Unit A-Chapter 4-Lesson 5

What Are The Features of Water Biomes?

Saltwater Biomes

The saltwater biome is a water biome that has a high salt content
The saltwater biome is the largest of all the earth's biome.

• it can be divided into three zones:

1. Shallow Ocean Zone
2. Ocean Surface Zone
3. Deep Ocean Zone

• The shallow ocean zone along the coasts makes up only a small part of the saltwater biome.
• Sunlight reaches the sea bottom in this zone, and the water temperature remains relatively constant
• Sunlight penetrates the top few hundred meters of the ocean surface zone.  Here, photosynthesizing plankton are the primary producers; consumers include tuna, sharks, whales, and ocean birds.
• Plankton are microscopic, free floating organisms that serve as food for larger organisms.
• The deep ocean zone consists of everything deeper than 100 meters.
• Too little sunlight penetrates the cold waters of the deep ocean zone to support photosynthetic organisms.
• Most animals in the deep ocean eat other animals or feed on detritus that drifts from the sunlit waters above.

Freshwater Biomes

Freshwater biomes have a low salt content and can be divided into two types:

1. those with standing water, such as lakes and ponds
2. those with flowing water, such as rivers and streams

• Lakes are usually larger and deeper than ponds and may be deep enough to have a colder, deeper layer that receives little or no sunlight.
• Most organisms live in the upper, sunnier part of the lake.
• Producers include floating and shallow-water plants.
• Consumers include fish, insects, frogs, beavers, and birds.
• Decomposers live at the bottom of the lake.

• Rivers and streams have moving water.
• The quick flow of water oxygen to the water, which allows certain organisms such as trout to live there.
• Insect larvae, algae, and worms live on rocks in the streams.

• Water plants are able to take root in areas of a stream where water flows more slowly.

Estuaries

• In an estuary biome, fresh water from the rivers or streams mixes with slat water from the ocean.
• Water in an estuary is usually warmer than ocean water and contains less salt.
• Salt content changes with tides; During high tides, more ocean water flows in, so the water is saltier than when the tide is out.

• Estuaries are important breeding grounds for fish, shellfish, and birds.
• Fish and shellfish release their eggs in estuaries because there is plenty of plankton available on which the hatchlings can feed.

• Migratory birds such as geese and ducks rest and feed in estuaries.