FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS: CHARACTERISTICS, FLORA, FAUNA - BIOLOGY - 2025

The Freshwater Ecosystems are one of the types of aquatic ecosystems that exist on planet Earth. They are known as "fresh water" because they are made up of bodies of water with a low concentration of salt. They are generally less than 1% sodium chloride.

There are different types of ecosystems made up of fresh water, among which lakes, lagoons, rivers and flooded plains stand out. In general, these can be divided into two groups: lentic ecosystems and lotic ecosystems.

Lentic ecosystems are those formed by still or slow-moving waters, such as lakes, ponds, ponds, natural pools, swamps, swamps, and other flooded plains.

On the other hand, lotic ecosystems are those that have fast-moving waters, such as rivers, streams, streams and other water currents.

The fauna and flora in these ecosystems is very rich and varies from one area to another. It includes crustaceans, aquatic plants such as algae, different species of fish, insects such as dragonflies and mosquitoes, aquatic birds, among others.

Lagoons and lakes

characteristics

-They are static or semi-static bodies of water.

-They can measure a few square meters or thousands of square kilometers.

Many are seasonal, which means that they appear and disappear depending on the seasons. Others are permanent and have existed for thousands of years.

Three zones are distinguished: the littoral zone, the limnetic zone and the deep zone.

-In the littoral area, the water is warmer. This is because this is the shallowest part of the lake or lagoon and therefore can absorb more solar radiation.

-The limnetic zone is under the literal zone. Due to its closeness to the surface, it receives enough sunlight but not as much heat.

-The deep zone is the coldest and darkest of the lake or lagoon. Also, in this area, the water is more dense.

-You can speak of eutrophic or oligotrophic lakes. The former are those that have many nutrients in their waters, while the latter have few nutrients.

Flora and fauna

The fauna and flora vary depending on the layer of the lake. In the littoral zone, there is a great diversity of animal and plant species, including floating and rooted aquatic plants such as some green algae.

Likewise, you can find aquatic snails, clams, crustaceans, fish, snakes, turtles and birds such as ducks. Insects such as flies and dragonflies are also common.

In the limnetic zone, there is plankton, both plant (phytoplankton) and animal (zooplakton). These are small organisms of vital importance to the food chain in lentic aquatic ecosystems.

The presence of these beings allows the survival of different species of fish that inhabit the limnetic zone. These fish feed on plankton, invertebrate organisms, and sediments found in lakes.

Ponds

characteristics

-The ponds are lentic bodies of water.

-They are shallow waters.

-Four zones are distinguished: vegetation zone, open water, surface and swampy bottom.

-The dimensions of the pond depend on the time of year. Many ponds are produced by the flooding of rivers during the spring and disappear with droughts during the summer.

Fauna and Flora

The fauna includes snails, fish, aquatic insects (such as mosquitoes and some species of beetles), frogs, turtles, otters and some species of rats that live near the area.

Also, you can find large fish and alligators. Waterfowl are common, most notably ducks and herons. As for the flora, green and brown algae are typical.

Flooded plains

characteristics

-The flooded plains are territories covered by shallow waters, which allow the development of aquatic plants.

-The marshes, swamps and floods are part of this group.

Fauna and Flora

The flooded plains are rich in hydrophytic plant species, which are those capable of living in areas where the concentration of humidity is high. Among these species are lilies, cattails and sedges.

Of all the aquatic ecosystems, the flooded plains have the greatest diversity of animal species. The fauna includes amphibians such as frogs and toads, reptiles, birds such as ducks and wading birds, insects including dragonflies, mosquitoes, mosquitoes and fireflies.

Rivers and other water currents

characteristics

-The water currents originate in high areas, such as mountains.

-They can arise from the action of groundwater that rises to the surface such as springs, from the melting of perpetual snow or glaciers, among others.

-They follow a course that flows into another larger river, a lake, the sea or the ocean.

-The temperature is lower at the origin of the river than at its mouth. Similarly, it has higher oxygen levels at the point of origin.

-The water is usually clearer at the source than at the mouth. This is because the river collects sediment along its course, so the water tends to get swampy.

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of the waterways varies depending on the area of ​​the river. At the source, there are fish such as trout, which endure very low temperatures and require large amounts of oxygen to live.

In the middle part of the course, there are various plant species, among which green plants and algae stand out.

The water turns dark due to sediment at the mouth of the river. For this reason, less light can pass through the water surface, which causes a decrease in the diversity of flora.

In this area, there are fish that do not require high concentrations of oxygen to live, as is the case with catfish and carp.

References

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4. Freshwater ecosystem. Retrieved on December 30, 2017, from wikipedia.org
5. Freshwater Ecosystems. Retrieved on December 30, 2017, from slideshare.net
6. Freshwater Ecosystems. Retrieved on December 30, 2017, from web.unep.org
7. The freshwater biome. Retrieved on December 30, 2017, from ucmp.berkeley.edu