Aquatic Invertebrate Essay
Makiyah Hairston
Biology 121
Doctor Sarah Witiak
September 9, 2014
Aquatic Invertebrates Invertebrates live in every type of aquatic habit, from salt water oceans and coral reefs to streams and rivers. There are many different types of invertebrates such as crayfish, clams, snails, leeches and other aquatic insect that play a key role in keep the aquatic ecosystems healthy. Throughout time aquatic invertebrates have morphologically adapted the different environments to benefit their everyday survival. For a long time invertebrates have been used as indicators to assess water quality. Bottom-dwelling organisms such as insets, crayfish, calms, snails, and worms are often used in studies to monitor water quality. Scientist generally use bottom-dwellers because for their high numbers, known as pollution tolerances, limited mobility, their wide range of feeding habits, varied life spans, and dependence on the land environment around the stream. The marine and fresh water ecosystems are two important major aquatic environments. However, both ecosystems are in danger due to climate change, pollution, overfishing and other activities. Marine ecosystems are made up of four parts. The ocean, salt water. Intertidal zone, an area which remains underwater with high tides and remains terrestrial at low tides. Estuaries (lagoons or harbors), is both fresh and salt water; this has a high level of nutrients. The last one is the coral reefs, coral reefs are mounds found in the marine water, covering less than one percent of the world’s ocean but carried around 25 percent of the marine’s animals including different fishes, sponges and mollusk. Fresh water ecosystems are includes three bodies of water lotic, lentic, and wetlands. Streams and rivers (Lotic) these are rapid flowing bodies of water that flows in different directions. Lakes and ponds (Lentic) are ecosystems that has a community of biotic (living organisms) and abiotic (physical objects) interactions. Swamps and
Biology 121
Doctor Sarah Witiak
September 9, 2014
Aquatic Invertebrates Invertebrates live in every type of aquatic habit, from salt water oceans and coral reefs to streams and rivers. There are many different types of invertebrates such as crayfish, clams, snails, leeches and other aquatic insect that play a key role in keep the aquatic ecosystems healthy. Throughout time aquatic invertebrates have morphologically adapted the different environments to benefit their everyday survival. For a long time invertebrates have been used as indicators to assess water quality. Bottom-dwelling organisms such as insets, crayfish, calms, snails, and worms are often used in studies to monitor water quality. Scientist generally use bottom-dwellers because for their high numbers, known as pollution tolerances, limited mobility, their wide range of feeding habits, varied life spans, and dependence on the land environment around the stream. The marine and fresh water ecosystems are two important major aquatic environments. However, both ecosystems are in danger due to climate change, pollution, overfishing and other activities. Marine ecosystems are made up of four parts. The ocean, salt water. Intertidal zone, an area which remains underwater with high tides and remains terrestrial at low tides. Estuaries (lagoons or harbors), is both fresh and salt water; this has a high level of nutrients. The last one is the coral reefs, coral reefs are mounds found in the marine water, covering less than one percent of the world’s ocean but carried around 25 percent of the marine’s animals including different fishes, sponges and mollusk. Fresh water ecosystems are includes three bodies of water lotic, lentic, and wetlands. Streams and rivers (Lotic) these are rapid flowing bodies of water that flows in different directions. Lakes and ponds (Lentic) are ecosystems that has a community of biotic (living organisms) and abiotic (physical objects) interactions. Swamps and
References: http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/64462.aspx http://www.atlas.keystone.edu/research/Ackerly/Insects/biomonitoring.htm http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/news/2013/macroinvertebrates-as-indicators-of-water-quality http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/biomonitoring/edinv.htm