Aquatic ecosystem: What is, characteristics, types and examples

When we talk about aquatic ecosystems, as the name implies, it is precisely about ecosystems or environments mainly composed of water and biodiversity of flora and fauna, and other organisms, that there is in that environment. Although they can be studied jointly or globally, it is usual to distinguish between two types of basic aquatic ecosystems, as we will see below.

• They can be ecosystems of fresh water or salt water.
• They provide the life space to an unimaginable amount of species, both those that can only live in water and those that inhabit both water and earth and/or sky.
• They are one of the richest ecosystems in the worldbecause they have a great biodiversity.
• The flora of aquatic ecosystems is made up of algae and aquatic plants.
• Have Vital functions for the planetsuch as helping the regulation of the water cycle throughout the planet, forming the environment of a wide variety of species that would not exist and also make pollution filter.

How are aquatic ecosystems classified? This is the first doubt that we have to dissipate once we are clear about what an aquatic ecosystem is as we have defined before. As we said, the waters of the planet can be studied together, but to facilitate their knowledge we usually divide them into Two large groups of aquatic ecosystems:

• Marine ecosystems.
• The fresh water.

However, in both cases The environment is waterand this is essential when determining the interactions that occur between those plants and animals that make up the ecosystem along with the liquid basic and main element of the ecosystem.

In addition, these types of ecosystems can also be classified according to If the water is in motion or if it is still or with little movement. Here you can discover the lobal ecosystems: what are and examples and lentic ecosystems: what are and examples.

As a definition of marine aquatic ecosystem or salt water, we can say that it is the aquatic systems with a high salt levelthat are found in areas between content and surrounding islands. Oceanic or marine ecosystems represent 70% of the earth’s surface and 99% of its volume. We talk about salty waters, such as The seas and oceansbut not of others related, such as marshes, which are considered mixed ecosystems, which have both part of water and earth and, therefore, air and, in addition, their salinity level is lower but not as low as that of fresh water, that is, they are salobres waters.

In addition, salt water ecosystems are characterized by possessing great stabilitywhich does not mean that they do not vary from one to another. For example, they do variables such as sunlight, temperature and saline concentration, among other factors, especially depending on depth.

At abyssal distances, most ecosystems are unknown, precisely because of that variation in flora and fauna (from microscopic animals to crustaceans, turtles, fish of all sizes and marine mammals, among other marine creatures) that occurs at different depths. Even so, it can be said that coastal areas are more populatedin strong contrast with a practically inhospitable sea background, largely because the food chain begins with plankton, and this precise sunlight to grow.

We advise you to expand more this issue by going to this link about what are the water water ecosystems.

As its name indicates, fresh water ecosystems are found in places where we find sweet waters, that is, they have a Low Sales Contentlike the following:

• The rivers.
• Groundwater.
• The ponds.
• The swamps.
• The lagoons.
• The lakes.

Logically, the salinity level of sweet aquatic environments will be much lower and constitute a Water source to drink and with which to water the crops. Unlike the marine ecosystem, its depth and Diversity of fauna and flora is loweralthough it is also rich.

Various factors, such as weather (the sum of vectors such as altitude, temperature and humidity) and relief, determine the characteristics of the habitat. For example, the flora and fauna of a shallow lake in a northern mountain will be very different and incompatible with the one of a shallow lake of warm water in a tropical climate zone. In each environment, in each ecosystem, the ideal conditions are created so that these life forms can prosper. In fact, each ecosystem is unique.

Although each ecosystem is unique, and suffers predictable and unpredictable evolutionsthe similarities that can be established among many of them allow them to know them better thanks to scientific studies that facilitate establishing common conservation guidelines.

Beyond its undoubted beauty, aquatic ecosystems are fundamental for the survival of the human being. Its preservation seeks to minimize the impact produced by human activities through their exploitation and pollution. Taking care of fresh water ecosystems, and in general all ecosystems, is to take care of the planet and also ensure water now and tomorrow, that fundamental resource for life in all its forms, including ours. Although it is so vital for a huge number of species, including ours, it is estimated that Fresh water is only around 2.5% of the total water From the planet, the remaining 97.5% is salt water. In addition, from this small percentage of fresh water, it is estimated that around the 1% is drinking water For us. Discover what percentage of water the earth has and how it is distributed.

To learn more about this type of systems, we encourage you to enter this other article on examples of fresh water ecosystems.

If you want to read more articles similar to Aquatic ecosystem: What is, characteristics, types and exampleswe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.