Aquatic Habitats: Aquariums Inspired by Nature

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These habitats also serve as a means of providing food source to native species. Whales are considered to be the biggest fish in aquatic habitations. They travel to the Gulf of Mexico in search of fish that they can prey on. The oceans and seas are examples of a saltwater habitat. They are the largest habitat on earth. In fact, it covers about 70% of the earth's surface, and account for 97% of earth's water supply. Therefore, in this interesting article by Green Ecologist, we will dive into the water and tell you all about what is the aquatic habitat, its characteristics, types and examples. Continue reading! What is the aquatic habitat and its characteristics Habitat is a part of an ecosystem. The climate, plants, and animals are the identities of a habitat. Ecosystems primarily have two domains: Alexander, David E.; Fairbridge, Rhodes W., eds. (1999). Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Springer. p.27. ISBN 0-412-74050-8– via Internet Archive.

Some aquatic plants are used by humans as a food source. Examples include wild rice ( Zizania), water caltrop ( Trapa natans), Chinese water chestnut ( Eleocharis dulcis), Indian lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera), water spinach ( Ipomoea aquatica), and watercress ( Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum). Euryhaline organisms are salt tolerant and can survive in marine ecosystems, while stenohaline or salt intolerant species can only live in freshwater environments. [27] Abiotic characteristics (non-living components) [ edit ]

Types of Aquatic Ecosystem

Aquatic reptiles: they are characterized by the pulmonary respiratory system. Unlike fish, they must surface to breathe. Among them we can mention sea and fresh water turtles and snakes, also marine and fresh water, as well as crocodiles, which are also fresh and salt water. Lotics: habitats with moving waters, often carrying sediment. Generally its waters are turbid which reduces the passage of light. They are the refuge of many species of animals and, in shallower areas, of plant species. In this other post you can learn more about lotic ecosystems: what they are and examples. They provide places of shelter that are required by native fish to not just hide from their predators but also safeguard themselves from intense environments or conditions. They also provide breeding grounds for the fish and supply the dietary needs of animal species. a b c Loeb, Stanford L. (24 January 1994). Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Systems. CRC Press. ISBN 0-87371-910-7. Sculthorpe, C. D. (1967). The Biology of Aquatic Vascular Plants. Reprinted 1985 Edward Arnold, by London.

With regards to the ocean, organisms that live on its surface area termed neuston. Examples are the golden seaweed, barnacles and marine snails. They act often as producers and primary consumers in the marine food chain. Chemosynthetic bacteria are found in benthic marine ecosystems. These organisms are able to feed on hydrogen sulfide in water that comes from volcanic vents. Great concentrations of animals that feed on these bacteria are found around volcanic vents. For example, there are giant tube worms ( Riftia pachyptila) 1.5m in length and clams ( Calyptogena magnifica) 30cm long. [26] Heterotrophic organisms [ edit ]a b Vallentyne, J. R. (1974). The Algal Bowl: Lakes and Man, Miscellaneous Special Publication No. 22. Ottawa, ON: Department of the Environment, Fisheries and Marine Service. They cover only a small portion of earth nearly 0.8 per cent. Freshwater involves lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, wetlands, swamp, bog and temporary pools. Freshwater habitats are classified into lotic and lentic habitats. Water bodies such as lakes, ponds, pools, bogs, and other reservoirs are standing water and known as lentic habitats. Whereas lotic habitats represent flowing water bodies such as rivers, streams.

Aquatic plants have adapted to live in either freshwater or saltwater. Aquatic vascular plants have originated on multiple occasions in different plant families; [6] [11] they can be ferns or angiosperms (including both monocots and dicots). The only angiosperms capable of growing completely submerged in seawater are the seagrasses. [12] Examples are found in genera such as Thalassia and Zostera. An aquatic origin of angiosperms is supported by the evidence that several of the earliest known fossil angiosperms were aquatic. Aquatic plants are phylogenetically well dispersed across the angiosperms, with at least 50 independent origins, although they comprise less than 2% of the angiosperm species. [13] Archaefructus represents one of the oldest, most complete angiosperm fossils which is around 125 million years old. [14] These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water or floating at the surface. [14] Aquatic adaptation [ edit ] Reproduction [ edit ] Freshwater habitat (or ecosystems) include the rivers, lakes ponds, creeks, streams, bugs, springs, swamps and wetlands. They have very low or insignificant salinity, and are much smaller in size when compared to the salt water habitat. Also, they are less deep than their saltwater counterpart. However, freshwater is more easily penetrated by sunlight, and will also contain more oxygen than marine water.Silliman, B. R., Grosholz, E. D., and Bertness, M. D. (eds.) (2009). Human Impacts on Salt Marshes: A Global Perspective. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. With regard to habitats within freshwater ecosystems, we can distinguish them according to the movement of their currents, such as: Aquatic mammals: Like reptiles, they have a pulmonary respiratory system, so they must come to the surface to breathe. Being mammals, they have breasts with which they feed their young. As examples we can name whales, belugas, dolphins, manatees and more.