Chapter 2
Overview of the Aquatic Ecosystem
Abstract The chapter gives an overview of the aquatic ecosystem as a whole. The
aquatic ecosystem is classified based on different criteria: depth, water flow, salinity
and features. The organisms within the aquatic environment are also described; these
include algae, aquatic plants and animals. In the process, some current issues facing
the aquatic environment are also discussed. Some of the terms described here are
used in other chapters of the book; therefore, this chapter also serves as a reference
point for the rest of the book. The chapter also includes illustrations and images of
some aquatic ecosystems from different parts of the world.
Keywords Biopolymers · Marine · Freshwater · Littoral · Pelagic · Estuaries
2.1 Introduction
Evidence suggests that water was brought to earth by water carrying meteorites and
asteroids colliding with the planet during its formation. This water formed the oceans
of the earth which then spill into other bodies of water. Therefore, every drop of water
on earth is billions of years old (Takir et al. 2018). This water is recycled through the
water cycle and changes state between gas, liquid and solid through the processes of
evaporation, condensation and freezing. The oceans absorb a significant amount of
energy from earth’s revolution which would otherwise cause extremely high wind
speeds which could have destructive effects on life on land. The aquatic ecosystem is
made up of the living and non-living components that exist within a body of water. It
consists of such diverse life-forms that there exists more diversity of life in the water
than on land. The survival of an aquatic ecosystem depends on maintaining a balance
between the existence and activities of the producers, consumers, decomposers as
well as the abiotic components. This is same in terrestrial ecosystem except that the
aquatic ecosystem has an abundance of moisture, continuity of the medium (water),
limitation of air and variation in temperature and light.
To say that water plays an important role in sustaining life is almost an understatement. Water is indeed life. The aquatic world is full of diverse life-forms, and
it makes up 70% of the earth. Water has served as the main evidence of life on
other planets; to ascertain the existence of life, one must first confirm the presence
© Springer International Publishing 2020
O. Olatunji, Aquatic Biopolymers, Springer Series on Polymer and Composite Materials,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34709-3_2
5
Overview of the Aquatic Ecosystem
Abstract The chapter gives an overview of the aquatic ecosystem as a whole. The
aquatic ecosystem is classified based on different criteria: depth, water flow, salinity
and features. The organisms within the aquatic environment are also described; these
include algae, aquatic plants and animals. In the process, some current issues facing
the aquatic environment are also discussed. Some of the terms described here are
used in other chapters of the book; therefore, this chapter also serves as a reference
point for the rest of the book. The chapter also includes illustrations and images of
some aquatic ecosystems from different parts of the world.
Keywords Biopolymers · Marine · Freshwater · Littoral · Pelagic · Estuaries
2.1 Introduction
Evidence suggests that water was brought to earth by water carrying meteorites and
asteroids colliding with the planet during its formation. This water formed the oceans
of the earth which then spill into other bodies of water. Therefore, every drop of water
on earth is billions of years old (Takir et al. 2018). This water is recycled through the
water cycle and changes state between gas, liquid and solid through the processes of
evaporation, condensation and freezing. The oceans absorb a significant amount of
energy from earth’s revolution which would otherwise cause extremely high wind
speeds which could have destructive effects on life on land. The aquatic ecosystem is
made up of the living and non-living components that exist within a body of water. It
consists of such diverse life-forms that there exists more diversity of life in the water
than on land. The survival of an aquatic ecosystem depends on maintaining a balance
between the existence and activities of the producers, consumers, decomposers as
well as the abiotic components. This is same in terrestrial ecosystem except that the
aquatic ecosystem has an abundance of moisture, continuity of the medium (water),
limitation of air and variation in temperature and light.
To say that water plays an important role in sustaining life is almost an understatement. Water is indeed life. The aquatic world is full of diverse life-forms, and
it makes up 70% of the earth. Water has served as the main evidence of life on
other planets; to ascertain the existence of life, one must first confirm the presence
© Springer International Publishing 2020
O. Olatunji, Aquatic Biopolymers, Springer Series on Polymer and Composite Materials,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34709-3_2
5