This document discusses aquatic biodiversity and different marine and freshwater ecosystems. It describes the key producers, consumers, and larger organisms in aquatic environments. Some of the ecosystems highlighted include estuaries, mangrove forests, coral reefs, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. The document also notes threats to certain ecosystems like coral reefs and overfished areas.

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

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 Cormorant
• Cover 70% of Earth
• Oceans, estuaries, salt
marshes, mangrove
forests, coral reefs
Cardinal Flower

4. Nutrients: Freshwater vs. Marine
Ecosystems
• Marine Ecosystems
• NO and PO
3 4
sometimes limiting,
except along coast
(estuary) and
upwelling zones
• Freshwater ecosystems
• NO and PO
3 4 Benguela Current
generally abundant

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

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

9. Rocky Intertidal
Ecosystem
Otter Point, ME
Coralline Algae
Breadcrumb sponge
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
Polyp
• Symbiosis: Coral polyp and
Zooanthellae
• Among oldest ecosystems on
Earth
• Reefs made of CaCO3
Zooanthellae

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

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 Limnetic Zone
• Spring and Fall
Overturn
• Littoral and
Limnetic Zones
Littoral 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
Bull Frog
• High biodiversity
• amphibians!

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