Question

1. the aquatic biomes are listed in the chart. give a description of the biome below its name, and then complete the other parts of the chart.

aquatic biome\ttypical autotrophs\ttypical heterotrophs\thuman impact
lakes\t\t\t\t
wetlands\t\t\t\t
streams and rivers\t\t\t\t
estuaries\t\t\t\t
intertidal\t\t\t\t
oceanic pelagic\t\t\t\t
concept 52.4 the structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes are controlled by climate and disturbance

1. figure 52.20 shows a climograph for some major biomes in north america. what two abiotic factors shown here are most important in determining the distribution of the biome?

Explanation:

Question 16 (Completing the Aquatic Biome Chart)

To complete the chart, we analyze each aquatic biome:

• Lakes:
• Description: Standing freshwater bodies, varying in size (from small ponds to large lakes like the Great Lakes). Zoned by depth (littoral, limnetic, profundal, benthic) with distinct temperature and light gradients.
• Typical Autotrophs: Phytoplankton (e.g., diatoms, green algae), aquatic plants (e.g., water lilies, cattails in shallow areas).
• Typical Heterotrophs: Zooplankton (e.g., copepods, rotifers), fish (e.g., bass, trout), amphibians (e.g., frogs), insects (e.g., water beetles), and decomposers (e.g., bacteria, fungi).
• Human Impact: Eutrophication (nutrient pollution from runoff), overfishing, habitat destruction (shoreline development), invasive species (e.g., zebra mussels).

• Wetlands:
• Description: Areas saturated or covered by water, supporting aquatic and terrestrial species. Include marshes, swamps, bogs. High biodiversity, act as natural filters and flood buffers.
• Typical Autotrophs: Emergent plants (e.g., cattails, reeds), floating plants (e.g., duckweed), submerged plants (e.g., pondweed), and algae.
• Typical Heterotrophs: Birds (e.g., herons, ducks), amphibians (e.g., salamanders), fish, invertebrates (e.g., crayfish, snails), and decomposers.
• Human Impact: Drainage for agriculture/development, pollution (pesticides, fertilizers), invasive species (e.g., purple loosestrife).

• Streams and Rivers:
• Description: Flowing freshwater, from headwaters (shallow, fast) to downstream (deeper, slower). Nutrient input from terrestrial sources and upstream.
• Typical Autotrophs: Attached algae (periphyton), aquatic mosses, and plants (e.g., watercress) in shallow areas.
• Typical Heterotrophs: Fish (e.g., salmon, trout, catfish), insects (e.g., mayflies, stoneflies), amphibians (e.g., salamanders), and decomposers.
• Human Impact: Dams (alter flow/habitat), pollution (sewage, industrial waste), overfishing, habitat fragmentation.

• Estuaries:
• Description: Transition zone between river and ocean, mixing freshwater and saltwater. High productivity, nursery for many marine species.
• Typical Autotrophs: Saltmarsh grasses (e.g., Spartina), mangroves (in tropical estuaries), phytoplankton, and algae.
• Typical Heterotrophs: Oysters, crabs, fish (e.g., salmon, flounder), birds (e.g., egrets), and decomposers.
• Human Impact: Dredging, pollution (urban/agricultural runoff), habitat loss (development), invasive species (e.g., cordgrass).

• Intertidal:
• Description: Coastal zone between high and low tide, exposed to air during low tide, submerged at high tide. Harsh environment with wave action and temperature/salinity fluctuations.
• Typical Autotrophs: Algae (e.g., rockweed, sea lettuce), seagrasses (in shallow areas), and cyanobacteria.
• Typical Heterotrophs: Barnacles, mussels, crabs, sea stars, snails, and fish (e.g., tidepool sculpins).
• Human Impact: Coastal development, pollution (oil spills, runoff), trampling (recreational use), invasive species (e.g., green crab).

• Oceanic Pelagic:
• Description: Open ocean (beyond continental shelf), vast and deep, with distinct zones (epipelagic, mesopelagic, etc.). Dominated by plankton and pelagic (open-water) species.
• Typical Autotrophs: Phytoplankton (e.g., diatoms, dinoflagellates), some cyanobacteria.
• Typical Heterotrophs: Zooplankton (e.g., krill, copepods), fish (e.g., tuna, mackerel), whales, squid, and decomposers.
• Human Impact: Overfishing, pollution (plastic, oil spill…

A climograph typically plots temperature (average annual or monthly) and precipitation (rainfall, snowfall) for different biomes. These two abiotic factors (temperature and precipitation) are most important in determining biome distribution:

• Temperature influences metabolic rates, growth cycles, and species tolerance (e.g., tropical vs. polar biomes).
• Precipitation (water availability) determines vegetation type (e.g., desert vs. rainforest) and primary productivity, which supports food webs.

Other factors (e.g., soil type, disturbance) also matter, but temperature and precipitation are the primary drivers of biome structure and distribution, as shown in climographs.

Final Answers

Question 16 (Chart Completion)

Aquatic Biome	Description	Typical Autotrophs	Typical Heterotrophs	Human Impact
Wetlands	Water-saturated areas (marshes, swamps); high biodiversity, flood buffers	Cattails, reeds, duckweed, algae	Birds (herons/ducks), amphibians, fish, crayfish, decomposers	Drainage, pollution, invasive species (purple loosestrife)
Streams and rivers	Flowing freshwater; from headwaters (fast) to downstream (slow)	Periphyton (attached algae), watercress	Fish (salmon/trout), insects (mayflies), amphibians, decomposers	Dams, pollution, overfishing, habitat fragmentation
Estuaries	River-ocean transition; mixed salt/freshwater; high productivity	Spartina (saltmarsh grass), mangroves, phytoplankton	Oysters, crabs, fish (salmon/flounder), birds, decomposers	Dredging, pollution, habitat loss, invasive species (cordgrass)
Intertidal	Coastal zone (high-low tide); exposed/submerged; wave action	Rockweed, sea lettuce, seagrasses	Barnacles, mussels, crabs, sea stars, fish	Coastal development, pollution, trampling, invasive species (green crab)
Oceanic pelagic	Open ocean (beyond shelf); vast/deep; plankton-dominated	Phytoplankton (diatoms, dinoflagellates)	Zooplankton (krill), fish (tuna), whales, squid, decomposers	Overfishing, plastic pollution, climate change (acidification/warming)

Question 17

The two most important abiotic factors shown in a climograph (and determining biome distribution) are temperature and precipitation (rainfall/water availability).

Answer:

(Question 17):
The two abiotic factors are temperature and precipitation.