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Lake ecosystems are a prime example of lentic ecosystems (lentic refers to stationary or relatively still freshwater, from the Latin lentus, which means "sluggish"), which include ponds, lakes and wetlands, and much of this article applies to lentic ecosystems in general.
They are more-or-less cup-shaped animals, ranging from 10 to 30 centimetres (3.9 to 11.8 in) in height, with sturdy skeletons made of glass-like silica spicules, fused to form a lattice. [ 4 ] [ 5 ] In some glass sponges such as members of the genus Euplectela , these structures are aided by a protein called glassin.
In this larval stage, there are 4 growth instars before reaching adulthood. Most Chaoborus species are univoltine, or live for only one year, though some populations have been recorded as having a two-year generation time. Timing of pupation depends on local environmental conditions, though generally occurs after any ice has thawed and ...
Diatoms generate about 20 per cent of the oxygen produced on the planet each year, [12] take in over 6.7 billion metric tons of silicon each year from the waters in which they live, [13] and contribute nearly half of the organic material found in the oceans. Diatoms are enclosed in protective silica (glass) shells called frustules.
Some sponges live to great ages; there is evidence of the deep-sea glass sponge Monorhaphis chuni living about 11,000 years. [ 213 ] [ 214 ] While most of the approximately 5,000–10,000 known species feed on bacteria and other food particles in the water, some host photosynthesizing micro-organisms as endosymbionts and these alliances often ...
The jagged pieces were up to 3 feet long.
Water clarity governs the health of underwater ecosystems because it impacts the amount of light reaching the plants and animals living underwater. For plants, light is needed for photosynthesis. The clarity of the underwater environment determines the depth ranges where aquatic plants can live.
Lake Shala, in the East African Rift Valley. A soda lake or alkaline lake is a lake on the strongly alkaline side of neutrality, typically with a pH value between 9 and 12. They are characterized by high concentrations of carbonate salts, typically sodium carbonate (and related salt complexes), giving rise to their alkalinity.