AQUATIC BIOMES
Teacher’s Guide
INTRODUCTION
This Teacher’s Guide provides information to help you get the most out of Aquatic Biomes, one
program in the five-part series Biomes. The contents of this guide allow you to prepare your students before viewing the program, and to present follow-up activities to reinforce the program’s
key learning points.
The series is designed to give students a clear understanding of the definition of a biome—a distinct ecological community of plants and animals that live together in, and are well adapted to, a
particular physical environment—as it applies to five different types of biomes and their subcategories.
This engaging video encourages students to move beyond a simplified view of the environment
to a deeper level of understanding: that the global ecosystem is made up of interdependent ecological communities populated with their own particular life forms and vulnerable to damage by
both natural forces and human activity. This program introduces students to a variety of the
world’s aquatic biomes.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After viewing the program, students will be able to:
■ Describe an aquatic biome and how life-forms develop within this biome.
■ Identify the two types of aquatic biomes and observe the regions they encompass.
■ Explain the different types of marine zones and the characteristics that define each zone with
respect to environmental conditions and life-forms which reside there.
■ Identify the different types of freshwater regions and the environmental conditions and the
life-forms that are characteristic of one.
■ Understand the importance of evolution and adaptation for aquatic species.
EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
National Standards
This program correlates with the National Science Education Standards developed by the National
Academies of Sciences, Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy from the American
Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Geography Standards from The
National Geographic Society. The content has been aligned with the following educational
standards and benchmarks from these organizations.
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Understand the behavior of organisms.
Understand the diversity and adaptations of organisms.
Understand matter, energy, and organization in living systems.
Identify populations and ecosystems.
Understand the interdependence of organisms.
Understand the structure and function in living systems.
Describe populations, resources, and environments.
Understand the characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth’s surface.
Understand the physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth’s surface.
Understand how to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on
Earth’s surface.
■ Understand how physical systems affect human systems.
■ Understand how human actions modify the physical environment.
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Copyright © 2004 Cambridge Educational®
■ Understand that in all environments—freshwater, marine, forest, desert, grassland, mountain,
and others—organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for resources,
including food, space, water, air, and shelter.
■ Understand that ecosystems can be reasonably stable over hundreds or thousands of years.
■ Understand that as any population of organisms grows, it is held in check by one or more
environmental factors: depletion of food or nesting sites, increased loss to increased numbers
of predators, or parasites.
■ Understand that like many complex systems, ecosystems tend to have cyclic fluctuations
around a state of rough equilibrium. In the long run, however, ecosystems always change
when climate changes or when one or more new species appear as a result of migration or
local evolution.
■ Understand that human beings are part of the earth’s ecosystems. Human activities can, deliberately or inadvertently, alter the equilibrium in ecosystems.
■ Understand the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of
resources.
Reprinted with permission from National Science Education Standards ©1999 by the National Academy of Sciences,
courtesy of the National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.
Reprinted with permission from Benchmarks for Science Literacy ©1993 by Project 2061 and the American
Association for Advancement of Science, courtesy of Oxford University Press, New York, NY.
The National Geography Standards reprinted with permission from the National Geographic Society.
Standards’ correlations were done independently by Cambridge Educational.
English Language Arts Standards
The activities in this Teacher’s Guide were created in compliance with the following National
Standards for the English Language Arts from the National Council of Teachers of English.
■ Use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning,
enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
■ Adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary)
to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
■ Employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements
appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
■ Use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer
networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
■ Conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing
problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and
non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries.
■ Read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to
respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace.
Standards for the English Language Arts, by the International Reading Association and the National Council of
Teachers of English, Copyright 1996 by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers
of English. Reprinted with permission.
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Technology Standards
The activities in this Teacher’s Guide were created in compliance with the following National
Education Technology Standards from the National Education Technology Standards Project.
■ Develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
■ Practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
■ Use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
The National Education Technology Standards reprinted with permission from the International Society of Technology
Education.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This video is designed to raise and refine a student’s awareness of the environment. More specifically, it is designed to help students understand that “the environment” is not a monolithic
whole. Rather, it is a collection of different biomes—unique ecological communities, each populated with its own life forms and each vulnerable to unique stresses, whether natural or manmade.
Ranging from rivers and lakes to wetlands and intertidal zones, to coral reefs and kelp forests,
marine ecosystems are as diverse as the life forms that inhabit them. This program introduces
students to a variety of the world’s aquatic biomes. The characteristics of saltwater and freshwater environments are clearly described, as are the plants and animals that call these watery
regions home. The importance of evolution and adaptation for aquatic species is emphasized.
MAIN TOPICS
Topic 1: The Basics
This section describes the four basic variables that affect life in a given environment: the presence or absence of light, available nutrients, temperature, and water availability.
Topic 2: Types of Aquatic Biomes
This section describes the two types of aquatic biomes—freshwater and marine (saltwater)—and
the bodies of water that fall under each type.
Topic 3: Defining Characteristics
This section describes the factors that determine an aquatic biome’s category, including depth of
water, flow of water, and zones.
