Aquatic Biodiversity

1. Aquatic Biodiversity
Male and Female
Humpbacks
Humpbacks and Shearwaters
Feeding on Krill in Alaska

2. What Accounts for
Aquatic Biodiversity?
•
Phytoplankton: diatoms
(producers)
•
Zooplankton: copepods
(consumers)
•
Nekton: fish, turtles, marine
mammals,etc.
•
Benthos: mollusks, worms, etc.

3. Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
•
Freshwater Ecosystems
•
Cover 1% of Earth
•
Marine Ecosystems
•
Cover 70% of Earth
•
Oceans, estuaries, salt
marshes, mangrove
forests, coral reefs
Cormorant
Cardinal Flower

4. Nutrients: Freshwater vs. Marine
Ecosystems
•Marine Ecosystems
•NO3 and PO4
sometimes limiting,
except along coast
(estuary) and
upwelling zones
•Freshwater ecosystems
•NO3 and PO4
generally abundant
Benguela Current

5. Productivity and Zones of Light
Penetration

6. Coastal Zone
and Estuaries
•
Delaware and
Chesapeake
Estuaries
•
where rivers meet
the ocean
•
mix of fresh and
saltwater: tides
•
shallow water, high
light penetration
•
high: nutrients,
photosynthesis,
NPP!

7. Estuaries, Salt Marshes,
and Barrier Islands:
Nurseries of the Oceans
•High species
diversity
•Migratory
stopover sites
•birds, marine
mammals
•Nursery areas
•fish,
invertebrates,
birds, turtles
Salt Marsh

8. Barrier Islands
Pony-Penning Chincoteague, VA
Outer Banks, NC
Cape Henlopen, DE

9. Rocky Intertidal
Ecosystem
Otter Point, ME
Breadcrumb sponge
Coralline Algae
Rockweed

10. The Philippines

11. The Philippines

12. Marine Ecosystems in the Tropics
Mabini Reef, Philippines
Mangrove Forest, Bangladesh

13. Mangrove Forests
•Tropical equivalent to
salt marshes
•Found in Florida, too
•Essential buffers/
filters
•absorb nutrient
•protect the coast
Complex Root System of A
Mangrove Tree

14. Coral Reef
Ecology
•Symbiosis: Coral polyp and
Zooanthellae
•Among oldest ecosystems on
Earth
•Reefs made of CaCO3
Polyp
Zooanthellae

15. Coral Reefs...
•Protect coastlines
•Support fisheries
•Provide ecotourism
(diving)
•One of the most
diverse, productive
ecosystems on
Earth
Thallasia beds

16. Threats to Coral Reefs
•Overfishing and illegal collecting of coral
•Blast fishing
•Coral Bleaching
•Global warming
•Siltation
Blast Fishing

17. Freshwater Ecosystems
•Lakes and Ponds
•Inland Wetlands
(Bogs, Swamps, and
Marshes)
•Rivers
Rangeley Lakes
Nerpa
Great Heath

18. Freshwater Ecosystems
•Lakes and Ponds
•Inland Wetlands
(Bogs, Swamps, and
Marshes)
•Rivers
Rangeley Lakes
Nerpa
Great Heath

19. Wetlands and Rivers
Bog
Androscoggin River

20. A Few Lake
Facts...
•Autochthonous
•Spring and Fall
Overturn
•Littoral and
Limnetic Zones
Littoral Zone
Limnetic Zone

21. Lakes
Lake Baikal
Spring and Fall
Overturn
Lake Baikal

22. Inland Wetland Facts
•Essential for water
exchange
•Buffers and filter
areas
•Terminal
successional stage
•High biodiversity
•amphibians!
Bull Frog

23. River Facts
•Allochthonous
•Among the most
threatened
ecosystems
•history of
human impact
(overuse, etc.)
Amazon
River