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Characteristics
Freshwaters
Wetlands
Coastal Zones
Open Ocean
100
The two types of aquatic ecosystems.
What are freshwater and marine (saltwater) ecosystems?
100

This standing body of freshwater often has zones like littoral, limnetic, and profundal.

What is a lake?

100
The two different types of wetlands.
What are inland and coastal wetlands?
100
The zone along the shore between the highest high-tide line and the lowest low-tide line.
What is the intertidal zone?
100
The ocean zone extending down to about 200 meters. Sunlight penetrates this zone and allows photosynthesis to occur.
What is the photic zone (surface zone)?
200
Four abiotic factors that determine which organisms can survive in an ecosystem.
What are sunlight, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen levels? (nutrients, turbidity)
200
The zone within a lake near the shore, and containing high biological diversity due to the presence of photosynthetic plants and algae.
What is the littoral zone?
200
Two types of inland wetlands. Both are non-permanent bodies of water and have diverse plant life. Only one has trees.
What are marshes and swamps?
200
The force that causes tides to rise and fall about every six hours.
What is the moon's gravitational pull?
200
A trait of animals that can produce and emit light.
What is bioluminescence?
300

Name three examples of nekton organisms.

What are dolphins, tuna, and sharks? (Accept other answers)

300
Lakes with high concentrations of nutrients, often leading to high populations of algae and plankton.
What are eutrophic lakes?
300

Partially enclosed bodies of water where seawater mixes with freshwater. Lake Pontchartrain is technically one of these.

What are estuaries?

300
Floating algae that produce half the Earth's oxygen.
What are phytoplankton?
300
The bottom of the food chain in most of the open ocean.
What is phytoplankton?
400

Organisms living on the floor of a body of water, such as lobster, sea stars, and mussels.

What are bottom-dwellers/benthos?

400

Explain the differences between oligotrophic and eutrophic lakes in terms of nutrient levels, water clarity, and biological productivity.

What is oligotrophic lakes have low nutrient levels, clear water, and low biological productivity, while eutrophic lakes have high nutrient levels, murky water, and high biological productivity?

400
Three important functions of wetlands.
What are biodiversity, helping to control flooding, and filtering pollutants?
400
Structures created by the exoskeletons of small animals that live in warmer waters.
What are coral reefs?
400
The source of food for most organisms dwelling in the benthic zone.
What are dead organisms?
500

Describe how dissolved oxygen levels and temperature interact to influence aquatic life in lakes and streams.

What is colder water holds more dissolved oxygen, which supports greater biodiversity, while warmer water holds less oxygen, potentially stressing or limiting aquatic organisms?

500

The zones along a river, beginning where they are created; moving to where they become wider, deeper, and warmer, and ending where they occasionally flood and deposit material from upstream.

What is... we haven't learned it? It was skipped?

500

Explain how wetlands act as natural water filters and describe their role in flood control.

What is wetlands trap sediments and absorb pollutants from runoff, improving water quality, and their ability to store excess water helps reduce the severity of floods?

500

This salt-tolerant coastal ecosystem protects shorelines and supports marine life. Name it and give two ways it helps coastal communities.

What is a mangrove forest?
It reduces storm impact and filters pollutants.

500
A major limiting factor for animals living in the open ocean.
What are nutrients?