Topic 4: Flora and Fauna
This section describes how each category of aquatic biome shelters different animal and plant
life.
Topic 5: The Human Factor
This section describes threats to aquatic biomes from humans.
FAST FACTS
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Water is the major factor determining the kind of life that can survive in a given biome.
Seventy-five percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water.
Out of every hundred gallons of water on earth, only three gallons are freshwater.
Ninety-nine percent of all freshwater is frozen in glaciers or runs in underground aquifers.
Only eight tablespoons of every hundred gallons of water on earth is available surface water.
■ An aquatic biome is one that is permanently dominated by the presence of water.
■ The two basic types of aquatic biomes are freshwater and marine (saltwater).
■ Wetlands are also known as fens, marshes, bogs, swamps, moors, prairie potholes, bottomland, playa lakes, and vernal pools.
■ Freshwater wetlands have the greatest species diversity of all biomes.
■ Freshwater wetlands are found in every climate and on every continent except Antarctica.
■ Phytoplankton—tiny sea creatures—produce 80% of Earth’s oxygen.
VOCABULARY TERMS
aquifer: A water-bearing rock, group of rocks, or rock formation.
benthic: Of, relating to, or occurring at the bottom of a body of water.
biodiversity: The variety of organisms found within a specific geographic region.
biome: A distinct ecological community of plants and animals that live together in, and are well
adapted to, a particular physical environment.
detritus: Disintegrated matter; debris.
limnetic: Of, relating to, or inhabiting the open water of a body of fresh water.
littoral: Of, relating to, or situated or growing on or near a shore, especially the sea.
pelagic: Of, relating to, or living or occurring in the open sea.
phytoplankton: Microscopic floating aquatic plants.
profunda: Of, relating to, or inhabiting the depths of a body of freshwater.
zooplankton: Floating, often microscopic aquatic animals.
PRE-PROGRAM DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why are there more types of plants and animals in some places than in others?
2. Is there any place on Earth where no plants or animals can survive?
3. What’s the most important factor in determining what kind of life an area of our planet can
support?
4. Why is water so important to life on Earth?
5. What types of organisms inhabit saltwater environments?
6. What types of organisms inhabit freshwater environments?
POST-PROGRAM DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why is water so important to life on Earth?
2. Some of the first civilizations sprung up around sources of water. What peoples were they?
Where did they arise?
3. In both the ocean and the rainforest, the forms of life found at the uppermost levels—receiving the most sunlight—are quite different from those at the deepest and darkest levels. What
other similarities can you think of between oceans and rainforests?
4. What is your family’s source of water? Does it come from a well? From a city reservoir? From
somewhere else?
5. What do you know about how we maintain a clean supply of water for our cities and towns?
6. What value do you see in maintaining a diversity of life in the ocean?
GROUP ACTIVITIES
Local Biomes
Contact a national, state, or local park agency (such as a watershed, nature reserve, or ecology
center) or a group like the Audubon Society and find out if they have naturalist programs for students. Visit a local habitat (e.g., wetland, forest, or meadow) with a professional or volunteer
naturalist. Find out what plants and animals form the ecosystem and how they interact with
each other. Ask questions such as:
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• Have there been surveys of the area to inventory the species? (For example, for a wetland area,
do they know what amphibians live there and how abundant they are?)
• Are there any threatened or endangered species in the area?
• What are the main threats to the area?
• What is being done to conserve the ecosystem?
Microscopic Life
Visit one or more aquatic biomes in your area such as a pond, lake, stream, marsh, ocean, etc.
Collect water samples from each of these locations. Using a microscope, see how many different types of organisms you can find. Document your findings by drawing small illustrations for
each species. Can you identify any of them? Which sample had the most organisms present?
Which one had the most variety? Create a chart to present your findings.
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PROJECTS
Recovering Species
Support the recovery process for an endangered species in the United States by using media.
Contact the federal and state agencies in charge of recovery of endangered species. (For most
species, the federal agency is the Fish and Wildlife Service and the state agency is the
Department of Wildlife or the Department of Game. For marine species, the federal agency is the
National Marine Fisheries Service. The federal agencies, and some state agencies, have websites
on the Internet.)
a) Find out what threatened or endangered species live in your state and select one of these
species.
b) Ask for a copy of the recovery plan for the species. If there is no recovery plan, ask why. (Not
all listed species have a plan, even though the Endangered Species Act requires one for every
listed species.)
c) Find out what programs the agency has initiated to help the species recover and what the status of these programs is.
d) Make a list of ways citizens can support recovery efforts for this species.
e) Try to get your list published in a local or school newspaper.
INTERNET ACTIVITIES
Types of Water
Use the Internet to find out about the many different types of water that are available. Then,
visit a local grocery store to see how many kinds you can find bottled for consumers. How are
these waters different from one another? Summarize your findings in a short paper.
The Clean Water Act
Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Watershed Academy website to learn about the
Clean Water Act (www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/index.htm). Then, test your knowledge of this
law by taking the online “Fact or Fiction” quiz.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
Q: How much of the Earth’s surface is covered by water?
