Freshwater Biome

By: Chase Mercado, Premi Mohanavelu, Taylor Sutton, Samantha Schmid & Jacob Healy, 4th period

Freshwater Food Chain

Foodchain

http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/index.cfm 

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http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/food/food_menu.html

World Biome Map

Freshwater Climate Description

Freshwater biomes can exist in both hot and cold regions. Summer temperatures average 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit and winter temperatures average 32.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The climate's rainfall averages between 10 to 80 inches per year. On an average, the freshwater biome temperature ranges between 65 °F to 75 °F in summer season, and 35 °F to 45 °F in winter season. That would seem like a broad range but the biome is spread out around the world. There is a lot of diversity in this biome. There are many factors but the most prominent are location, season and depth.  Basically the climatic conditions in a fresh water lake in the tropics would differ from the climatic conditions of a fresh water lake in the polar area. The season also plays a role in the climate because a lake on the northern hemisphere would be frozen in winter while a lake in the southern hemisphere would be evaporating in the summer. Depth is a major factor in lakes because there is not a lot of water movement. The water at the bottom of the lake doesn't get much sunshine so the temperature will be low. The top of the lake will get more sunshine therefore the temperature will be higher.  This is the most diverse biome so we cannot ignore it. It also affects the terrestial areas near it. As a result it could affect the populations living near it.

Freshwater Flora

Freshwater Flora

In a freshwater biome, there are tons of plants that a lot of different animals depend and live off of, including the tamarak tree, sedge, the gum tree, and cattails. Some plants will be quite familiar while others you may have never heard of. Although there is a good amount listed, there are still a lot more to discover. Almost any plant can live in this area.  Most common are trees, shrubs, and grasses. The freshwater biome contains the second most diverse group of plants, although it is not the largest biome. The most recognized type of terrain in a freshwater biome is the flat wetlands, such as swamps and marshes. A well known plant that lives in this biome is the water lily. An adaption that the water lily has that helps it to survive in this biome is its ability to grow in water. Water lilies are known to sprout light pink flowers.

Wolf

• Terrestrial
• Eats some of the animals that live in or around the water, such as the beaver or the deer
• Have sharp teeth/claws made to eat these animals living in the surrounding swamps/marshes/floodplains

• very common in freshwater areas
• Semiaquatic
• Cottonmouth water moccasin only poisonous water snake in North America!

Water Moccasin

•  semiaquatic (live on land and in water)
• Largest rodents
• Can not stand the feel of running water, so they build dams to stop the flow of the river
• Dams also are homes that protect them from terrestrial predators
• Beavers are much more capable in land than in water
• Have a thick, fin-like tail good for swimming
• Have sharp teeth to cut down trees

Beaver

• eat macroinvertebrates (insects)
• Have gills that they use to breathe dissolved oxygen in the water

Catfish

Mayfly

• many different insects in freshwater biomes
• Mayflies are detritivores (eat detritus- decomposers)
• Mayflies spread nutrients by the remains of the food they shred being carried downstream
• 4 stages of life: egg, larva, pupa, and adult (first 3 stages are spent in water)
• Breathe the dissolved oxygen in the water
• Have flat, streamlined body shapes
• Have hooks on ends of legs to cling to rocks
• Insects are also known as macroinvertebrates

• live in ephemeral (temporary) pools during the early spring/summer
• Part of pulsed ecosystem with other amphibians alternating between wet/dry periods
• Wet period is breeding season- offspring need water
• Amphibians: adapted to live on both land and water

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Tiger Salamander

flamingos are 1 type of animal that lives in this biome��adaptation: longer legs that allow them to wade to deeper water��sometimes stand on 1 leg when resting; conserves body heat��eat beta carotene that turns their body pink (they are originally white)��also eat algae and shrimp  ���                                flamingo ��������

Flamingo

Works Cited

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_chain

http://www.ehow.com/facts_6940255_climate-freshwater-biome.html

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/freshwater-biome-climate.html

http://www.mbgnet.net/

 http://rrms-biomes.tripod.com/id10.html

http://answers.ask.com/Science/Biology/what_do_flamingos_eat

The Mississippi River.  Benchmark Books, Marshall Cavendish Corporation: 2001.  pgs 14-19, 26-27, 47-49, 54.