Lesson 3.

Prepared by: Mr. Reyvan R. Alegre

Aquatic Life Zones
Key Environmental Factors
• SUNLIGHT
• NUTRIENTS FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• DEPTH OF WATER
• DISSOLVED OXYGEN AND SALTS
• WATER TEMPERATURE
• BOTTOM SUBSTRATE
Aquatic Life Zones
Salinity
• refers to the amount of dissolved salts
an aquatic environment has
• differentiates aquatic environments
Aquatic Life Zones
Aquatic Food Chains/Food Webs
Major Types of Organisms
• Planktons
• Nektons
• Benthos
• Decomposers
Aquatic Life Zones
Aquatic Food Chains/Food Webs
Planktons
• phytoplanktons (bacteria,
protists, algae)
• zooplanktons (planktons that
feed on other planktons)
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Aquatic Life Zones
Phytoplanktons
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Aquatic Food Chains/Food Webs
Nektons
- from greek word meaning “to swim”
- strong swimmers
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Aquatic Food Chains/Food Webs
Benthos
- reside mostly on bottom (seafloor)
- Includes both sessile (attached to one place)
and motile (ability to move around)
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Aquatic Life Zones
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Aquatic Life Zones
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Marine Ecosystems
Freshwater Ecosystems
Aquatic Life Zones
Marine Ecosystems
• those with high salt concentration
• three major communities: (coastal
zone, open sea surface, deep sea
waters)
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Marine Ecosystems
Coastal Zone
• warm and nutrient-rich waters
• extends near shallow edge of the
continental shelf
Aquatic Life Zones
Marine Ecosystems
Open Sea Surface
• extends from the end of the continental
shelf to the vast region of the ocean
Aquatic Life Zones
Marine Ecosystems
Deep Sea Water Zone
• where it is dark and very cold with little
dissolved oxygen
• occupies the lowest part of the ocean
Aquatic Life Zones
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Freshwater Ecosystems
• those with little dissolved salts
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Freshwater Ecosystems
• ---
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Estuaries
• mixture of saltwater and freshwater
characteristics