Types of aquatic biomes

Biomes are all those Sets of different ecosystems which are located in a specific biogeographic zone of the Earth.

The term bioma comes from the Greek “bios” (life), since it includes and represent all the species of living beings (animals, vegetables, fungi and microorganisms) that inhabit the ecosystems of their distribution area. This area is always delimited by well -defined climatic, environmental and ecological characteristics. Thus, in nature, we can differentiate in a general way between Terrestrial Biomes and Aquatic Biomesdepending on the physical environment in which they are located, earth or water, respectively. In the next sections of the article we will focus on the characteristics, types and examples of one of the most abundant biomes of the earth: the aquatic biomes.

Learn more about what biomes, their types and examples are with this other post of ecology.

As its name indicates, the main characteristic of aquatic biomes is presence of water in its distribution area. Either fresh or navy ecosystems that constitute bioma, the aquatic essence is maintained and represents the bioma itself.

In this way, the others Characteristics of aquatic biomes They will be related to this presence of water, thus counting on:

• Flora and aquatic fauna.
• Physical and chemical elements as well -defined components of the aquatic bioma (saline concentration, pH, temperature, amount of light, etc.).
• Distribution areas of the aquatic biomes restricted to the distribution of continental or oceanic waters of the planet.
• Close relationship with terrestrial biomes in those aquatic biomes that are located in terrestrial-acuatic biogeographic interfaces, such as the case of the coasts, mangroves and river mouth.

In addition to these generee characteristics of aquatic biomes, each type of bioma presents its own characteristics that define and distinguish it from others. Let’s look at some of those types of aquatic biomes that exist in nature and put some examples to know them more closely.

When classifying the different types of aquatic biomes that we can find in nature, we can differentiate between those who have fresh or salty watereither, differentiate them according to biomes of continental or oceanic waters.

This second classification is more complete and illustrative, since it allows us to better understand aquatic biomes according to their geographical distribution and associated characteristics. Let us know, based on this classification, the Types of aquatic biomes that exist:

Continental Water Aquatic Biomas

• Lakes, lagoons and wetlands
• Reservoirs and swamps
• Rivers, streams and streams
• Polar waters and glaciers
• Chotts or salty lakes of semi -arid regions

Oceanic water biomas

• Coastal biomes
• Open and deep sea biomes
• Temperate marine platforms
• Oceanic Islands
• Tropical coral reefs

Each and every one of these aquatic biomes are found in continental regions of the planet, forming part of the calls superficial continental waters.

Lakes, lagoons and wetlands

They can contain well fresh water or on the contrary salt water, characterizing in both cases because they are masses of waters with a closed distribution and without apparent water movement (considered by this, lentic ecosystems).

In these other articles we explain the difference between lake and lagoon and talk about wetlands: what are, types and characteristics.

Reservoirs and swamps

They share the same characteristics as the previous examples, except for being artificial biomes, that is, created by the human being. In order to retain permanently or seasonally, large masses of continental water, reservoirs and swamps are distributed throughout the planet, where anthropic action builds them to supply their water needs.

Rivers, streams and streams

Unlike the aquatic biomes of continental waters that we have seen so far, the rivers, streams and streams are characterized by the marked movement of their waters, generally, in one direction (they are therefore treated as lotic ecosystems).

Polar waters and glaciers

These aquatic biomes are located in the polar and colder regions of the planet, in which the large masses of water freeze due to the low temperatures of the winter months. Subsequently, with the arrival of spring and increased temperatures, polar waters and glaciers suffer defrosting and pour their waters to rivers or other types of biomes close to its location.

Learn more about what are glaciers and about the polar ecosystem, their characteristics, fauna and flora with these other articles.

Chotts or salty lakes of semi -arid regions

These peculiar and characteristic aquatic biomes represent the saline lakes of different size that are formed from rainwater that is stagnant during the rainiest months in the semi -arid regions of the planet. Subsequently, these waters disappear quickly with the increase in temperatures and the arrival of droughts, then appearing extensive layers of salt in the place where the water basin had formed.

The surprising and extensive Oceanic water biomas They are distributed within the limits of the 5 great oceans of the planet (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Antarctic and Arctic). In them, we can differentiate the following biomes:

Coastal biomes

Characterized by being in the coastal regions, that is, between terrestrial and aquatic areas, so they are biomes of great fauna and floristic wealth, as well as biomes well defined by physical phenomena such as wind and tides, which shape the coastal terrain.

Open and deep sea biomes

They correspond to the oceanic water biomes par excellence, in which different ecosystems full of marine biodiversity constitute one of the most surprising biomes on the planet.

Oceanic Islands

The numerous oceanic islands, distributed by the different oceans of the world, have their own climatic conditions, which determine the growth and evolution of species of flora and fauna different from the one that lives in continental areas.

Tropical coral reefs

One of the most threatened biomes today by the consequences of climate change, tropical coral reefs are as striking as vulnerable. They require strict and urgent conservation measures for their biodiversity and habitat to continue to exist.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of aquatic biomeswe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.