APES UNIT 1 - Aquatic biomes

Created by

Gabby Amorim

Cards (61)

What is an estuary?
The transition zone between rivers and the ocean
What are the characteristics of estuaries?
They are often characterized by brackish waters and habitats like marshes and mangroves
What is the largest mangrove habitat in the world?
The Florida Everglades
How are aquatic ecosystems connected?
They are all interconnected through water flow and nutrient cycling
What is a watershed?
A land area that channels all snowmelt and rainfall to a singular point
How does groundwater relate to aquatic systems?
Groundwater connects marine and freshwater systems
What is the intertidal zone?
A zone where high and low tide creates unique communities adapted to changes in moisture, temperature, light availability, and salinity
What is the significance of the littoral zone? 
It has emergent plants and the greatest biodiversity
What is the umnetic zone?
The photic zone where light penetrates, and algae/phytoplankton can be found
What characterizes the profundal zone?
It is an aphotic zone where light does not penetrate, is oxygen-poor, sediment-rich, and cold
What is the benthic zone?
The bottom of the aquatic ecosystem, nutrient-rich due to sedimentation of organic material
What is the pelagic zone?
The open ocean, which is nutrient-poor due to sedimentation of organic material
What is a hydrothermal vent? 
A location where inorganic molecules may be utilized by chemoautotrophs
What are the characteristics of the abyssal zone?
It has no light, is very cold, has very low oxygen, high pressure, and is nutrient-rich and salty
Why do photoautotrophs need light?
For photosynthesis
Who are the primary producers of the pelagic zone?
Phytoplankton
How do phytoplankton contribute to oceanic food webs?
They start off most oceanic food webs
What are other producers found in shallow waters?
Coral and kelp
What is the relationship between producer productivity and dissolved oxygen concentration?
The productivity of producers is directly correlated with dissolved oxygen concentration
What is salinity? 
The measure of all the salts dissolved in water
How does salinity change from rain to the ocean?
Rain is freshwater, rivers are freshwater, estuaries are brackish, and oceans are salty
How does salinity change with depth?
Salinity increases with depth
What is pH a measure of?
Acidity
How does the concentration of H+ ions affect pH?
The more H+ ions in a concentration, the more acidic the solution
What is the pH of rainwater?
2
What is the pH of pure water?
0 (neutral)
What is the pH of seawater?
6 (slightly basic)
How does temperature change with distance from the equator?
Temperature decreases as you move away from the equator
How does temperature change with depth?
Temperature decreases as you increase depth
What is seasonal turnover?
During the fall, warm surface water cools, becomes denser, and sinks, forcing bottom water to rise
What are the two qualities of the most productive aquatic ecosystems?
Exposure to light and a supply of nutrients
How are nutrients supplied to aquatic ecosystems?
By sediments being washed into estuaries from the land or from upwelling of deep sea ocean currents
What happens when phytoplankton have the light and nutrients they need?
They reproduce, starting many aquatic food chains and making marine life possible
What human activity can increase sediment run-off? 
Construction, mining, and logging
What is turbidity? 
A measure of dissolved/suspended solutes
How does sediment run-off affect aquatic ecosystems?
It decreases light penetration, decreasing photosynthesis and overall productivity
What can happen to fish due to sediment entering their gills?
It can cause suffocation and death
What is saltwater intrusion?
The movement of saline water into freshwater aquifers
What causes saltwater intrusion?
Aquifers being drained faster than they can be recharged, mostly due to irrigation
What happens to plants watered with saltwater?
They will die