Things You Would Find in a Freshwater Biome

Ponds and Lakes

• Lakes developed hundreds of years ago, while ponds tend to be seasonal. They can differ in size, ranging from a few square meters to hundreds of thousands of square meters. A pond or lake can be split into three zones, and you can find different things in each zone.

  The warmest zone is the littoral zone, which is at the top. Animals low on the food chain live here, including clams, snails, insects, crustaceans and fish. Algae and rooted and floating plants grow in this zone. Surrounding the littoral zone is the limnetic zone. This is home to small organisms like plankton, such as zooplankton and phytoplankton. Fish found here include bass and lake trout. The last zone found in the deep, dark part of a lake or pond is the profundal zone. Dead organisms fall to the bottom of this zone and bottom-feeders feed on them.

Streams and Rivers

• Types of flowing freshwater habitats are streams and rivers. They start at headwaters, for example at a lake or spring. The water moves until it ends up in another body of water, including oceans and seas. As the freshwater travels it becomes a cooler temperature and increases its oxygen levels, which allows animals and plants to inhabit it.

  Different types of animals live at the different points of streams and rivers. In the middle of the stream or river, where oxygen levels are high, many fish survive. Freshwater species of trout and salmon thrive, while algae and other aquatic plants can be found. Toward the end of the water flow where light is low, fish that require little oxygen survive. Examples include carp and catfish.

Wetlands

• Another type of freshwater is wetlands. Wetlands form swamps, marshes and bogs. Plants and animals must adapt to survive in the moist and humid conditions. Plant species found in wetlands include pond lilies, black spruce, sedges, cypress and cattails. Wetlands are also considered to have the highest number of animal species of any ecosystem in the world. Ducks, waders, crocodiles, snakes, frogs and fish are examples of animals found in wetlands. There are some types of wetlands that have high salt concentrations. These areas are home to different species of animals, such as shrimp and shellfish.

Estuaries

• Estuaries are the points where streams and rivers merge with oceans. Freshwater mixes with saltwater to create a distinctive ecosystem. You can find many species of plant organisms growing in estuaries. Seaweed, marsh grasses, algae and mangrove trees (in the tropics) are examples of findings in estuaries. Animals like crabs, oysters, worms and waterfowl thrive in these conditions. Amphibians, reptiles and birds are also found here.