- Characteristics of lentic waters
- Littoral zone
- Limnetic zone
- Deep zone
- Examples of lentic waters
- Lakes and lagoons
- Swamps and wetlands
- Ponds and ponds
- References
The lentic waters are those bodies of stagnant or standing water that does not flow. Lentic ecosystems are static environments where water does not move because there are no entrances or exits to other aquatic bodies.
For this reason, the oxygen renewal rate is very low and oxygen and temperature layers are formed, affected by the sunlight they receive.
Lakes, ponds, ponds, wetlands, swamps, and ponds are calm waters that are classified as lentic waters, since they do not flow. By not having a continuous flow of liquid, lentic waters tend to form sediments at the bottom.
Its only source of renewal is often rainwater, so in times of drought lentic environments can dry out and disappear to give way to vegetation (this being the case of swamps).
Characteristics of lentic waters
Lentic water bodies have 3 well differentiable levels, these are the coastal, limnetic and deep zones. Each one with specific characteristics, flora and fauna.
Littoral zone
It is the most biodiverse area of a body of lentic water, it is made up of the shore and part of the bottom as long as it receives an abundant amount of sunlight.
It is here where you can find numerous animals and plants that make life on the shores of the body of water. Birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals frequently reside in this area.
Limnetic zone
It corresponds to the center of the water mass away from the banks and the area below it, to the depth of the compensation zone, where photosynthesis is balanced by respiration. It is the area with the most abundance of fish, it is the maritime equivalent of the open sea.
Deep zone
It includes the area of the body of water located closer to the bottom, where sunlight no longer reaches. Due to sedimentation, visibility is very difficult in the deep zone, only some fish and mollusks inhabit this zone.
Examples of lentic waters
Lakes and lagoons
They are the most common lentic waters and that present more flora and fauna. They are of great importance in many ecosystems, providing not only a medium for aquatic animals and plants, but also providing fresh water to terrestrial creatures (including humans).
They are the largest expanses of stagnant water, ranging from a few meters to several square kilometers.
The difference between a lake and a lagoon is based on the depth of the body of water, depending on the country, this depth is variable.
For example, in the United States it is considered a lagoon when a body of water has a depth of less than 3 meters.
Swamps and wetlands
They are areas of shallow stagnant water where vegetation is abundant, they represent an intermediate point between a terrestrial ecosystem and an aquatic one. They are usually inhabited by amphibians, insects and reptiles such as crocodiles and gharials.
Ponds and ponds
Relatively small stretches of water, ponds can be artificially created and filled by pipes to be used for water storage and other purposes (such as fish farming).
Ponds are tiny bodies of water, they serve as a source of fresh water for land animals.
References
- Rangelands «Lentic Ecosystems» in: Rangelands (2013) Recovered in 2017 from rangelands.org.
- The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica «Lacustrine ecosystem» in: Britannica (2016) Recovered in 2017 from britannica.com.
- University Of Manchester Natural Sciences "Lentic Ecosystems" in: Oxbridgenotes (2013) Retrieved in 2017 from oxbridgenotes.co.uk.
- Preserve Articles «Complete information on Lentic and Lotic Aquatic Systems» in: Preserve Articles (2015) Recovered in 2017 from preservearticles.com.
- Lynn Holmgren «Differences Between Bodies of Water» in: Sciencing (2017) Recovered in 2017 from sciencing.com.