Aquatic Ecosystems
Life inside our water
Fresh water naturally occurs in ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, etc. Salt water is water from an ocean or sea. Brackish water is the 'in between', for it contains more salt than fresh but less than sea water. The definitions themselves show the differences, but they do have similarities. Of course, they all have the same chemical structure that make up H2O. All the waters are home to aquatic life and contain minerals. They're also used for transportation. (Mainly salt and fresh though)
Salt water
Salt water, also known as seawater, is denser than both fresh and brackish water. It contains more ions than all types of fresh water. The salinity of ocean water is about 3.5 percent.
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Sea Anemone (Actiniaria)
Stingray (Dasyatidae)
Kelp (Laminariales)
Box Jellyfish (Cubozoa)
Did you know?
Its venom is one of the deadliest in the world; it attacks the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. It's so painful victims have been known to go into shock or drown and die before reaching shore.
Fresh water
Fresh water is divided into systems. Stillwaters (pond, lake, swamp, etc) and running water (groundwater that flows in rocks and aquifers). It is a renewable element but restricted natural resource. Fresh water organisms can breath only underwater. You won't find mammals (such as Dolphins) in fresh water.
Manatee (Trichechus)
Coahuilan Box Turtle (Terrapene coahuila)
Long-Stemmed Water Lilies (Nymphaeaceae)
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Did you know?
The largest rainbow trout on record weighed 57 lbs and was estimated to be 11 years old.
Red-Sided Dace (Clinostomus elongatus)
Awl Fruit Sedge (Carex Stipata)
brackish water
Also known as briny water, it occurs from the mixing of fresh and salt water. Often times brackish water will occur with estuaries, which is when a river meets the sea. For example, the Thames River in London is known as freshwater, but between Battersea and Gravesend the river is brackish. Some estuaries are: Chesapeake Bay, Amazon River, and lower Hudson River. Some general brackish waters are: Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Lake Charles, Lake Monroe, and Lagos Lagoon.
Fiddler Crab (Uca Pugnax/Minax)
There are many types of fiddler crabs, but many are found in salt marshes.
Did you know?
Only the males have one claw bigger than the other, which they use to attract females.
Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Found in brackish water (and fresh).
Did you know?
They are the largest crocodilians on Earth!
Mangrove Monitor (Varanus indicus)
Micro Sword (Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis)
Salt Marsh Water Snake (Nerodia clarkii)
Sago Pondweed (Stuckenia pectinata)
Found in brackish water (and fresh.)