Biomes Chart: Aquatic Lesson

Complete the chart for each Biome in this module.

These notes are useful for studying and can be a valuable resource for upcoming Biome assignments.

Aquatic Biome

Aquatic Ecosystems are ecosystems that reside in water. There are two types: Marine and Freshwater.

Marine ecosystems consist of those that exist in salt water. A marine ecosystem can be described in terms of four general zones: intertidal zone, neritic zone, oceanic zone, and benthic zone.

The intertidal zone is the region between the highest tide line and the lowest tide line. Organisms that live in this zone must be able to survive the changing tides and the pounding waves. At some times in the day, these organisms are under water. At other times, they are exposed to air and sunlight. Crabs, clams, mussels, and oysters can be found in this zone. These organisms burrow into the sand or retreat to shells during low tides. Snails, sea urchins, and sea stars cling to rocks and other surfaces.

The neritic zone is located about the continental shelf and is the most productive zone in the ocean. The water in this zone is shallow enough that light can penetrate it. This makes it possible for photosynthesis to occur. Plankton is as a producer in the food webs for this zone. Many fishes, sea turtle, squid, and other animals live in this zone.

The open ocean is also known as the oceanic zone. It is the largest marine zone and makes up most of the world's oceans. Sunlight can pass through only about two hundred meters of water, so photosynthesis occurs only near the surface of this zone. Protists and bacteria serve as the producers. Despite the small region of photosynthesis in this zone, most of the photosynthesis that occurs on Earth takes place in this zone because of the huge area of the oceans.

The open ocean ranges in depth from about 500 meters to 11,000 meters. Below the region in which sunlight penetrates, the open ocean becomes dark and cold. In addition, the pressure increases with depth. Fishes, mammals such as whales, and many animals without backbones live in this region.

The conditions along the ocean floor are different from those higher in the ocean. This zone known as the benthic zone contains organisms that live near the bottom. The organisms are called benthos. The benthic zone extends horizontally from the neritic zone through the open ocean.

A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean or sea. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, waves or cobblestones.

Ocean Zones Image

Labels include:
--Intertidal Zone
--Neritic Zone
--Oceanic Zone
--Benthic Zone

The interactive activity below introduces us to tidepools and the organisms that live in them. Begin by looking at a slideshow to learn how tidepools form and how they are studied. Then, test your understanding by searching for organisms—including snails, starfish, and sea urchins—in photos of actual tidepools.

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