Freshwater ecosystems

• Extremely low salt count• Different reservoirs for freshwater• Colder water holds more oxygen• Can be a nursery for marine

organisms

Watershed & Wetlands

• Watershed- Region of land that drains into a river, river system or another body of water

• Wetland marsh, swamps, bogs, – Filter and degrade pollutants.– Reduce flooding and erosion by absorbing slowly

releasing overflows.– Help replenish stream flows during dry periods.

Rivers and Streams

• Moving body of water• Typically from a lake/pond to the ocean• Speed is faster the narrower the river/stream,

slower if it is wider• Humans can affect the height by dams or

draining it for irrigation or drinking water

Ponds and Lakes

• Littoral zone between high and low water marks along the shoreline– well lit, warm, shallow

• Limnetic zone (pelagic zone) open water located further out from shore

• Benthic zone lake or pond bottom, less sunlight, mostly bacteria (decomposers) live here