A Aquatic biome Is one that is formed almost entirely by water, but more accurately, refers to that biome that depends on water so that its flora and fauna can inhabit them.
However, an aquatic biome will also have soil, but water will be the main or only means of interaction between the species that inhabit it.
The term Biome Refers to a particular area of the planet, which has certain characteristics as to its flora, fauna and climate.
It can also be defined as the expression of the ecological conditions of the place, at a regional or continental level; Being the climate and the soil determining factors.
Although the terms Biome Y habitat Are often used interchangeably, and share sufficient characteristics for this to occur, the term Biome Is a broader term.
"Biome"encompasses larger areas with common features, and can accommodate diverse Habitats , With its own characteristics, within the classification of a specific biome.
Water forms about 75% of the earth's surface, and is the common link between the five biomes of the planet. The temperatures in the water can vary widely, the aquatic zones tend to be more humid and their temperatures lower (colder). The aquatic biome is usually divided into two basic regions: sweet water and of saltwater .
In this way, the zones belonging to each of these two basic regions could be classified as Habitats . Freshwater regions have low concentrations of salt, so the species that live in them could not survive areas with higher salt concentration.
The salt water regions, also called marine regions, are the ones that have the greatest extension in the planet, covering three quarters of the surface of the earth, in addition, this region has ecological benefits for the planet.
Each one of these regions is divided in diverse habbitas, adapted to the conditions of each region of the aquatic bioma.
Aquatic biomes in freshwater regions
Lakes and ponds
These two regions can vary considerably from medium to large, measuring from a few meters to thousands of kilometers.
These are divided into three different zones, which are determined mainly by their depth and their distance from the shore. Some ponds only exist during seasons.
The highest zone, near the shore, of the ponds and / or lakes is called the littoral zone (not to be confused with the region of Argentina). It is shallow and can absorb heat from the sun, making it the warmest part.
This area is home to a diverse community of beings, including various species of algae, plants (aquatic), clams, insects, amphibians, crustaceans and amphibians.
The water near the surface where it is surrounded by the coastal zone is called Limnetic zone . This area has good lighting due to its proximity to the coast, and plankton predominates, indispensable organisms in the food chain.
Finally, there is the deeper part, precisely called Deep zone ; Which has little penetration of light, in addition to being much denser and cooler than the previous zones.
As for the fauna, it is formed by heterotrophic organisms, that is, they feed on other organisms to process the nutrients they need.
Streams and rivers
The streams and rivers are bodies of water that are in motion. These have their beginning from various bodies of water, such as melted snow or even lakes, and travel to a so-called mouth , Which may be another channel of water or a body of water greater than the ocean.
The characteristics of the water in the rivers and streams change according to the point in which they are in their trajectory. In its source of origin the water is colder, and freshwater fish can be found.
Near the middle, these bodies become wider, and more variety of species can be found, such as aquatic green plants and algae.
When the water body is reaching the mouth , The water is more turbid, due to the sediments that accumulated in the path, reason why little light penetrates and the diversity of flora is smaller. In addition, oxygen levels decrease, so fish that require less oxygen may be found.
Wetlands
The Wetlands Are areas of standing water, which support aquatic plants. Plants that have adapted to wet conditions are called hydrophytes. Some habitats considered wetlands are marshes and marshes.
These habitats have one of the largest species diversity of all Ecosystems , Such as pond lilies and totoras among some of the plants; As well as diversity of amphibians, reptiles, birds, among others, with respect to animals.
However, wetlands are difficult to classify as freshwater or saltwater habitats because some types of wetlands have high concentrations of salt, which favors various species to develop in them.
Aquatic biomes in saltwater regions
Oceans
The Oceans Represent the largest ecosystem on the planet, as well as the largest saltwater habitat, and aquatic biomes.
These are large bodies of water that dominate the earth's surface. Similar to lakes and ponds, the oceans are separated into different zones:
- Intertidal zone: This is the area where the oceans meet the surface. According to the tide, the variety of species that can be found changes, going from few seaweed and mollusks to crustaceans, starfish, seabirds. In the background, which is only exposed during low tide, you will find invertebrates, fish and seaweed.
- Piélago: It is basically represented by the open sea, ie waters that are far from the earth. Here, the plants found are seaweed, and a fauna of various species, including mammals such as dolphins and whales, many species of fish and abundance of plankton, which provides food.
- Benthic zone: This area is below the Sea , Although it is not the deepest of the oceans. At the bottom of this is sand and some dead organisms. The flora is made up of marine algae, while the fauna is rich, due to the amount of nutrients that this area possesses. Light can not penetrate deep water, so temperatures increase.
- Abyssal Zone: Here, the water has very low temperatures, around 3 ° C, with high pressure and high oxygen content, but low amount of nutrients. In this zone can live different invertebrates and fish, in addition to chemosynthetic bacteria, which represent the beginning of the food chain.
Coral reefs
These habitats are highly distributed in water quality water and shallow, and the main organisms that inhabit it are precisely the corals.
In addition, there is a diverse fauna, which includes fish, octopuses, microorganisms, invertebrates and starfish.
References
- Biome. (2017, July 2). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Date of consultation: 07:43, July 10, 2017 from es.wikipedia.org
- Biome. (2017, July 2). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia . Retrieved 07:43, July 10, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org
- Marine habitats. (2017, June 24). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia . Retrieved 07:43, July 10, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org
- The Aquatic Biome. In University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley. Retrieved 07:44, July 10, 2017, from www.ucmp.berkeley.edu
- Aquatic Biomes. In Geography for Kids. Retrieved 07:45, July 10, 2017, from www.geography4kids.com.