The document discusses various aquatic biomes. It describes the three zones of freshwater ponds and lakes: the littoral, limnetic, and profundal zones. The littoral zone near shore is home to aquatic plants, insects, amphibians, and small fish. The limnetic zone farther from shore but near the surface contains algae, zooplankton, and fish. The deep profundal zone below light penetration contains bacteria and organisms eating lake bottom debris. Wetlands are diverse ecosystems exceeded in productivity only by coral reefs. They provide flood control by storing water during heavy rain. Many wetlands are threatened by development, but protection laws aim to conserve them. Shallow ocean areas including