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Aquatic Ecosystems

Definition

Aquatic ecosystems refer to any environment that consists of water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries, and wetlands along with the living organisms that inhabit them.

Analogy

Just like how your school has different classrooms for different subjects (math room for math class, science lab for science class), Earth has different "rooms" called aquatic ecosystems where various types of marine life live depending on their specialized needs.

Related terms

Biodiversity: The variety and abundance of living organisms within an ecosystem.

Watershed: An area of land where all surface water and groundwater flow into a common water body such as a river or lake.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Designated areas within oceans or seas where human activities are regulated to protect marine resources and preserve biodiversity.

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.