What are the zones available in the freshwater ecosystem?
The freshwater ecosystems are aquatic ecosystems characterised by low salt content. It has stagnant water type as well as running water type. It consists of the lake, ponds, rivers, streams.
Depending on the availability of light, it can be classified into three zones:
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Littoral zone - The shallow zone near the shore is called a littoral zone. The water near the shore is usually muddy or turbid. This topmost and warmest zone at the edge of a water body is home to snails, clams, insects, several crustaceans, fishes and amphibians and the eggs and larvae of dragonflies
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Limnetic zone - The limnetic zone is the open water zone at the top of the water body and consequently receives a good deal of light. This zone contains a variety of freshwater fish with bright shiny, greyish or silver black scales that help them to merge with the surroundings. Transparent or whitish bodied crustaceans like daphnia, cyclops, small shrimps are also found in this zone.
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Profundal zone - The profundal zone is dimly lit and cold. Mostly heterotrophs (animals that eat dead organisms) are found in this region. Most of the animals, the so-called bottom dwellers, that live here are mostly scavengers and predators, for example crustaceans, crabs, fishes like eels and glossogobius(isika dondu) , snails, turtles etc. They adapt themselves by feeding on dead animals that settle down.
The freshwater ecosystems are aquatic ecosystems characterised by low salt content. It has stagnant water type as well as running water type. It consists of the lake, ponds, rivers, streams.
Depending on the availability of light, it can be classified into three zones:
-
Littoral zone - The shallow zone near the shore is called a littoral zone. The water near the shore is usually muddy or turbid. This topmost and warmest zone at the edge of a water body is home to snails, clams, insects, several crustaceans, fishes and amphibians and the eggs and larvae of dragonflies
-
Limnetic zone - The limnetic zone is the open water zone at the top of the water body and consequently receives a good deal of light. This zone contains a variety of freshwater fish with bright shiny, greyish or silver black scales that help them to merge with the surroundings. Transparent or whitish bodied crustaceans like daphnia, cyclops, small shrimps are also found in this zone.
-
Profundal zone - The profundal zone is dimly lit and cold. Mostly heterotrophs (animals that eat dead organisms) are found in this region. Most of the animals, the so-called bottom dwellers, that live here are mostly scavengers and predators, for example crustaceans, crabs, fishes like eels and glossogobius(isika dondu) , snails, turtles etc. They adapt themselves by feeding on dead animals that settle down.
