Why Is Salinity Important 5h2419

Why is salinity important Salinity is important in marine ecosystem because marine organisms are already adapted to the nature of water they are in. Once salinity is altered, in cases of floods, organisms need to adapt to the new environment. Those who can not adapt will not survive. Two things affect salinity Biomass and temperature

Salinity Three major factors influence salinity (salt concentration) in Pacific Ocean waters: precipitation, evaporation and winds. Precipitation brings freshwater into the ocean, diluting its salt concentration. The rate of evaporation from the ocean’s surface waters is also important because it removes water molecules, leaving the salt behind. In regions where the evaporation is high, due to winds and high temperatures, the concentration of salt in the water increases. As a result, areas of water exposed to the strong trade-winds generally have higher salinity values. The salinity of ocean water is measured in parts per thousand. High salinity values are over 35 parts per thousand, while values below this are considered low. Around the equator, where there is large amounts of rainfall, surface salinity rarely exceeds 34 parts per thousand. The lowest salinity occurs in the extreme northern regions of the Pacific, near the Bering Sea, where concentrations are often less than 32 parts per thousand. Excessive amounts of dissolved salt in water can affect agriculture, drinking water supplies and ecosystem health. Salinity is a significant issue in south-western Australia and in some Murray-Darling Basin regions within New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

SALINITY AND ITS VARIABILITY... Oceanographers report salinity (total salt content) and the concentrations of individual chemical constituents in sea water -- chloride, sodium, or magnesium for example -- in parts per thousand, for which the symbol o/oo is used. That is, a salinity of 35 o/oo means 35 pounds of salt per 1,000 pounds of sea water. Similarly, a sodium concentration of 10 o/oo means 10 pounds of sodium per 1,000 pounds of water. An estuary is a dynamic ecosystem with a connection with the open sea through which the sea water enters with the rhythm of the tides. The sea water entering the estuary is diluted by the fresh water flowing from rivers and streams. The pattern of dilution varies between different estuaries and depends on the volume of fresh water, the tidal range, and the extent of evaporation of the water in the [2] estuary.

Freshwater ecosystems are a subset of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They includelakes and ponds, rivers, streams and springs, and wetlands. They can be contrasted with marine ecosystems, which have a larger salt content. Freshwater habitats can be classified by different factors, including temperature, light penetration, and vegetation. [6]

Fresh water can be defined as water with less than 500 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved salts.

he source of almost all fresh water is precipitation from the atmosphere, in the form of mist,rain and snow. Fresh water falling as mist, rain or snow contains materials dissolved from the atmosphere and material from the sea and land over which the rain bearing clouds have traveled. In industrialized areas rain is typically acidic because of dissolved oxides of sulfur and nitrogen formed from burning of fossil fuels in cars, factories, trains and aircraft and from the atmospheric emissions of industry. In some cases this acid rain results inpollution of lakes and rivers.

reshwater salinity is usually less than 0.5 ppt. Water between 0.5 ppt and 17 ppt is called brackish. Estuaries(where fresh river water meets salty ocean water) are examples of brackish waters. Marine ecosystems are among the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They include oceans, salt marsh and intertidal ecology, estuaries andlagoons, mangroves and coral reefs, the deep sea and the sea floor. They can be contrasted with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content. Marine waters cover two-thirds of the surface of the Earth. Such places are considered ecosystems because the plant life s the animal life and vice-versa. See food chains.

The average ocean salinity is 35 ppt. This number varies between about 32 and 37 ppt. Rainfall, evaporation, river runoff, and ice formation cause the variations.

Freshwater & Marine Ecosystems Freshwater and marine ecosystems cover more than three-quarters of the Earth's surface, providing an array of critical ecosystem services, from participating in various biogeochemical cycles and nutrient exchange, to providing natural protection and habitat, to degrading and dispersing many environmental pollutants. Freshwater ecosystems include some wetlands, streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. They are low salinity areas, with distinct animal and plant life that is typically unable to adjust to higher concentrations of salt water. Diversity in these ecosystems can vary since some, like ponds and lakes, can be isolated from other water sources. Coastal ecosystems are areas where land and water to create an environment with a distinct structure, diversity, and flow of energy. They include some wetlands, salt marshes, mangroves, estuaries and bays and are home to many different types of plants and animals. However, coastal ecosystems are also very sensitive to changes in the environment, and there is concern that some areas are struggling to maintain their diversity due to human activity, the introduction of non-native species, and other factors.