| A type of aquatic ecosystem is one in which the | | | | are vital. The tiniest plants and the plankton are |
| water is mostly salt water instead of fresh water. | | | | necessary so the larger animals can survive. It |
| There are other types including rivers, fresh | | | | also needs the tides, currents, and sand bars and |
| water lakes, and estuaries. An aquatic ecosystem | | | | rock reefs in order to be healthy. The animals |
| is made up of all the live plants and animals and all | | | | that interact with it like jelly fish, rays and eels are |
| the land in the area. The topography can consist | | | | also part of the delicate balance. |
| of coral reefs, tidal zones, estuaries, river mouths, | | | | It may not be easy to see at first how humans |
| and salt water reefs. Any plant or animal life in | | | | have affected the aquatic ecosystem but much |
| salt water will have adapted to it's environment. | | | | research has been done on this subject and we |
| The tropical ecosystem and the river and | | | | know how we affect it. Everything we do from |
| estuaries actually have a lot in common. In all of | | | | fishing to fertilizing crops and fields can have an |
| them, plants and animals have a symbiotic | | | | effect in some way. Other things that can affect |
| relationship that allows them to survive and keeps | | | | include toxins that get released into the water and |
| the system healthy. | | | | washed in with the tides, plastics and other waste |
| Experts who have studied have found that the | | | | that ends up in the water, and fuel and oil spills |
| food chain is determined by the predators. The | | | | from ships on the ocean. These all have a very |
| top of the food chain in any are the biggest and | | | | negative effect on the delicate balance. |
| strongest mammals and fish and the bottom of | | | | In order for the thousands of aquatic species to |
| the food chain is the coral and other tiny life | | | | survive, it's crucial that we take care of it, |
| forms. Animals like seals, dolphins, and whales are | | | | regardless of where those are located - in the |
| often part of a salt water system. The tiny fish | | | | tropical waters, or in the Antarctic and Arctic |
| and the crustaceans are near the very bottom of | | | | oceans. No one is self-contained; every one in the |
| the food chain. These tiny life forms are actually a | | | | world is affected by anything that happens in |
| very necessary part of the system. In fact, they | | | | other aquatic ecosystems. |