Ecology Vocab Chapter 7-Aquatic Ecosystems

Front

A land area covered with shallow water for part or all of the year

Back

wetland

Front

Tiny organisms that float in water

Back

plankton

Front

Organisms swimming actively in open water, e.g., fish, turtles, whales.

Back

nekton

Front

Bottom-dwelling organisms.

Back

benthos

Front

A shallow zone in freshwater where light reaches the bottom and supports plants.

Back

littoral zone

Front

Bottom of an aquatic ecosystem; consists of sand and sediment, supporting its own community of organisms.

Back

benthic zone

Front

Nutrient concentration in water causing algal growth.

Back

eutrophication

Front

A habitat where freshwater from a river meets ocean saltwater.

Back

estuary

Front

Temperate-zone estuary with salt-tolerant grasses above low tide and seagrasses underwater.

Back

Salt marsh

Front

A tropical or subtropical marine swamp with many trees, especially mangroves.

Back

Mangrove swamp