Freshwater Biome Plants

The planet earth is formed by huge water bodies and landscapes. The geographical topology of the earth supports life, making it conducive for survival of both plants and animals. A considerable portion of the earth is occupied by the biomes, defined as a large geographical area consisting of different species of plants and animals, adapted to the environment of that division.

Freshwater bodies have a saline content that is below 1%. Freshwater biome plants cover one fifth of the earth's surface. The habitation is acclimatized to the prevailing climatic conditions and temperature. The characteristics of the freshwater biomes of the world will be elaborated in the next segment.

Types of Freshwater Biome Plants

The characteristics that affect freshwater biome animals and plants include depth, rate of flow, temperature and quality of water. Exposure to sunlight is one of the essentials factor that supports their life. Freshwater bodies include ponds, rivers, streams, lakes, canals, ditches, brooks, etc. The habitat will be classified according to the types of water bodies.

Streams and Rivers
Communities of biomes found in rivers and streams usually dwell along the edge of the water body. The species found along streams and rivers are water stargrass, tape grass, coontails, etc. Such water bodies also support the growth of trees. Few such type of trees are willows, river birch, cottonwoods, box elder, etc. These trees grow in shallow water and where the flow of water is slow.

Wetland Water Bodies
Wetlands like ditches, swamps, marshes, bogs and fens have saturated water throughout the year. They are typically stagnant water bodies supporting growth of a variety of plant biomes. The commonly found plants are cattails, duckweed, sedges, etc. The trees growing in wetland areas are gum, cypress, black spurce, tamarack, etc.

Lakes and Ponds
Ponds and lakes can be either natural or man-made. The plant biomes present in such water bodies are less diverse as such water bodies are not a permanent habitat for them. The depth of ponds and lakes vary and accordingly the species. The community of plant biomes growing in lakes and ponds are usually grasses and weeds. The underwater plants are muskgrass, narrow-leaf weed while the floating plants like cattails and lily pads are also found in shallow ponds and lakes.

Freshwater Biome Plant Adaptations

Freshwater biome plants are adapted to environmental constraints of that location. The littoral zone is the topmost layer of the crust and forms the shore of the water bodies. Different species of algae, weeds and grass grow in the marshy zones. Freshwater bodies are isolated from other water bodies, composed of ocean and sea. Since the area of ponds and lakes are limited, the existence of biome species is ephemeral. Floating aquatic plants or underground water plants are adapted to the density of the water and the flow of water. Such species are usually adapted to rivers and streams.

Freshwater biomes survive in summer as well as in winter. The variation of temperature ranges from 4°C to 22°C in the bottom and on the surface, respectively. Their adaptability supports survival during extreme temperatures of winter, that may be as low as 0°C. Phytoplanktons and zooplanktons are widely spread in the wetlands. Bods, fens and ditches are unproductive water bodies that depend on external sources for nutrient supply. Species dominating such areas are sphagnum moss. Fens support grassy vegetation that flourish during the wet and cold seasons. Rivers and marshes are the most productive among the freshwater bodies that favor the growth of different species of angiosperms. The nature of growth is also dependent upon the acidic nature of the water. Acidic water is not conducive for the growth of freshwater biomes.

These plants have a major contribution to the food chain and they help to maintain a balance in the ecosystem. The survival of such plants are necessary for sustenance of life on the planet Earth.