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3 Environmental Considerations
Salinity is an ecological factor of considerable import, influencing the types of organisms that live in a body of water. As well, salinity influences the kinds of plantGreen algae land plants (embryophytes non-vascular embryophytes Hepatophyta liverworts Anthocerophyta hornworts Bryophyta mosses vascular plants (tracheophytes seedless vascular plants Lycopodiophyta clubmosses Equisetophyta horsetails Pteridophyta "true"s that will grow either in a water body, or on land fed by a water (or by a groundwaterGroundwater is any water found below the land surface. It is found in aquifers, in the pore spaces of rocks, in unconsolidated sediments, as permafrost, and as soil moisture. Groundwater flows to the surface naturally at springs and seeps and can form oas). A plant adapted to saline conditions is called a halophyteA halophyte is a plant that naturally grows where it is affected by salinity in the root area or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs, and seashores. Adaptation to saline environments by halophytes may take t (for salt loving). Organisms (mostly bacteria) that can live in very salty conditions are classified as extremophileAn extremophile is an organism, usually unicellular, which thrives in or requires "extreme" conditions. The definition of "extreme" is anthropocentric, of course. To the organism itself its environment is completely normal. Non-extremophilic organisms ares.
Salt is difficult to remove from water, and salt content is an important factor in water use (such as potability).
- See also: biosalinityBiosalinity is the study and practice of using saline ( salty) water for irrigating agricultural crops. Many arid and semi-arid areas actually do have sources of water, but the available water is usually brackish (500-5000 ppm salt by weight) or saline (3.
4 References
- Dahl, E. 1956. Ecological salinity boundaries in poikilohaline waters. Oikos, 7(I): 1–21.
- Por, F. D. 1972. Hydrobiological notes on the high-salinity waters of the Sinai Peninsula. Mar. Biol., 14(2): 111–119.
- Venice system. 1959. Final resolution of the symposium on the classification of brackish waters. Archo Oceanogr. Limnol., 11 (suppl): 243–248.
Oceanography
EcologyEcology is the branch of science that studies the distribution and abundance of living organisms, and the interactions between organisms and their environment. The environment of an organism includes both its physical habitat, which can be described as th
