Vocab
marine ecosystem dominated by grasses
coastal wetland
ecosystem where a river empties into the ocean, mixing fresh and salt water
estuary
water _________ sunlight; thus photosynthesis in lakes and oceans does not occur below 100 meters
absorbs
they decrease in speed and oxygen levels
estuaries are extremely productive ecosystems because they continually receive fresh nutrients from _________ and ________
rivers and oceans
marine ecosystem dominated by trees with stilt-like root systems
mangrove swamp
region of shallow water near the shores of lakes and oceans
littoral zone
pollutants that enter estuaries break down over time, why are they still considered a problem?
the volume of the pollutants is the problem, not how long it takes to break them down
harvesting of coral damages coral reef ecosystems because
coral grows too slowly
what causes most coastal pollution in the United States
industrial waste and sewage
land periodically covered with water of extremely low salinity
freshwater wetlands
bottom-dwelling organisms like mussels, worms and barnacles
benthos
what adaptation prevents phytoplankton from sinking into deep waters?
flagella
main factor that determines where aquatic organisms live
oxygen
photosynthetic organisms are found mainly in shallow water due to availability of
sunlight
long, thin island that typically runs parallel to the shore
barrier
an increase in the amount of nutrients in an aquatic ecosystem
eutrophication
in an estuary, when fresh water meets salt water, currents form and cause what to fall to the bottom?
nutrients
bottom of a pond or lake?
benthic zone
which of the following is now an environmental function of wetlands?
a. increasing runoff
b. absorbing and removing pollutants from water
c. trapping carbon that would otherwise be released into the air
d. controlling floods
a. increasing runoff
free-swimming organisms
nekton
limestone ridges built by tiny coral animals
coral reefs
Mangrove swamps provide breeding and feeding grounds for roughly how many animal species?
2,000
what uses stinging tentacles to capture prey?
corals
which of the following is not characteristic of salt marshes and mangrove swamps?
a. both provide habitats for wildlife
b. both are dominated by marsh grasses
c. both are found along coastal areas
d. both are threatened by development
b. both are dominated by marsh grasses