Freshwater Ecosystems

First, you'll want to learn which animals live in freshwater ecosystems. Creatures like flatworms, snails, and frogs live in fresh water, as well as many types of fish, turtles, and crustaceans. These animals need to live in water that is as clean as possible so that their bodies will grow properly and reproduction can occur normally. This is why it is also important to learn about the different layers of freshwater ecosystems so that you can keep the water in your area clean.

The first layer of this ecosystem is the Littoral zone. This zone is very close to the shore and light will reach all the way to the bottom of this zone. Producers in this zone are plants, and there is algae attached to this zone as well. This is where the smaller animals like worms and frogs live. Then there is the Limnetic zone; this is where photosynthesis can occur. Unlike the Littoral zone where light reaches to the bottom, the Limnetic zone only has light on the top layers. This is the layer that makes up most of the lakes and ponds that are in your area. The producers in this zone are planktonic algae, and the consumers are zooplankton, which include small crustaceans. Swimming insects and fish also make up this layer of the freshwater ecosystem, which is why some people are able to go fishing at their local lake. However, it's important to make sure that you follow fishing regulations when doing this in order to conserve wildlife.

The Profundal zone is another important part of freshwater ecosystems. Many lakes do not really have this layer, since the lake is too deep for enough light to reach the layer and support plant productivity, which will limit animal growth at this level. This zone is made up of consumers that are attached to sediments at the bottom of the lake; these animals are called benthos.

If you want to know more about freshwater ecosystems, you may want to check out local museums or National Geographic to find out more about the animals that live in these environments. The Environmental Protection Agency will also be able to give you more information on water conservation; check out www.epa.gov to find out how freshwater ecosystems work today.