(a) 75%
(b) 50%
(c) 90%
(d) 55%
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A: (a) 75%
Feedback: About 75% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.
Q: An aquatic biome is area that is ___________________.
(a) dry and arid
(b) permanently covered in snow
(c) always cold
(d) permanently dominated by the presence of water
A: (d) permanently dominated by the presence of water
Feedback: An aquatic biome is an area that is permanently dominated by the presence of water.
Q: What are the two basic types of aquatic biome?
(a) Littoral and limnetic
(b) Freshwater and marine
(c) Cold and warm
(d) Surface and deep water
A: (b) Freshwater and marine
Feedback: The two basic types of aquatic biome are saltwater (marine) and freshwater.
Q: What percentage of Earth’s water is fresh, i.e. containing less than 1% salt?
(a) 3%
(b) 5%
(c) 20%
(d) 50%
A: (a) 3%
Feedback: Only 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh.
Q: Out of every hundred gallons of fresh water, roughly how much is surface water that is available for use?
(a) 2 cups
(b) 2 tablespoons
(c) 8 tablespoons
(d) 8 gallons
A: (c) 8 tablespoons
Feedback: Only about 8 tablespoons out of every hundred gallons of freshwater is surface water
available for use.
Q: Which of the following is not a “zone” in a pond or lake?
(a) Pelagic
(b) Littoral
(c) Limnetic
(d) Profundal
A: (a) Pelagic
Feedback: “Pelagic” refers to an ocean zone.
Q: Which of the following is not one of the three primary “zones” in an ocean or sea?
(a) Pelagic
(b) Littoral
(c) Benthic
(d) Profundal
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A: (d) Profundal
Feedback: “Profundal” refers to a pond or lake zone.
Q: What is a coral reef primarily composed of?
(a) Rocks
(b) The skeletons of a variety of small animals.
(c) Starfish
(d) Compressed shells
A: (b) The skeletons of a variety of small animals.
Feedback: A coral reef is primarily composed of the skeletons of a variety of small animals.
Q: What percentage of Earth’s oxygen is produced by phytoplankton in the sea?
(a) 10%
(b) 80%
(c) 50%
(d) 100%
A: (b) 80%
Feedback: About 80% of the earth’s oxygen is produced by phytoplankton.
Q: What is the major factor determining the kind of life that can survive in a given biome?
(a) sunlight
(b) carbon
(c) soil
(d) water
A: (d) water
Feedback: Water is the major factor in determining the types of species a biome can support.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Sea World
www.seaworld.org
River Resource
www.highlands.com/RiverResource
FirstGov for Science: Government Science Portal
www.science.gov
U.S Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov
The Virtual Zoo—Habitats and Biomes
http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/habitats.htm
Environmental Impacts of Aquaculture, by Kenneth D. Black (Editor). CRC Press, 2001.
ISBN: 0849305012
Oceans: Biomes of Nature Series, by Don P. Rothaus & Jim Rothaus. Child’s World, 1997.
ISBN: 1567662862
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Aquatic Biomes: Exploring Earth’s Water-Based Ecosystems, by Pat Ward. Mark Twain Media,
2002. ISBN: 1580370586
OTHER PRODUCTS
Aquatic Environments: Streams and Rivers, VHS/DVD, Cambridge Educational
If water is the lifeblood of the Earth, then streams and rivers are the Earth’s arteries. This program examines research techniques suitable for use in moving water environments, while presenting approaches to evaluating stream health.
Item no: 11658, www.cambridgeeducational.com, 1-800-468-4227
Aquatic Environments: Riparian Areas, Lakes, and Marshes, VHS/DVD, Cambridge Educational
Lakes, marshes, and the lands that border them are home to a rich variety of plants and animals.
This program describes research techniques that are used for exploring still water environments
while presenting approaches to evaluating stream health.
Item no: 11659, www.cambridgeeducational.com, 1-800-468-4227
Using Natural Resources Wisely, VHS/DVD, Meridian Education
The responsible use of the world’s dwindling supply of natural resources is everybody’s business.
In this program, experts from industry and academia provide background on energy conservation, while real-world examples prompt viewers to use natural resources thoughtfully. Surprising
facts, such as how some appliances use electricity even when turned off; scientific information,
including lighting and window technologies that can save energy; and suggestions on how to
become more self-sufficient, as by capturing sunlight with photovoltaic energy cells, are offered.
Item no: 11467, www.meridianeducation.com, 1-800-727-5507
State of the Planet: Biosphere in the Balance, VHS/DVD, Films for the Humanities & Sciences
Deforestation, global warming, depletion of aquifers, rising sea levels, and mass extinctions—
how much longer can Earth compensate for these damaging forces? In this timely three-part
series, David Attenborough and some of the world’s leading experts on environmental matters
consider what is probably the most important issue of the 21st century: the future of life on this
planet. A BBC Production. The series includes Is There a Crisis? Biodiversity in Decline; Why Is
There a Crisis? Environmental Exploitation; and The Future of Life: Searching for Solutions
Item no:11971, www.films.com, 1-800-257-5126
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For information on other programs
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