Table of Contents

Ponds, lakes and other bodies of water

Rivers, Streams

Wetlands

Weather conditions

Freshwater is important for your health

Freshwater environments

Ponds, lakes and other bodies of water

These regions are a range of sizes, from a few meters square to thousands. Some of these glacial remnants can be found all over the planet. Some ponds last only a few months (like sessile pools), while others can exist for many years. Many ponds or lakes have a restricted species diversity because they are isolated both from each other and any other water source, such as rivers or oceans. Three zones are defined by the depth and distance of a lake or pond from its shoreline.

Rivers are streams of flowing water. The world is full of rivers and streams. They originate at the headwaters such as springs, snowmelts or even lakes. From there, they travel all the way down to the mouths. As a stream or river travels from its source to its mouth, it changes characteristics. The water temperature is colder at the river source. Freshwater fish like trout and heterotrophs are also found in the water, which is clearer and has a higher oxygen level. The width of the river or stream increases as well as the diversity of species. Many aquatic plants and algae are found in the middle. Water at the mouths of rivers and streams becomes murky because of all the sediments they have picked up from upstream. Light is less able to penetrate the water. The flora is reduced and the oxygen level is lower. This leads to fewer fish, like catfish and sturgeon, which require less air.

WetlandsWetlands consist of areas with standing water and aquatic plants. Wetlands are swamps. Hydrophytes are plants that can adapt to humid, very wet conditions. They include cattails and tamarack. Marsh flora includes species like cypress, gum and tamarack. The highest diversity of species is found in wetlands. Wetlands are home to many species of birds, amphibians and reptiles. The wetlands do not fall under the freshwater category as some of them, such as saltmarshes, contain a high concentration of salt. These wetlands are home for a number of different animals, including shellfishes, grasses, and shrimp.

ClimateBefore you can understand the climate in freshwater biomes and the differences between it and the weather, you must first know that weather is the change of atmospheric conditions on a daily or weekly basis. Climate, however, is the weather for a given period, usually an entire year.

Important of fresh FreshwaterMaintaining freshwater biomes and their climates are important for humans and animals. Freshwater is the main source of water that humans use to bathe and drink. Freshwater biomes have diverse floras, like algae, which are essential to the rest of our food chain. Freshwater plants are not only a source of food for animals, but also oxygen. This is especially true in summer. Freshwater Fishes are important food sources for both humans and animals. They feed on plants, insects, and other organisms. Freshwater ecosystems are important to humans because they provide not just food and fresh water, but also thousands of species. In order to guarantee human survival, we must protect them against climate change.

Freshwater BiomesFreshwater Biomes can form around small ponds and rivers. These two biomes are not marine biomes as is commonly believed. They are two components of the water biome/aquatic biome. Marine biomes include primarily all saline waters in the entire world. Freshwater Biomes, as their name suggests, are all sources of fresh water. Both marine and freshwater ecologies are important, even though the former is much bigger.

Author

  • noahtaylor

    Noah Taylor is a bloger, teacher, and writer living in upstate New York. He is the author of the highly successful educational blog, Noah's World, and the creator of the popular teacher resource, Noah's Notes. He has also written for many online publications, including Parenting, The Huffington Post, and The Learning Place. Noah is a graduate of Williams College and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.