Texas Aquatic Ecosystems

Texas Aquatic Ecosystems

Understand the diverse array of aquatic ecosystems across our state

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Today, we will...

Open Ended

See if you can name 1 Texas aquatic ecosystem. Go!

• an ecosystem is a complex web of relationships between living things and non living things

• The study of ecosystems is called ECOLOGY

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What is an ecoystem?

• living parts of the ecosystem

• plants, animals, fungi, protists, etc,.

​​Biotic Factors

• non-living parts of the ecosystem

• sunlight, air, water, soil, etc.

Abiotic Factors

Multiple Choice

Which of these is an ABIOTIC factor?

• Kingsnake

• Clay soil

Multiple Choice

What is the study of ecosystems called?

• Biology

• Economics

• Ecology

• Microbiology

• Aquifers & Springs

• Streams & Rivers

• Ponds & Lakes

• Wetlands

• Estuaries & Bays

• Oceans (Gulf of Mexico)

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Texas Aquatic Ecosystems

• ​Aquifers are underground water reservoirs of groundwater

• These form where water seeps into the ground over time

• Most of Texas has aquifers underneath it

• Half of all Texans' water comes from a local aquifer & is pumped from wells

• For an aquifer to recharge, it must have water seeping back into it

Aquifers & Springs

• Springs are where groundwater is able to travel to the surface in areas and emerge from the ground

• Some of our rivers and streams' headwaters start out as springs

• Texas is home to over 3,000 springs and has one of the largest in the country (Comal Springs)

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Aquifers & Springs

Balmorhea

Barton Springs

Jacob's Well

​Some Famous Springs in Texas!

Open Ended

What is the difference between an AQUIFER and a SPRING:

• Flowing water bodies with a measurable current​

• Rivers are technically large streams

• Make up a very diverse ecosystem and can vary in life forms depending on location

• Both rivers & streams recycle nutrients and keep a balanced food web within them

• Both are important economically and environmentally speaking

Rivers & Streams

• ​A streambed or riverbed is the bottom part of a stream or river

• Banks are the natural boundaries of streams and rivers

Rivers & Streams

• Long time ago, these running bodies of water were used for transportation, commerce, and a source of food

• Now, people use them mostly for recreation (kayaking/boat, fishing, hunting, bird watching, and also for wildlife conservation

• Most rivers and streams are freshwater, but they can run brackish and salty at times depending on location

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Rivers & Streams

Open Ended

Describe something that can be done on a river:

• These are typically bodies of water that are not actively flowing but standing water

• Texas only has 1 naturally formed lake (Caddo Lake)

• All others are man-made

• Ponds (or "tanks") can range in size and Texas has upwards of 5,000+ ponds

• Reservoirs are huge and have primarily been built to supply water to large cities and metroplexes & production of electricity and power ("power plants").

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Lakes & Ponds

• Most smaller lakes and ponds are used for ag/ranch use and recreation (fishing, boating, hunting, tubing)

• Lakes also provide an ecosystem for several species of aquatic, terrestrial, and migratory wildlife

• However, invasive species, such as zebra mussels and giant salvinia threaten and compete with native species. These 2 invasive species are rapidly spreading across state waters

Lakes & Ponds

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT a characteristic of lakes and ponds?

• Provide electricity and water supply for people

• Provide recreation for people

• Freeze over all the time in Texas

• Can be impacted by invasive species

• A wetland is an environmental area between land and water

• Usually under water for the majority of the time

• Can be freshwater, brackish, salty

• Can be connected to ponds, lakes, bays, etc

• Can be at any elevation

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Wetlands

• Wetlands are huge environmental areas for living things and are huge for our native food webs/food chains

• Spawning sites, food sources, migratory areas for birds (sandhills and whooping crane pic-->)

• Help maintain water quality, recharge zones for aquifers, help w/flooding

• Texas' wetlands are decreasing at a rapid pace due to population increase, pollution, and urban sprawl, especially on the Texas coastline

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Wetlands

Open Ended

Describe something important about a wetland:

• A bay is a water body that is enclosed by land and can open up directly to the ocean

• An estuary is partially enclosed by water on the coastline and is created by a river or stream mixing into it

• Bays can be brackish or salt

• Estuaries are mostly brackish

• Brackish water is a mix of salt water and freshwater

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Bays & Estuaries

• Freshwater is an important part of our bay and estuary systems

• Freshwater inflow delivers essential nutrients and sediment only found in freshwater systems

• The balance between fresh and salt water in brackish areas is crucial- if it's too salty or too fresh, it makes it difficult for survival of key species in these areas

• The coastal food web depends on this balance in salinity and it's a fragile balance

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Bays & Estuaries

Bays & Estuaries

• The following are dependent on our bays & estuaries:

• Migratory & shorebird species

• Crustacean (shellfish) such as oysters, shrimp, crabs

• Redfish, flounder, speckled trout/sand trout,

• Aquatic reptile species, such as alligators, turtles, water snakes (Nerodia sp) and water moccasin

• Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods can alter these areas immensely

• Pollution, erosion, population growth - negative impacts

Open Ended

Describe an importance of our bays & estuaries:

• The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is the 9th largest body of water in the world

• The GOM varies in depth with shallow shelves close to our northern coastline to extreme depths and fathoms miles out

• Freshwater rivers flowing out into the GOM can affect marine life there and have created "hypoxic zones" or dead zones

• This can occur after flooding inland

• These areas can become oxygen deficient where life cannot survive or dies

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Gulf of Mexico (Ocean)

• Biodiversity of living creatures - over 15k+ species!

• Commercial fishing/Seafood industry (Gulf shrimp, oysters, fish)

• Tourism, recreation, industry

• International trade, ports

• Weather can be extreme with storms/hurricanes

• Several factors can affect its "health" and the health of the smaller ecosystems it supports

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Gulf of Mexico

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a NEGATIVE factor facing the Gulf of Mexico?

• Hypoxic Zones

• Variety of marine life

• Deep Sea Fishing

• Tourism

Open Ended

Describe something new and interesting that you learned today: