Aquatic Ecosystems

ESSENTIAL
SC.912.L.17.2 QUESTION
 Explain the general  How is life distributed
distribution of life in in aquatic ecosystems?
aquatic systems as a
function of chemistry,
geography, light,
depth, salinity, and
temperature.
 Bellringer – Do Now
1. Jill made the table below during her research on aquatic
zones and living organisms. Based on Jill’s observations, which
conclusion could you draw?

A. Organisms in the intertidal zone must be able to withstand

very cold water.
B. There are no producers in the benthic zone that rely on
photosynthesis.
C. Organisms in the benthic zone must be able to tolerate
large amounts of oxygen.
D. The warm water and abundant sunlight in the nertic zone
limits the plankton population.
 Geography
 Explain the general distribution of life
in aquatic systems as a function of
chemistry, geography, light, depth,
salinity, and temperature.
 These factors are limited to water
depth, latitude, temperature,
underwater topography, and
proximity to land.
 Geography
 Geography?
 The study of physical features of the
Earth and its atmosphere, and of
human activity as it affects and is
affected by these, including the
distribution of populations and
resources, land use, and industries.
 Depth
 Pressure increases as depth
increases.
 What would happen if we traveled
1,000 meters below the ocean’s
surface? Why?
• Most organisms with gas-filled spaces
(like us) would be crushed by the
pressures that other deep-sea life
experience.
 Many creatures have no problem
living in the deep ocean. Why?
• Most organisms living in the deep
ocean are largely water and water is
incom­pressible. Without gas-filled
spaces, organisms in the great deep
are less affected by pressure.
 So think back to the standard, what
does this tell us about the general
 Light
 If you were going diving, what would happen to the
amount of light as you deeper?
• There is less light.
 What chemical process is light important to as a
reactant?
• Photosynthesis
 Why is this process important?
• It is used by plants, algae and certain bacteria to harness
energy from sunlight into chemical energy.
 One way aquatic ecosystems can be divided is into
two zones called the PHOTIC zone and APHOTIC zone.

Check for Understanding – What is going to be found in

the photic zone that is not found in the aphotic zone?
 Temperature/Latitude
#TBT – Between winter and
summer, why does the average
temperature on land change much
more than the average
temperature of water?
 Temperature/Latitude
 If you were to get into a submarine and dive
deep into the ocean, what would happen to
the temperature of the water and why?
• It would get colder because of the absence of
sunlight.
 What else can influence the temperature of
water besides depth and why?
• Latitude - distance from the equator. 
Due to the curvature of the Earth, temperatures will
drop in areas farther away from the equator. Also, in
areas closer to the poles, sunlight has a larger area of
atmosphere to pass through and the sun is at a lower
angle in the sky.
 Geography
Depth, Light and Temperature
Checks for Understanding –
 What is the relationship between

light and depth of the ocean?

 How does latitude and ocean

depth affect temperature?

 How do these differences affect

living organisms?
 Chemistry
 Explain the general distribution of life
in aquatic systems as a function of
chemistry, geography, light, depth,
salinity, and temperature.
 These factors are limited to pH,
oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen,
phosphorus, and salinity.
 Chemistry
 Chemistry?
 The branch of science that deals with
the identification of the substances of
which matter is composed; the
investigation of their properties and
the ways in which they interact,
combine, and change; and the use of
these processes to form new
substances.
 pH
 If the pH of water is too high or too
low, the aquatic organisms living
within it will die.

 The majority of aquatic creatures

prefer a pH range of 6.5-9.0, though
some can live in water with pH levels
outside of this range.
 Other materials: Oxygen, carbon
dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorus
 Oxygen
• Oxygen is necessary for the process of respiration in marine
organisms.
• Aquatic environments are low oxygen distribution environments.
• Where in aquatic ecosystems would you expect to find more
oxygen? Why?
 Carbon dioxide
• If CO2 levels increase, it can react with water molecules to
decrease the water’s pH.
• What process is carbon dioxide important to as a reactant?
 Cellular respiration
 Other materials such as nitrogen and phosphorus are
important nutrients.
 Salinity
 Salinity is the measure of all the salts dissolved in
water.
 Aquatic ecosystems include bodies of water varying
in salinity – fresh water, salt water and estuaries.
 Global warming
• It causes the icebergs to melt, adding freshwater back to the
oceans.
• The additional freshwater will decrease the amount of salt in
the surrounding water.
 In areas with high evaporation, the water will have a
higher salinity because the salt is not evaporated
with the water.
 Salinity
 Organisms have specific
salinity ranges in which they
can survive.
 Give an example of the three
types of aquatic
environments in Jacksonville.
 Chemistry
pH, dissolved materials and salinity
 Checks for Understanding
• What can change the distribution of
oxygen, carbon dioxide and pH?

• What portions of the globe would have

a higher than normal salinity?
We Do
 Bellringer – REDO
1. Jill made the table below during her research on aquatic
zones and living organisms. Based on Jill’s observations, which
conclusion could you draw?

A. Organisms in the intertidal zone must be able to withstand

very cold water.
B. There are no producers in the benthic zone that rely on
photosynthesis.
C. Organisms in the benthic zone must be able to tolerate
large amounts of oxygen.
D. The warm water and abundant sunlight in the nertic zone
limits the plankton population.
 Bellringer – REDO
1. Jill made the table below during her research on aquatic
zones and living organisms. Based on Jill’s observations, which
conclusion could you draw?

A. Organisms in the intertidal zone must be able to withstand

very cold water.
B. There are no producers in the benthic zone that
rely on photosynthesis.
C. Organisms in the benthic zone must be able to tolerate
large amounts of oxygen.
D. The warm water and abundant sunlight in the nertic zone
limits the plankton population.
 You Do
 These can be printed or projected.
 You Do
The pH of the water in several lakes in Norway
and Sweden had decreased to below 5.0 due to
an increase in acid rain. Which of the following
is most likely to happen in these lakes? 
 
A. the decline of several fish populations
B. an increase in numbers of fish
C. an increase in the amount of primary
producers
D. increased predator-prey relationships
 You Do
Coral reefs cover less than 1 percent of the ocean floor — all of
them combined would equal an area of about 110,000 square miles
(285,000 square kilometers), which is roughly the size of the state
of Nevada. These reefs are generally found in warm, clear, and
shallow waters where plenty of sunlight is available to nurture the
algae that the coral rely on for food. Why are coral reefs among the
most productive and diverse ecosystems on Earth?
 
A. Since coral reefs are found in environments with a higher salinity,
they are able to support a larger variety of organisms.
B. Since coral reefs are structures that have existed for many years,
more organisms have had time to interact with the coral.
C. Coral reefs are small structures, and the smaller an aquatic
ecosystem the more life it can support.
D. Coral reefs are found in warm areas with favorable
characteristics, and more life can be supported in warmer
temperatures.
 You Do
The highest concentrations of life exist in the top 200
meters of ocean water. As you dive deeper into the
ocean, the environmental conditions change and
biodiversity decreases. Which of the following
statements is true in relation to environmental changes
in a body of water?
 
A.As depth increases, both temperature and light
increase.
B.As depth increases, both temperature and light
decrease.
C.As latitude decreases, both temperature and depth are
increasing.
D.As latitude decreases, both temperature and depth are
decreasing.