2.2 Types of Aquatic Ecosystems
17
from factors such as ocean acidification (Pendleton et al. 2019) and nutrient runoff
from sugarcane plantations (Deane et al. 2018). The coral reefs therefore serve as an
example of how the aquatic life and activities impact on terrestrial life and activities
and vice versa.
2.3 Aquatic Organisms
Life inhabiting the aquatic environment includes the five kingdoms: plants, animals,
prokaryotes, protista and fungi. These could be large organisms such as the whales
and giant squids or they could be microorganisms such as bacteria and microalgae.
2.3.1 Aquatic Plants
One of the differentiating features between aquatic and terrestrial plants is that aquatic
plants growing in flowing water possess larger and narrower leaves while land plants
or plants grown in poorly oxygenated water had smaller and broader leaves. However,
the size or distribution (number of stomata per unit cm
2 of leaf) of the stomata does
not vary (Penfound and Earle 1948).
Aquatic plants are also referred to as hydrophytes. Some aquatic plants are invasive
while others are extractive primary producers which photosynthesize using nutrients
such as phosphorus, manganese, zinc, iron and nitrogen and carbon dioxide from the
aquatic environment and releasing oxygen in exchange (Oyedeji and Abowei 2012).
In some aquatic environment where oxygen supply from the atmosphere is low,
aquatic plants serve as the primary oxygen source for the other aquatic organisms
within. Aquatic plants also add some aesthetics to the environment if well controlled.
The water lily, for example, blooms with colorful flowers and some accounts of it
being grown for its ease of growth and blooming beautifully in the United States
after the First World War.
Some aquatic plants can be beneficial to the aquaculture or wild aquatic environment serving as nutritional base to shell and finfish, zooplankton and other invertebrates as well as controlling the growth of invasive phytoplankton and moss by
removing the metabolites required by these organisms. Others may pose a nuisance
by disrupting water transportation and blocking navigational channels or serve as
hosts to pathogens and pests. Reported cases of water hyacinth disrupting water
transportation exist in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria (Oyedeji and Abowei 2012).
Water hyacinth which was once said to be an admirable plant grown for aesthetic
appeal has since then gone from an admirable water plant to one of the biggest
pests in the world. Water hyacinth pest problems have resulted in millions of dollars
worth of loss in terms of destruction of aquatic life and human activity related to
aquatic environment. This includes blocking of drainage, destruction of aquatic food
source, impediment of runoff leading to flooding, hindering of water transportation
17
from factors such as ocean acidification (Pendleton et al. 2019) and nutrient runoff
from sugarcane plantations (Deane et al. 2018). The coral reefs therefore serve as an
example of how the aquatic life and activities impact on terrestrial life and activities
and vice versa.
2.3 Aquatic Organisms
Life inhabiting the aquatic environment includes the five kingdoms: plants, animals,
prokaryotes, protista and fungi. These could be large organisms such as the whales
and giant squids or they could be microorganisms such as bacteria and microalgae.
2.3.1 Aquatic Plants
One of the differentiating features between aquatic and terrestrial plants is that aquatic
plants growing in flowing water possess larger and narrower leaves while land plants
or plants grown in poorly oxygenated water had smaller and broader leaves. However,
the size or distribution (number of stomata per unit cm
2 of leaf) of the stomata does
not vary (Penfound and Earle 1948).
Aquatic plants are also referred to as hydrophytes. Some aquatic plants are invasive
while others are extractive primary producers which photosynthesize using nutrients
such as phosphorus, manganese, zinc, iron and nitrogen and carbon dioxide from the
aquatic environment and releasing oxygen in exchange (Oyedeji and Abowei 2012).
In some aquatic environment where oxygen supply from the atmosphere is low,
aquatic plants serve as the primary oxygen source for the other aquatic organisms
within. Aquatic plants also add some aesthetics to the environment if well controlled.
The water lily, for example, blooms with colorful flowers and some accounts of it
being grown for its ease of growth and blooming beautifully in the United States
after the First World War.
Some aquatic plants can be beneficial to the aquaculture or wild aquatic environment serving as nutritional base to shell and finfish, zooplankton and other invertebrates as well as controlling the growth of invasive phytoplankton and moss by
removing the metabolites required by these organisms. Others may pose a nuisance
by disrupting water transportation and blocking navigational channels or serve as
hosts to pathogens and pests. Reported cases of water hyacinth disrupting water
transportation exist in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria (Oyedeji and Abowei 2012).
Water hyacinth which was once said to be an admirable plant grown for aesthetic
appeal has since then gone from an admirable water plant to one of the biggest
pests in the world. Water hyacinth pest problems have resulted in millions of dollars
worth of loss in terms of destruction of aquatic life and human activity related to
aquatic environment. This includes blocking of drainage, destruction of aquatic food
source, impediment of runoff leading to flooding, hindering of water transportation