Characteristics of a Freshwater Biome
The term biome was coined by Victor Shelford as scientists attempted to develop a way to classify plants and animals into a single system. A biome is natural unit that uses plant species composition as the basis to associate animals with the plants on which they depend. Freshwater biomes are broadly classified as still water, such as lakes and ponds, or flowing water, such as rivers and streams.
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Significance
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Water chemistry and the physical structure of a water body's basin determine the relationships between organisms and a freshwater biome as well as management practices.
Features
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The water chemistry is in return influenced by other factors in the environment and watershed including soil composition, topography, human activities and pollution.
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Function
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Flowing water biomes are managed primarily in terms of physical characteristics such as length, gradient and velocity rather than the chemical composition which is managed in the static waters of lakes.
Considerations
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The health of freshwater biomes is vital to terrestrial species as well, with over 70 percent of animal species dependent upon these systems at some point during their life cycle, according to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency.
Potential
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With an increase in the world climate temperature of 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit during the past century, global warming presents new challenges to freshwater biomes as changes in weather patterns increase the frequency of drought and severe weather, impacting water supply and flood management strategies.
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References
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