All about Freshwater Biome

Freshwater Biome

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By DebashreeSen, eHow Contributor updated: April 01, 2010

Biomes are biological communities of the earth classified according to the predominant vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment. Freshwater biomes are characterized by the extremely low salt content of the water. Abiotic factors are the non-living components that form the environment in which the organisms subsist in freshwater biomes. These include the chemical and physical environmental factors such as sunlight, temperature, water or moisture and soil. Fresh waters are found in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams and the biomes are maintained by precipitation.

1.   Temperature

o    Temperature plays an important role in freshwater biomes. Depending on the season, temperature may be uniform or disparate between different layers of ponds and lakes. During summer, the temperature at the top could be 22 degrees C while the bottom temperature can be around 4 degrees C. During the winter, the temperature at the top could be at freezing point of water (0 degrees C) while the bottom can be at 4 degrees C. In the thermocline, which is the zone between these two layers, the water temperature changes continuously. During the spring and fall seasons, because of winds, the top and bottom layers mix with each other which results in regularization of temperature around 4 degrees C. This mixing results in oxygen circulation throughout the lake. Mixing is less prevalent during winter.

Precipitation

o    Precipitation is responsible for replenishment of water in freshwater bodies. Water cycle plays an important role in this respect. Depending on their size, rivers and lakes affect the climate. They are responsible for the presence of moisture in air. This moisture or water vapor forms clouds and precipitates over land as rain. In winter this may be in the form of snow. Precipitation plays an important role in maintenance and creation of freshwater biomes. While some water or snow seeps into ground to form groundwater, remaining water runs over the surface of the land and flows back to freshwater biomes.

Water Characteristics

o    Water characteristics such as depth and whether the water body is static (non-moving) or dynamic (moving) distinguish freshwater biomes. Rivers and streams are moving freshwater. Younger rivers cut a straighter and direct path through the ground and rock. Older rivers and streams follow more curves, which makes their flow slower. Lake or pond water, on the other hand, is static. Even though lake water is static, it moves and water waves are formed because of air flow. Seasonal changes also move lake water. In autumn, the surface water cools down and sinks. The bottom layers move up. This phenomenon is called turnover. This regularizes the temperature in the lakes.

Climate in a Freshwater Biome

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By IgnisSpei, eHow Contributor updated: September 03, 2010

A biome is a broad biological term used to describe geographical locations which have silimar types of wildlife. Among the different types of biomes, there are two distinct aquatic biomes--freshwater and marine. Freshwater biomes are imperative to everyday life because they serve as the main global source of drinking and farming water. About 20 percent of Earth's total area is comprised of freshwater biomes, and they are found on every continent.

1.   Identification

o    To be considered a freshwater biome, the salt content must be below 1 percent. There are several types of freshwater biomes, which include rivers, lakes, and ponds. All freshwater types are similar in the fact thet they all require rainfall to replenish the water supply and they all have a unique niche in the biosphere.

Features

o    Freshwater biomes can exist in both hot and cold regions. Summer temperatures average 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit and winter temperatures average 32.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The climate's rainfall averages between 10 to 80 inches per year.

Considerations

o    The Earth's average temperature has risen about one degree Fahrenheit since 1900. In fact, there have been 10 record-breaking years since 1990. The slight climate change has not significantly affected the wildlife in freshwater biomes; however, if the climate of freshwater biomes continues to change, then it could have a negative effect on the wildlife population.

Significance

o    The climate in a freshwater biome provides an environment that promotes wildlife diversity. According to Alan Gooden of Henrietta University, freshwater biomes provide habitats for 700 fish species and 1,200 types of amphibians. Not only does it provide a drinking source for land animals, but freshwater habitats are home to plant life and encourage fungal growth.

Written by S. Mithra
Edited by L. S. Wynn
Last Modified: 16 January 2011 

 The freshwater biome is a low-saline, or sweetwater, aquatic biome that covers one fifth of the earth's surface. Streams, rivers, swamps, bogs, ponds, lakes, ditches, puddles, and canals comprise the tributaries of the freshwater biome. Animals and plants in this biome might reside along the bank, beneath open water, on the surface of the water, or move between water and an adjacent biome.

Precipitation and melted ice feed the freshwater biome. It's responsible for all the world's drinking water, and therefore must be protected and conserved. The associated ecosystems depend on the freshwater biome to complete their reproductive cycle, protect them from harsh sunlight, or provide nutrients. In a still body of water, like a lake, the littoral zone is located near the shore or bank, and the limnetic zone is out in the open water. These zones generally have different flora and fauna.

Plants of the freshwater biome might grow along the bank, float on the water's surface, or attach to an underwater floor of rocks, sediment, or sand. Some plants have wide, flat leaves or air-filled capsules that keep them bobbing on the surface. Tiny sprigs of algae float and multiply freely as a significant biomass. Other species have strong or sticky roots that attach to the bottom to keep them secure in fast-moving water. Cattails, watercress, and assorted grasses grow on marshy banks where their roots receive lots of moisture but aren't washed away by the current.

The animals have adapted to swim, skim, or wade through the freshwater biome. Mammals like badgers, otters, and minks build their homes near the water and feed on fish. Amphibians and reptiles, among them toads, frogs, alligators, crocodiles, salamanders, and newts, spend part of their lives underwater, as eggs and tadpoles, and part on the ground as mature adults. Fish, such as trout and bass, are a necessary part of the ecosystem. They feed on plentiful insects like water beetles, mosquitoes, and dragonflies. Some insects, like skaters, are designed to skim over the surface of ponds. Certain spiders can even take bubbles of air with them underwater to breathe. 

By: Regel Ann Dakingking