-WATER ECOSYSTEMS-FRESHWATER, MARINE, ESTUARIES

-ABIOTIC FACTORS:-LIGHT INTENSITY-OXYGEN LEVELS-CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS-ORGANIC AND INORGANIC NUTRIENTS

FRESHWATER BIOMESRIVERS, LAKES, STREAMS, PONDS,

VERNAL POOLSSUPPLY DRINKING WATERMANY BECOMING POLLUTEDBECOMING SCARCE IN MANY AREASSOURCE OF FOOD

FLOATING PLANTS/ANIMALS (PLANKTON) PROVIDE FOOD FOR FISH, AMPHIBIANS

VERNAL POOLSTEMPORARY POOLS (2000 IN MASS.)FORM IN SPRING FROM SNOW MELT/RUNOFFSUPPORT SPECIES FOUND IN NO OTHER

ECOSYSTEMSOBLIGATE SPECIES REPRODUCE ONLY IN

TIDE POOLSDESIGNATED VERNAL POOLS ARE

PROTECTEDANYONE CAN HAVE A VERNAL POOL

CERTIFIED

VERNAL POOL CHARACTERISTICS

MUST DRY UP IN SUMMERMUST HAVE NO INLET OR OUTLETMUST SUPPORT AT LEAST ONE OBLIGATE

SPECIESOBLIGATE SPECIES INCLUDE:

FAIRY SHRIMPFINGERNAIL CLAMSMOLE SALAMANDERS

JEFFERSON SPOTTED MARBLED BLUE SPOTTED

VERNAL POOL CERTIFICATIONSIGNED APLICATIONDOCUMENT LOCATION (MAP)TAKE PHOTOS OF AREATAKE PHOTOS OF OBLIGATE SPECIESPROVIDE EVIDENCE OF OBLIGATE

SPECIES (NOT THE ORGANISMS THEMSELVES!)

CONTACT/SEND INFO TO WILDLIFE DEPT.http://www.vernalpool.org/macert_3.htm

VERNAL POOL

VERNAL POOL INDICATOR SPECIES(OBLIGATE SPECIES)

MARBLED SALAMANDER

BLUE SPOTTED SALAMANDER

SPOTTED SALAMANDER

FAIRY SHRIMPFINGERNAIL CLAM

JEFFERSON SALAMANDER

WOOD FROGS

MARINE BIOMES

-COVER MOST OF EARTHSUNLIGHT TO ABOUT 200 METERS

MAXIMUMPHOTIC ZONEPHOTOSYNTHESIS TAKES PLACE HERE

WHERE PHYTOPLANKTON AND ALGAE GROW

PHYTOPLANKTON

INTERDTIDAL ZONE

VERY NARROW AREA NEAR SHORESUBJECT TO POLLUTIONDIFFICULT FOR LIVING THINGSMUST TOLERATE CHANGING CONDITIONSSUBMERGED PART OF DAYM EXPOSED TO

AIR PART OF DAYADAPTATIONS TO SURVIVE POUDING

WAVESCLAMS BURROWBARNACLES, SEAWEED ATTACH TO ROCKSSNAILS, URCHINS, SEASTARS CLING TO

ROCKS

NERITIC ZONEEXTENDS FROM LOW TIDE LINE TO

EDGE OF OPEN SEASEAWEED ABUNDANT HERE, IN

PHOTIC ZONEKELP FORESTS OF CALIFORNIA

NERITIC ZONE CONT.MOST OF OCEAN LIFE EXISTS HEREMANY SPECIES REPRODUCE HERESUBJECT TO POLLUTION

OPEN SEA ZONE

PHTOPLANKTON: 80-90% OF EARTH’S PHOTOZYNTHESISBASE OF OCEAN FOOD WEB

MANY FISH (PELAGIC), MAMMALS (WHALES, DOLPHINS), SEA BIRDS

NUTRIENTS SCARCELIMITS NUMBER OF ANIMALS THERE

DEEP SEA ZONEAREA OF HIGH PRESSURETOTAL DARKNESS, COLD TEMPERATURESINHABITED BY MANY STRANGE

ORGANISMSFEED ON DETRITUS FROM ABOVE AND

ON EACH OTHERZOOPLANKTON MIGRATE TO SURFACE AT

NIGHT TO FEED ON PHYTOPLANKTONMANY BOTTOM DWELLERS

ESTUARIESBOUNDARY BETWEEN FRESH, SALT WATERSALT MARSHES, MANGROVE SWAMPS,

LAGOONS, MOUTHS OF RIVERSMIXTURE OF FRESH/SALT WATERSUPPORT VARIETY OF LIFESHALLOW, SUPPORTS AQUATIC PLANTSMANY FISH, INVERTEBRATESSPAWNING, HATCHING AREAS FOR MANYNESTING AREAS FOR SOME BIRD SPECIES