshes are covered with
grasses. Commonly found water species of saltwater wetland ecosystem are amphibians,
reptiles, some migratory birds, shellfishes, few fishes, etc.
Estuary Marine Ecosystem
The area around the river mouth where it merges with marine water is usually termed as an
estuary marine ecosystem. The salinity in this ecosystem varies with the tides. The estuary
ecosystem does not support a variety of species.
Mostly the species of the neighbouring ecosystem are found in the Estuary marine ecosystem.
This ecosystem also plays an essential role in nurseries for various kinds of fishes, shrimps, etc.

Mangrove Marine Ecosystem

In some tropical and sub-tropical coastal regions, a special type of saltwater swamp is found,
which is known as mangroves. Mangrove swamps are home for special types of trees that can
survive in the saline ecosystem.
These mangroves are characterized by a special kind of roots to absorb oxygen to survive. The
roots are extended above the water surface. Mangrove ecosystem provides shelter to various
species such as shrimps, jellyfish, birds, sponges, crabs, fish, crocodiles, etc.