Chapter 7 Vocabulary

Formation produced by massive colonies containing billions of polyps

Tiny animals that slowly build reefs by secreting a protective crust of limestone around their soft bodies

the amount of various salts dissolved in a given volume of water

Small, drifting plants, mostly algae and bacteria, found in aquatic ecosystems

Photosynthetic bacteria no more than 2 micrometers wide

Strongly swimming organisms found in aquatic systems

Bottom-dwelling organisms

Upper layer of a body of water through which sunlight can penetrate and support photosynthesis

Warm, nutrient-rich, shallow part of the ocean that extends from the high-tide mark on land to the edge of a shelflike extension of continental land masses known as the continental shelf

submerged part of the continents

a partially enclosed area of coastal water where seawater mixes with freshwater and nutrients from rivers, streams, and runoff from land

Land areas covered with water all or part of the year

forest with trees that can grow in salt water

Area of shoreline between low and high tides

low, narrow, sandy islands that form offshore from a coastline

The part of the ocean that is beyond the continental shelf

dimly lit middle zone that does not contain photosynthesizing producers because of a lack of sunlight

Lowest zone, dark and very cold that has little dissolved oxygen

Aquatic systems where water with a dissolved salt concentration of less than 1% by volume accumulates on or flows through the surface of terrestrial biomes. Ex.) lakes, ponds, streams, rivers

Large natural body of standing freshwater formed when water from precipitation, land runoff, or groundwater flow fills a depression in the earth created by glaciation, earth movement, volcanic activity, or a giant meteorite

Top layer Shallow sunlight waters near the shore to the depth at which rooted plants stop growing. High biological diversity and has adequate nutrients from bottom sediments

The open, sunlit water surface layer away from the shore that extends to the depth penetrated by sunlight

The deep, ocean water where it is too dark for photosynthesis. Low oxygen levels

Bottom of the lake Mostly decomposers and detritus feeders and fish that swim from one zone to the other inhabit it.